Poor weather did not justify rally cancellation, inquest hears

Heavy wind and rain did not justify canceling a rally where a driver died, an inquest heard.

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a forest rally was a “challenge between the driver and the machine and the elements” and that rain was a normal feature of such an event.

Eoin McCarthy, 22, died in February 2022 after his car veered off track and flipped into a flooded stream during the Killarney Forestry Rally in County Kerry. Witnesses had reported the rally took place amid strong winds and heavy rain.

John Naylor, vice-president of Motorsport Ireland, stated that weather conditions did not warrant cancellation. He described forest rallies as a "challenge between the driver and the machine and the elements," noting that rain is a typical feature. Naylor also mentioned that tracking technology has significantly improved in the past year.

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conditions on the day did not in any way justify cancellation of the rally.

Barrister for the McCarthy family, Derek Ryan, questioned Naylor about a silage bale at the crash site and whether he had interviewed witnesses. Naylor could not recall the bale and stated he had gathered statements from other parties, such as the gardaí, rather than conducting direct interviews. He acknowledged that the term 'investigation' in a document he wrote for Motorsport Ireland implied more than the document entailed.

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He said tracking was in its infancy five years ago but had “gone to a whole different level” in the past 12 months.

Dr. Fiona Kelly, the rally's chief medical officer, confirmed that CPR and defibrillator use were unsuccessful in reviving McCarthy after he was submerged for five to six minutes. She noted that while there were delays in transferring McCarthy to a helicopter, these would not have affected the outcome. She offered condolences, stating McCarthy would not have suffered.

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He said he had not carried out interviews but had gathered statements made to other parties such as the gardaí.