Larry and Anthony Brady in their Mark II Escort             

This weekend the hotly anticipated inaugural Heartlands Rally comes to town. 
An influx of the rally community will arrive in the early hours of Saturday morning to sign on at rally headquarters O’Loughlin’s Hotel, Main Street, Portlaoise where they will get their paperwork in order and head out to recce the stages on The Heath and Ballyfin. 
Scrutiny of the cars will take place over at County Hall on Saturday evening where the drivers will have an anxious few moments as weeks of late night work on cars pays off as the cars are inspected and cars are deemed fit to rally on Sunday. 

A ceremonial start will take place outside O’Loughlin’s Hotel from 7:30 p.m. where the top 10 seeded drivers and local crews will drive their cars down the main street and be interviewed before returning to Parc Feirme for the night. 

Local crews include Pat Delaney, Ballyfin with co driver Joey Hearns, Mountrath,  Dan and Eoin Gorman, Mountmellick, Brendan and Stephen Hearns from Abbeyleix, Larry and Ann Brady, Portlaoise, Liam Grant, Abbeyleix with Anthony Brady, Portlaoise,  Christy and John Kelly, Castlecomer, Edward and Paul Kelly, Castlecomer, Paul Lacey and Arthur Walsh, Portarlington, Paddy Nolan and Padraig Gorman, Abbeyleix,  Aaron Martley, Portlaoise, and  Mark Conlon, Portlaoise,  David Kearney Senior and David Kearney Junior, Portlaoise, and John Fogarty, Abbeyleix with Michael Culleton, Clonaslee.

The real action begins on Sunday morning when the rally starts out on The Heath with the first car on stage at 10:43 a.m. 

With over 130 entries it promises to be a spectacular rally and the stages are fast and tight with some sharp corners to keep competitors on their toes. 

Spectators are welcome and to ensure their safety are asked to obey marshals at all times.  Most importantly spectators should never stand on corners or in front of an escape road. The marshals on each location will advise on safe viewing points.  Residents on the stages are asked to ensure that any animals (especially dogs and horses) are keep well clear of the roads during the times given.  Where possible these animals should be kept indoors.  Please ensure that children are adequately supervised.  This rally could not run without the support of the residents on the stages. 

Over the past few weeks club members have been doing door to door rounds of the houses on the stage to ensure residents are kept informed and have been overwhelmed with their good nature and support for the rally.  Laois Rallysport Club also wish to thank all their sponsors who so kindly donated services and money to the event, including Laois Hire for sponsoring equipment for the stages and main sponsors Laois County Council and O’Loughlin’s Hotel and all who helped along the way. 

Programmes will be on sale in shops around the area from Friday night 10^th June.

    Niall Brennan’s Laois Hire and Brady Signs Sponsored Honda Civic                          

pictured outside O’Loughlin’s Hotel at the recent                          

Launch of the Heartlands Rally 2011