A hard-hitting road safety message was delivered to over 1000 teenagers at the Royal Theatre in Castlebar, Co Mayo on Wednesday last, when they viewed the AXA Insurance award-winning Road Safety Roadshow. The event was organised in conjunction with Mayo County Council, An Garda Siochana and the local emergency services.
Before the Roadshow began a boisterous crowd of transition and senior year students hustled their way to their seats in the Theatre. But it wasn’t too long before a silence fell on the room.
The show graphically depicts how a night out ends in tragedy for a teenager after a road traffic accident. The story was told by a Garda officer, a paramedic, a fire officer, an emergency consultant, an undertaker, a mother of a victim and Richard Alcorn from Donegal, who was paralysed following a road traffic collision a number of years ago. Richard has lost a number of friends in road traffic collisions and is keen to help deliver the road safety message to others in the country.
The narrative was interspersed with music, video clips and television advertisements.
Speaking after the event, Noel Gibbons, Road Safety Officer, Mayo County Council said, “The Road Safety Roadshow continues to be a major success. It allows us to deliver a hard hitting and high impact road safety message to thousands of young people in the highest risk group. I have no doubt that the Roadshow shocks, perhaps even horrifies our young audiences and make no apology for that. The show realistically illustrates what happens all too often on our roads. I hope that after seeing the Roadshow the students understand that they are not indestructible; that it can and does happen to young people like them; and they must respect the roads and other users.”
Incorporating FIA’s (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) Action for Road safety’s 10 Golden Rules for Safer Motoring and Motorsport Ireland’s road safety initiative, Keep The Race In Its Place, which is supported by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and aimed at young drivers, Mayo’s Club Road Safety Officer Maggie Bonner and several members from the Motorclub , were on hand at the Roadshow to demonstrate how a rally car differs from a road car and to show the level of safety protection used in motorsport.
Speaking after the Roadshow, Maggie said: “Our sport wants to do everything that it can to help spread the message about safe driving. Irish efforts to improve road safety have been most impressive. But we still believe that we can do more and that motorsport can help. We know that Ireland probably has one of the highest numbers of rallying fans than any other country in Europe, so it is vital that we engage with this group of young people at their level. We are delighted to support the Roadsafety Roadshow, which will take the safe driving message straight to the most important audience. It will show that if you love driving and you love motorsport, then you should respect the roads and drive safely.”
Congrats to Oisin Coffey who picked up a Connaught Telegraph Young Sports Star Award for his Autocross achievements last Saturday night at a gala awards ceremony in Breaffy House Hotel. Well done Oisin.
Fermanagh’s Garry Jennings and Letterkenny’s Rory Kennedy in their Subauru Impreza WRC were victorious in an incident packed Corrib Oil Galway International Rally that concluded on Sunday afternoon.
They had over three minutes to spare over second placed Keith Cronin and Mikey Galvin from Cork in a Citroen DS3 R5, Tyrone’s Alastair Fisher and Gordon Noble in a Ford Fiesta R5 were third.
Aaron MacHale and Enda Sherry in their recently acquired Skoda Fabia moved up through the leaderboard and finished in 12th place overall at the end of the two day fifteen special stage event.
The Ulster crew of Wesley Patterson and Johnny Baird won the National section of the event in their Ford Escort MK2. They had just over one minute to spare over the second placed Galway crew of Tom Flaherty and Patrick Curley, also in a Ford Escort.
Galway’s Ray Cunningham and Adrian Cusack in their Mini Cooper took victory in the Historic section of the rally.
The big Mayo interest in the event was in the Junior category where three former Mayo Young Driver Champions lined up to do battle. It was Justin Ryan with Andy Walsh alongside on the notes that not only took the Mayo bragging rights but finished second in the J2 class and also claimed maximum Irish Tarmac Championship points as first Championship registered Junior crew across the finish line, a fine performance from the pair on their first outing since Sligo Stages last July. Achill man Brian Lavelle was unlucky not to finish the event after looking likely to give Ryan a run for his money; gearbox trouble forced him to retire his Honda Civic on the last loop of stages. Shrule’s Noel Murphy also in a Honda Civic was the third Mayo young driver who put in a spirited drive after two spins on the wet and slippy conditions early Sunday morning left him playing catch-up.
Many of the fancied crews made up a high attrition rate as the weather conditions made life very difficult for all those competing and the volunteer marshals involved in the running of the event – also victim of the conditions was Westport’s David Carney who slid off on a slippery section, unable to rejoin in his DS3.
Club Monthly meeting Wednesday Feb 3rd in Hotel Ballina at 9pm
Note new day of week for meetings in 2016
Club Membership forms available to download on website, new members always welcome
A large crew from Mayo was in attendance at the Oakwood Arms in Shannon for the National Autocross, Night Of Champions Awards, on Saturday last.
Five Mayo members received awards, including Stephen McGing for COC, Ronan Murphy 4th in Class 1 National Autocross Autograss, Seamus Coffey, 3rd in Class 2 National Autocross Loose Surface, Jason Murphy, 2nd in Juniors, National Autocross Autograss and Oisin Coffey won picked up 1st in Juniors National Autocross Loose Surface, A great night was had by all. Roll on 2016 Championship.
Adrian Deane presented with his Club Frank Harrington Championship runner up Award for 2015 by Autocross COC Stephen McGing
Peter McManamon from Achill who won Club Person of the Year 2015 receiving his award from Matthew Murphy Chairman Mayo & District Motorsport Club, Well done Pete, thanks for all your hard work and dedication
Club Monthly meeting Wednesday Jan 6th in Hotel Ballina at 9pm
Note new day of week for meetings in 2016
Note new day of week for meetings in 2016
Club Membership forms available to download on website, new members always welcome
