The Donegal International Rally has secured a new headline sponsor.

Joule, which is one of the country’s leading manufacturers and designers of energy efficient hot water cylinders and solar heating systems, has agreed to sponsor the rally for the next three years.

The value of the sponsorship deal has not been disclosed but Joule, says it is making a considerable investment in its brand awareness in Ireland. The sponsorship announcement was made at Rally School Ireland’s purpose built motorsport facility at Scotstown in County Monaghan.

Over 180 drivers from all over Ireland and abroad will participate in the Joule Donegal International Rally, which will take place from the 19th to the 21st of June.
It is estimated the Rally, which is the only 3 day rallying event in the country is worth up to €25m to the local economy.

The Clerk of the Course, Eamon McGee said it was fantastic that a young and dynamic Irish company such as Joule was partnering with the rally.

“We are delighted that Joule has agreed to sponsor the Rally for the next three years. The Joule Donegal International Rally is the biggest annual sporting event in the northern half of the country and we could not continue to stage an event of this magnitude without a title sponsor like Joule. The signing of a new three-year deal is a massive vote of confidence in the event and a real shot in the arm for Irish rallying.”

“We are thrilled to be working with such a forward-looking company, and this news will come as a huge boost for the entire North West and for rally fans everywhere. Joule is an ideal partner for us with great people who are fantastic to work with. We can now look to the future with real confidence and mid-summer’s night in Donegal can’t come quickly enough for us.”

Joule Chief Executive Ian Barrett said the company was delighted to sign a sponsorship deal with the Donegal Motor Club. “Since the early seventies this event has enjoyed a reputation as Ireland’s leading rally. As an Irish owned and managed company we know how important the Rally is to the local economy, to the tourism sector and of course to rallying fans. We are looking forward to working closely with the DMC and building on the success the rally has enjoyed over four decades” Barrett said.

It appears accommodation for this classic is becoming very hard to find, so it seems like it’s all systems go for an epic weekend of motorsport on Donegal’s famous roads.
Clerk of the Course Eamon McGee commented: “With a competitive distance of over 300 Kms, with some stages being revised for 2015, there will be a sense of adventure and we might even see the return of some tactical driving. Mind you, going on past experience, the chances of that are slim!”

“The Rally will start from An Grianan Theatre on Friday morning 19th June, with the cars on view at Parc Ferme each evening in the LYIT car park. It will finish at its ‘ancestral home’ at Rally HQ, the Mount Errigal Hotel in Letterkenny, on Sunday evening. I wish to thank all of these flagship Letterkenny institutions for their continuing support.”