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The Down Rally Fanzone returns to The Boulevard in Banbridge on Friday 21 August, giving fans the chance to meet drivers and view competing cars ahead of the 2026 event. Organised by Rathfriland Motor Club, the evening marks the traditional start of the Down Rally weekend, one of the north's premier motorsport events.
The Fanzone will run from 7pm, with the first car due to leave the area at 8pm. Spectators will have the opportunity to see the rally cars on display, meet drivers and co-drivers, and speak with teams before the competitive action begins the following day. Among those expected to attend are top entries from the Northern Ireland Rally Championship and the UK Protyre Asphalt Rally Championship.
The family friendly Fanzone offers entertainment for all ages, with supporters able to take in the pre-rally atmosphere while getting a closer look at the cars that will tackle the stages the next day. The event has become a key part of the rally weekend, drawing competitors, supporters and the local community together to mark the start of proceedings.
Everyone is encouraged to come along and enjoy the start of the weekend's motorsport action in South Down.
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Continuing their tradition of giving something back, the organisers of the hugely successful Desy Jennings Football Festival have presented a cheque for £5,000 to Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke.
The donation was made possible through the incredible generosity of players, families, volunteers, local businesses and supporters who attended this year's four-day festival at Jennings Park in Newry, which saw over 1,200 young footballers compete from across Northern Ireland and beyond.
The Desy Jennings Football Festival is about much more than football, rather it is a celebration of community, remembrance, volunteering and giving young people the opportunity to create lasting memories while making a positive difference.
Speaking after the presentation festival organiser Marty Jennings said: "We are incredibly grateful to everyone who supported this year's festival. From the teams who travelled from near and far, to our volunteers, sponsors, families and everyone who donated so generously, this achievement belongs to all of you.
"Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke carries out vital work supporting people and families every day, and we're delighted that our football community has been able to make a meaningful contribution. The generosity shown throughout the festival was truly inspiring."
Now in its fourth year, the Desy Jennings Football Festival has become one of the region's premier grassroots football events, bringing together young players aged 6 to 12 in a celebration of sport, friendship and community spirit.
The festival was created not only to provide children with an unforgettable football experience but also to honour the memories of loved ones through a series of memorial cups while giving something back to the local community.
Representatives from Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke thanked the organisers and everyone involved for their continued support, noting that fundraising initiatives like the Desy Jennings Football Festival help the charity continue providing essential care, support services and life-saving research across Northern Ireland.
With another successful year complete, planning has already begun for the 2027 festival, which organisers hope will be even bigger and continue building on its reputation as one of the area's standout grassroots sporting events.
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Commonwealth Games Gold medalist Kate O'Connor was one of the athletes from Team NI honoured with a homecoming reception at Parliament Buildings on Wednesday to celebrate the teams success at the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
The 25 year old Newry born O'Connor took top marks in the heptathlon championship with 6569 points at the Glasgow games on 29 July, just two years after she made history as Ireland's first heptathlete at the 2024 Olympics.
The reception paid tribute to the athletes, coaches and support staff whose dedication helped the team achieve a haul of 16 medals overall, comprising three gold, four silver and nine bronze, alongside numerous personal bests and record breaking achievements.
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons who organised the reception said the performances had been an inspiring reflection of years of hard work. "It is a pleasure to welcome Team NI to Parliament Buildings and recognise the dedication, commitment and talent that has been displayed throughout the 2026 Commonwealth Games. Every athlete, coach, support staff member and official has played an important role in the team's success, representing Northern Ireland with pride and distinction on the Commonwealth stage. The performances we have witnessed have been truly inspiring and reflect years of hard work and determination. Whether through medals, personal bests or record-breaking achievements, Team NI has showcased the very best of Northern Ireland sport and provided a powerful source of inspiration for future generations."
Minister Lyons announced new investment of £200,000 for the next Commonwealth Games cycle, delivered in partnership with the Mary Peters Trust and Sport NI, to help young emerging athletes access training and competition opportunities in the early stages of their development. He also confirmed a further £2m to reopen a crowdfunder grant scheme launched with Sport NI last year, which has already helped local clubs and organisations invest in equipment and facilities.
Guests at the reception included Commonwealth Games NI Chair Dr Stephen Martin, Team NI Chef de Mission Conal Heatley, Team NI coaches, representatives from sports governing bodies covering the nine sporting disciplines involved, and Sport NI.
Gavin Boyd, Chair of Sport NI, congratulated the team on their achievements. "Congratulations to Team NI for a very successful Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. From medal-winning moments to personal bests and breakthrough performances, our athletes represented Northern Ireland with distinction and I'm sure have inspired the next generation of athletes to follow in their footsteps. Sport NI is proud to support Team NI, athletes and sports governing bodies through National Lottery funding. That investment helps provide the coaching, programmes and performance pathways that enable athletes to realise their potential and succeed on the international stage. We also recognise the vital contribution of coaches, support staff and governing bodies whose expertise and commitment underpin these achievements. We look forward to continuing to work with our partners to build on this success and ensure that more athletes have the opportunity to pursue their sporting ambitions and represent Northern Ireland in the years ahead."
Minister Lyons concluded: "On behalf of everyone in Northern Ireland, I congratulate Team NI on an outstanding Commonwealth Games and thank them for the immense pride they have brought to us all. Their achievements have inspired communities throughout Northern Ireland and provide great confidence for the future of sport here."
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Rathfriland Motor Club held a Marshal Training Night at Kinallen Primary School last Wednesday 5 August, preparing volunteers for the upcoming R Kings Down Rally on 22 August.
The event covered essential topics including spectator safety, incident response and stage setup and signage, with attendees leaving better informed, more confident and more connected as a team.
The initiative was aimed at preparing both new and experienced volunteers for their roles at the rally, with marshalling considered an essential part of any motorsport event. The session included a talk by Motorsport UK representative Raymond Linton, covering safety procedures and communication protocols.
The evening concluded with a group photoshoot alongside rally cars in attendance, including Stuart Biggerstaff's VW Polo and Niall Braniff's Ford Escort Mk2, both of whom are hoped to be competing at this year's rally.
Rathfriland Motor Club thanked Kinallen Primary School for allowing them to use the site for the training session.
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A Newry-born pool player who became the youngest female World Champion at the age of 18 has launched a new community interest company aimed at improving access to cue sports and darts.
Emma Cunningham, who went on to win six World Championship titles, founded Eights and Arrows Pathways CIC to create opportunities she wished had been easier to access when she was starting out.
Eights and Arrows Pathways is focused on using cue sports and darts to support participation, personal development and opportunity. The organisation has a particular commitment to women and girls, young people, disabled participants and aspiring players, as well as people who face financial or practical barriers to accessing sport in Ireland and the UK.
The organisation's work includes coaching and mentoring, equipment support, community sessions, volunteering, an Equipment Bank and, as funding develops, bursary and access support.
Cunningham said the Equipment Bank was particularly important to the organisation, with the aim of ensuring unwanted or unused cues, darts and other suitable sporting equipment are donated, refurbished or redistributed wherever possible rather than sitting unused while another person cannot afford to participate.
Cunningham said that although her sporting career had taken her to many different places, Newry is where she was born, and she would love this next chapter to begin and create opportunities for people in the community she came from.
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Rathfriland Motor Club will host the final round of the Brown & Brown Northern Ireland Rally Championship this weekend, alongside round six of the Protyre UK Asphalt Championship. More than 100 crews from Ireland and the UK are due to compete over eight stages, including the well known Hamilton's Folly test.
The event gets under way on Friday 21 August with a Fan Zone at The Boulevard in Banbridge. Running from 7pm to 8pm, the Fan Zone will give visitors, shoppers and families the chance to view the rally cars on display, meet the drivers, listen to live interviews and take photographs before competitive action begins on Saturday morning.
The Castrol MEM Rally Team will field a two-car entry, with Osian Pryce and co-driver James Morgan joined by team-mate Meirion Evans and co-driver Dale Furniss, both driving Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 cars. Pryce, the 2022 British Rally Champion, currently leads the British Rally Championship standings after winning at the Voly Grampian Forest Rally a couple of weeks ago. Evans, from Lampeter, has been part of the Castrol MEM team since its formation and finished on the podium at Grampian, completing a Castrol MEM one-three result behind Pryce.
The Northern Ireland Rally Championship challenge will be headed by 2025 champion Aaron McLaughlin, partnered by Darren Curran in a Volkswagen Polo GTI R5. Also competing is 2012 Down Rally winner Derek McGarrity, with Damian Garvey calling the notes, again in a Volkswagen Polo GTI R5. Local drivers taking part include Stuart Biggerstaff in a VW Polo GTI R5, along with John Devlin and John Gordon, both driving Ford MK2 Escorts.
Among the visiting Protyre Asphalt Rally Championship entrants, Aled Wyn Morgans will aim to hold on to his lead in the standings, with Brad Cole, Ian Forgan and John Stone all chasing to close the gap.
The rally starts from The Boulevard on Saturday 22 August, just before 9am, with cars returning to the venue at 10:55am and again at 2:30pm. The winners are expected to be presented shortly after 5pm.
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Osian Pryce and James Morgan have sealed victory on the 2026 R Kings Down Rally, completing a hard fought fightback after trailing Jason Dickson for much of the day. A late time penalty on the final stage scuppered Dickson's charge for the win, allowing Pryce and co driver Morgan to take the victory.
The event began with drama on the opening stage as Meirion Evans slipped off the road and was forced to retire, handing an early advantage to team mate Pryce, with Dickson not far behind at Thornhill. Dickson then seized the lead as Pryce's Toyota suffered set up problems at Hamiltons Folly, where Alan Smyth also went out of the rally after becoming beached. Smyth had been the fastest of the Brown & Brown NI Rally Championship contenders up to that point.
Dickson extended his lead over Pryce by the halfway stage, while Alan Carmichael led the battle for top Brown & Brown NI Rally Championship points, 14 seconds ahead of Marty Toner. Pryce fought back on stage five to move into the lead, but with just a second separating the pair heading into the closing stages, the contest remained finely balanced until the penalty on the final stage decided the outcome.
Dickson and co driver Neill Shanks took a solid second place, with Cal McCarthy and Niall Burns completing the podium in third.
In the Northern Ireland Rally Class, Alan Carmichael held off a late charge from Stuart Biggerstaff to take top Brown & Brown NI Rally Championship points by seven seconds on the final round of the year.
Jason Pritchard secured maximum Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship points on the R Kings Down Rally following a strong drive in his Pirelli shod North Road Garage/Guttercrest Toyota GR Yaris Rally2. Pritchard was locked in a battle throughout with Brad Cole and Jamie Vaughan in their Hydroline Solutions Ford Fiesta Rally2, with the Somerset driver leading the BTRDA field at mid distance. Pritchard took the Protyre Asphalt lead by just 0.1 seconds after stage five and finished the eight stage event 3.1 seconds ahead of Cole, ending fourth overall.
Lee Edwards and Sam Spencer were the leading two wheel drive crew home, securing a strong third place Protyre Asphalt result overall in their rear wheel drive Blakemore's Autos/Evans Construction Ford Escort G3.
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Rathfriland Motor Club has thanked everyone involved in this year's RKings Down Rally, praising the effort of the team behind the event. Chairman Malcolm Johnston and Vice-Chairman Barry Savage both paid tribute to volunteers, sponsors and hosts who helped make the rally a success.
Mr Johnston expressed the determination and commitment of the Down Rally team who put in a magnificent effort into making the event a success. He said: "I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone that's helped out in the 2026 Down Rally. Everyone from the rescue crews, the ambulances, and marshals that always do a grand job.
"Additionally, a word of thanks to the stage commanders that worked hard over the couple of days before the rally, setting up stages, setting out boards, tapping up gates and the amount of work that they did, and I just want to thank everyone for all the work they've done over the weekend."
Barry Savage, Vice-Chairman of the club, thanked all the RKings Down Rally sponsors as well as The Boulevard, Banbridge, for hosting Friday's Down Rally Fanzone. He said: "I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our sponsors who came on board. Our main sponsor, R-Kings for your support. Our associate sponsors, Douglas Auto Parts, Motis Ireland, CIP Insurance Brokers, Dale Kane Trailers, Hynes Motors and Biggerstaffs of Kinallen and not forgetting our rally host, The Boulevard, the help and support they've given us and the facilities they've provided.
"And finally our Eagle Overseas area, our service park, was absolutely fantastic. I would also like to thank our stage sponsors, Gordon Automotive, Johnny McKay Plumbing, and Braniff Construction. And same as Malcolm, I would like to thank everybody who helped make the rally a success."
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