Rory Galligan 1973-2012

With immense sadness and regret we have learned of the death of former BRC front-runner Rory Galligan, who passed away on Monday (21^st May), aged just 39.

Galligan was an immensely well-liked and talented driver. He was perhaps most well-known for being a Mitsubishi works driver in the 2005 and 2006 in the British Rally Championship. Committed and spectacular, he had pace on every surface.

His rallying career started in 1993, when he took to the stages in a Talbot Samba. After 2 years learning the rope's, the Samba was ditched in favour of a Peugeot 205, a challenge-spec car.

This is where Galligan's talent was really seen. Even though the car was nearly standard, he beat cars far and above his own class, including WRC cars! The opposition couldn't stand his sheer pace, and he took many class wins in Ireland and Britain on the way to winning the British Class A7 Rally Championship in 1998.

He jumped up to a Peugeot 106 to contest the 106 Super Cup, a hotly contested affair. His first year was blighted by crashes, but it was also his first year on gravel, and again he showed his pace.

He spent another year learning the stages and the car, before, in 2001, he blew the opposition into the weeds when he took four 106 Super Cup wins out of 8 rounds, on his way to the Championship.

He was awarded a works drive in a Peugeot 206 S1600 Kit Car for 2002 for winning the 106 Super Cup the year before. Fraught with mechanical problems throughout the year, he finished on the podium in 3 of the 4 events he finished, including a 3^rd place on his very first rally in the car. This lead to a 4^th placed finish in the hugely competitive S1600 Championship.

He made another class jump with a move to the Mitsubishi Evolution challenge in 2004. He spent the season fighting with his old Peugeot rival Paul Wedgbury, claiming the title on the last rally by a single point.

This was when his career really took off. He was rewarded with a Mitsubishi works drive for the full British Rally Championship in 2005. He took 5 Group N wins in his first year as a works driver and took second overall in the Production Championship. He was easily the fastest driver on both gravel and tar.

With WRC cars banned in the BRC for 2006, and Galligan chosen to drive a works car for another year, he was given his first proper shot at going for the British Driver's Title. From the first 4 rounds he took a second, a third and 2 retirements. He also took part in Rally Finland in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo taking a creditable fifth,in the Group N class, showing he had the talent to compete at world level. Things were going from good to great for the Irishman and it was only a matter of time before he took his first BRC win.

Tragically, it wasn't to be. He was struck down with illness part-ways through the 2006 season, and as the illness took hold, he was forced to can his rallying career after his home Ulster Rally. He had spend 13 years in the sport he loved, and 2 years at the very top of British Rallying.

After his premature retirement from rallying, he kept himself in the sport. He was always up-to-date with all the goings on and was willing to help wherever he could.

Rory passed away on Monday from Motor Neuron Disease. His funeral will take place on Thursday (24^th May). A guard of honour will take place before and after the funeral mass as a final salute to Rory.

GRN sends its deepest condolences to Rory's family, wife Treasa, son Charlie, daughter Ella and his many, many friends.


Photo credit: rallybrc.co.uk.