The official launch party of the Safety Direct Galway International Rally took place on Friday night in the Clayton Hotel.

Pictured at the reception to announce details of this year's Galway Rally in the Clayton Hotel on Friday night were sponsor Alan Fair from Safety Direct, John O'Connell, president of Galway Motor Club, and Gary Leonard, Clerk of the Course. Photo: Reg Gordon.

RTE's Michael Lyster was MC for the night and the launch was performed by Mayor Tom Costello and John O'Connell, President of the Galway Motor Club.

The Galway International Rally will open the 2008 Global Group Irish Tarmac Championship, with some of the leading names in Irish Motorsport set to compete. Last year's race was won by former World Champion Marcus Gronholm, driving a works Ford Focus WRC.

The Galway Motor Club have been running and organising the Galway International Rally since 1971. Each year over 20,000 spectators flock to Galway to experience all the fun and excitement associated with an event of this scale.

The 2008 race has 150 crews entered in the main field and 20 crews lined up to compete in the Galway Junior Rally.

The race begins on Friday 1st February with a ceremonial start in Eyre Square, Galway for the leading competitors, and will run for three days, finishing back in Eyre Square on Sunday.

The Saturday stages will be run between Gort and Loughrea, around the Shanaglish, Ballybuck and Kilchreest areas. Service on Saturday will be in Athenry Mart.

On Sunday morning, the competitors will head East to take in six intriguing stages in the Ballinasloe area, before returning to the finish ramp in Galway.

Further details on venues, dates and times of events over the weekend of the rally are available on www.galwayinternational.com or www.safetydirect.ie.

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