Swapping the stage for Circuit

Swapping the stage for Circuit

25 March 2015

TOP country singer Nathan Carter returned to his County Down roots for the launch of the Circuit of Ireland Rally in Downpatrick yesterday.

This year’s Circuit takes place over Easter 2-4 and will include a stopover in Downpatrick.

Carter, whose parents moved to Liverpool from Newry, has a strong affection for County Down and the 24 year old performer, a self-confessed petrol head will be in the co-driver seat of a rally car on Good Friday, April 3.

The star will experience Circuit stages at Hamilton’s Folly and Bucks Head as well as the Downpatrick regroup session on Good Friday at approximately 2.30pm.

Carter checked out the stage route and regroup location yesterday afternoon with top driver Derek McGarrity, a five-time winner of the Circuit of Ireland, event director Bobby Willis and Down Council chairman Billy Walker.

On Good Friday Downpatrick’s St Patrick’s Square will be the hub for the Circuit of Ireland which kicks off at 10.30am with a ceremonial start.

Down Council will provide a full programme of entertainment from 10am, including a bouncy castle, face painters, balloon modellers, live music and a climbing wall.

Rally organisers expect large crowds to see off the 140  rally cars in the morning and greet Nathan Carter from 2.30pm followed by rally competitors arriving in St Patrick Square from 3pm.

Whilst Carter will be donning his rally suit on Good Friday, world famous actor Idris Elba will take part in the Circuit the following day.

Elba, who played Nelson Mandela in the film Mandela – Long Walk to Freedom,  is to compete in this year’s event as part of a new Discovery TV series where he pushes himself to the limit on a range of sporting challenges.

The Circuit will be the third of ten rounds in the 2015 FIA European Rally Championship. It will also be counting as rounds of the 2015 Irish Tarmac Championship and the Northern Ireland Rally Championship.          

Fans will have several opportunities to see the rally action over Easter weekend. Spectator stages will take place in Newtownards on Good Friday and Lisburn on Saturday.

The rally will finish back in Belfast on the evening of Saturday, April 4 and the winner will be crowned at Titanic Quarter.