If racing is about heart, passion, and pushing limits — then Ireland might just be one of the purest places on Earth to find it.
Across the world, drag racing has always been about community and adrenaline. But in Ireland, where no dedicated drag strip exists, racers take it to the public roads. They close down sections of tarmac (with permits) — like the legendary Carrigrohane Straight in County Cork — for one day and compete head-to-head in what can only be described as the most thrilling, grassroots expression of speed.
For Ciarán O’Drisceoil and the members of the West Cork Motorcycle Club, it’s not just about racing. It’s about carrying forward a national legacy — one built on courage, community, and a love for motion that runs through Ireland’s veins.
🇮🇪 Where Racing History Was Written
Long before organized drag events, the Carrigrohane Straight was a hub for motorsport in Ireland. From the early 1900s through the 1980s, it hosted speed trials and international races, drawing tens of thousands of spectators. Its long, flat surface was perfect for records — and legends were made there.
One of them was Mel Nolan, nicknamed “The Flying Corkman.” In July 1981, with the help of his friend Denis Collins, Nolan set a land speed record of 294.56 km/h (183 mph) and a 1,000cc flying mile record of 290.41 km/h — both on that same strip of Irish road, at six o’clock in the morning.
That spirit — fearless, inventive, and a little rebellious — never left Cork.
A Tradition Kept Alive by Grit
By 1997, the West Cork Motorcycle Club brought drag racing back to the region, first in Bandon, then later in Halfway, County Cork. What started as a local event became a national highlight, attracting racers from across Ireland and beyond.
The format is simple but electric: riders go head-to-head down a quarter- or eighth-mile stretch, with classes ranging from Funnybike and Pro-Stock to Superstreet and streetbike. Everyone gets their E.T. and top speed — but as always, first across the finish line wins.
It’s racing stripped to its core.
And as racer Eibhlín Ní Luineacháin put it, “Once we’re on the track, we’re all the same. Everyone wants to win — and whether it’s a man or woman under the helmet is irrelevant.”
That’s the universal spirit of racing. The same one you’ll find in the pits of Alabama, the deserts of Bahrain, or the roads of Cork — where competition and camaraderie run side by side.
The Challenge of Keeping the Wheels Turning
But passion alone doesn’t keep the lights on — or in this case, the roads closed.
The last drag race on Irish soil was in 2022, and since then, skyrocketing public liability insurance costs have made it nearly impossible to hold events. “The costs have risen so high it doesn’t make sense,” Ciarán explained. “But we’re still trying to secure insurance for 2026 to run again.”
For now, the West Cork Motorcycle Club remains the only club in Ireland that has hosted a motorcycle drag race — a badge of honor and a heavy responsibility.
Despite the pause, Ireland continues to make its mark globally. The country is home to Ted Brady, the Guinness World Record holder for the fastest wheelie at 217 mph, and Jack Frost, who has surpassed 270 mph in land speed competition.
United Through Speed
When you talk to racers like Ciarán, there’s a theme that echoes across continents: they do it because they love it.
“I think why we enjoy it is because it’s on the public roads,” he said. “Our roads are quite narrow — and when you’re doing 200 mph, it’s like nothing else.”
It’s raw. It’s risky. It’s real. And it’s what connects every racer, from the quarter-mile tracks of America to the closed roads of Cork.
Because at the end of the day, no matter what country you’re in or what rules you run, racers are racers. We push limits, we help each other, and we live for those few seconds when the world blurs and nothing else matters but the run.
That’s racing — without borders.
See you at the next race
-Kline
