As the lights go out, I turn to watch one of the massive overhead projectors, resting my hand on the nearby boot-lid of the rolling shell painted in Vincent Bonnar’s Colours sitting high on stands in the middle of the floor.
As the sound fills the room, it vibrates from the rolling shell.
I can hear and feel the rebound of a manta engine note as it fights for grip on the second hairpin and rebound back off the side of Knockalla hillside like a natural amphitheater.
Work in progress, The beautiful Opel Manta rolling shell painted up in Vincent Bonnar’s colours prided of place in the centre of the main hall at the Stables.
I see images of duck tape holding in headlights in the Four Lanterns Ascona, like a David and Goliath battle as James Cullen took on the Ford Works Turbo Sierra of Mark Lovell’s.
Then the unmistakable sound of a RS1800 fills the room, the hairs stand on the back of the neck, it may be the end of December on a sharp cold day but the sound and sights are transforming us back to a warm June in Donegal.
The Stables was the brain wave of business man and rally driver Donagh Kelly which he completed in August ’21.
Donagh Kelly welcoming the guest to the stables in Frosses.
World Rallying Champion Ari Vatenan was among the special guests that day at the opening of this very special time warp, capturing beautifully some of the best examples of rallying.
As 2022 came to its final days, Donagh Kelly opened the doors for one day over the Christmas holidays to let the public see the very unique private collection of rally cars from all eras over the years.
The main building has a brilliant audio and visual experience running over a collection of cars that represent everything from Group 4 right through to WRC.
No matter what age you are, if you ever stood on a ditch in through the years there’s a sound of a rally car that will hit a sweet spot in your memory of the different cars that made their mark over the years.
Who’s who
A WRC Toyota Yaris driven by Ott Tanak and Elfyn Evans is just one WRC cars on show at the Stables in Frosses, and next to it was Seb Ogier’s M-sport Fiesta parked beside it.
That’s how overpowering this exhibition is. As I’m looking at them in amazement a man lands over, and looking at my camera he asks if I would take a picture of another man. His name is Arran Johnston from Omagh and he is the navigator for World Rally Japanese driver, Takamoto Katsuta in Rally One Works Toyota Yarris.
kamCo Driver Arran Johnston from Omagh navigator in the WRC for Japanese Driver Takamoto Katsuta pictured at the stables in Fosses beside one off the Works WRC Toyota Yaris on show, Photo Brian McDaid.
We get the photo and I’m embarrassed that I am not up to speed on some of these Ulster competitors, then a man with a shopping bag starts to have a yarn with me, he tells me he’s up from Kerrykeel, he and Ernest Stewart came up for the run this morning.
Gerry Carr and Ernest Stewart take a look at the Work Seat at The Stables
We track Ernest down and we get a picture of both men at one of the Work Seat rally cars on show in the hall. The shopping bag is left to one side as the two boys pose for a photo.
There were driver Ernest Steward and navigator Gerry Carr, they rallied in a big Hillman Hunter with a Holbay engine back in the day.
We talk about big days in Donegal, Gerry was one of the people that filmed James McDaid’s big roll at Massmount many years ago.
Mini Men
I see Ronnie Wilson from Raphoe deep in conversation. I give him a nod to go in for a photo. He’s chatting to another famous mini man, Ron Neely. You nearly can smell the whiff of Castor R as these two chat about ten inch wheels, diffs and oil coolers and everything mini.
Famous mini men Ron Neely and `Ronnie Wilson pictured at The Stables in Frosses.
Stealing the show
I spent a good bit of time in the Donegal Room, it’s full of photos of all the heroes over the years, There’s a lovely photo of Sammy Fisher in his native Ramelton in his Mini when the Donegal had a special stage going through the town on a Saturday evening.
Sammy’s wee mini pride of place on the wall of fame at the Stables in Frosses.
I see John Lyons full of the rack in his Hussar Vodka RS2000. The walls are just full of images of Donegal competitors over the years.
John Lyons full of the rack in his RS 2000 on the Donegal.
The only two cars in the Donegal Room, one in the Chequered Flag colours of Billy Colmans Lancia Stratos.
Winner in 1976, I widened out the lens to get the second car into the photo and as I looked through the viewfinder the clouds outside cleared and a long shaft of low winter sunlight came in the stable door and lights up the driver’s side of Manus Kelly’s Hat-trick winning Subaru.
A shaft of stray sunlight lights up the drivers side of Manus Kelly’s three times winning Subaru as it sits along the Chequered Flag Lancia Stratos winner in Donegal in 1976. Both sitting along side each other in the Donegal Room of the Stables Motorsport Museum in Frosses. Photo Brian Mc Daid.
On another day it would have messed up the shot, but in my mind I just could hear Mandy saying ‘Boys-a-Deer, How did that happen now’, so I smiled to myself and I tried to capture the moment of Sunshine Stratos and Subaru and Super Stars at the Stables.
Eamon Tinnney Steven and Eunan Mc Bride and Steven Tinney at the stables
Letterkenny lads in the Donegal Room at The Stables in Frosses.
Seamus Hegarty, Adrian Brolley and Paddy Mc Fadden
Donagh Kelly and his cousin Dan. Photo Brian. Mc Daid.
Rally fans watching the show at The Stables.
