South West Road Racing has confirmed that the Athea Road Races will return in 2026 after the club agreed to pay Motorcycling Ireland the required fifty percent insurance deposit to secure next season’s permits.
The decision follows several months of behind-the-scenes work during a period when the sport has struggled to return to full strength.
Road racing, short-circuit racing at Mondello Park, motocross and enduro events have all been affected as Motorcycling Ireland was unable to secure an insurance deal for the last two years.
A proposal tabled at the governing body’s recent AGM set out the conditions for road racing to resume, including the requirement that clubs pay half of their permit and insurance fees up front.
South West Road Racing is the first club to confirm it will meet the payment. This gives Athea a clear path to return to the calendar in autumn 2026, subject to the usual organisational work. The club’s committee approved the move at a meeting last week.
Club chairman Michael Dalton said the decision finally gives the region something to build on.
“I thank our members for their patience in this. It has been a long road, but there is finally a lot of positivity. We ran several fundraisers last year and, because of that support, we’re in a position to move forward. This is the first step. There is a lot of work to do to get the event off the ground, but we are committed to it and look forward to getting stuck in in the new year.”
The club will hold an open AGM in the second week of January, where 2026 membership sign-ups will also take place.
