Rally Ireland entry list confirmed.

The organisers of Rally Ireland 2006 - Ireland's WRC candidate event, have confirmed that 69 crews will line-up for the start of the event, which begins on Friday March 10.

Amongst the more noticeable entries, Daniel Carlsson will take part in a Mitsubishi Lancer WRC, while Subaru WRT star, Chris Atkinson will start in a Group N Impreza.

Nicolas Bernardi, who drove for the Peugeot WRT team last year, will also take part in the Group N class, the French Rally champion using a Mitsubishi Evo. Junior WRC runner, Jaan Molder has also committed himself to the event after finishing eleventh on Rally Ireland 2005 - the Estonian will use a Ford Fiesta S1600.

Of the local runners, Gareth MacHale, who finished third in Rally Ireland 2005, and who is participating in his first WRC season this year, will led the way. Having missed last year's event, current Irish tarmac champion Eugene Donnelly also takes part, along with Northern Ireland's Andrew Nesbitt and Eamon Boland, runner-up in Rally Ireland 2005. Rory Galligan makes up the second part of the Mitsubishi WRC works team alongside Carlsson.

The only female driver, as in Rally Ireland 2005, will be Northern Ireland's Emma McKinstry.

"We are delighted with the quality of our entries this year," Rally Ireland clerk of the course, Tom Nolan told the event's official website - www.rallyireland.org. "As well as having a full WRC works team and the French Champion coming over to Ireland, the support from the Irish drivers has been superb. Rally Ireland 2006 promises to be a great battle between the top international and Irish drivers in the North West of Ireland next month."