Three ‘langers in a banger’ take on intercontinental rally

Tom O’Connor, Ruari Casey, and Sean Foley are taking on the Mongol Rally, an epic 12,000 kilometre course that will take them right across Europe and into central Aisia.

The lads set off from Mayfield on Friday in their little 1.2 litre car with an aim to raise much needed funds for Marymount Hospice in Cork. They are now enroute to the starting line in Prague, Czechia, from where the race will officially get underway this Sunday. Their route will take them through Turkey and the Caucasus, over the Caspian Sea, across the vast deserts of Kazakhstan, and along the legendary Pamir Highway in Tajikistan before finishing their journey back in East Kazakhstan.

Along the way, the lads have accepted that they will face treacherous mountain passes, border crossings, potential ferry delays, likely mechanical challenges, long days behind the wheel, and whatever else the road decides to throw at them.

Naming their campaign ‘Langers in a Banger’, the three Cork lads have already raised close to €4k for Marymount via their GoFundMe page ‘Mayfield to Mongolia in aid of Marymount Hospital & Hospice’.

“Our trusty Renault Clio may not be the obvious choice for a journey of this scale, but that’s exactly what makes the challenge worthwhile,” said Tom O’Connor.

He added: “With a small engine, limited comforts, and three determined Cork men squeezed inside, we’ll be relying on good humour, teamwork, and plenty of luck to reach the finish line.”

While the adventure is an incredible challenge for the lads, their main goal is to raise money for Marymount Hospice.

They wrote: “Marymount provides outstanding care and support to patients and families across Cork during some of the most difficult times in their lives. It is a charity that touches countless people throughout the county, and we are proud to support the vital work they do.”

“Every donation, no matter the size, will help support the incredible services provided by Marymount Hospice. By supporting our journey, you’re not only helping us get across continents – you’re helping Marymount continue making a difference to families throughout Cork.”

Hundreds of teams take park in the Mongol Rally each year. Vehicles have a 1200cc engine limit and teams are unsupported as they navigate their way east. The first Mongol Rally took place in 2004 with just six teams involved, two of which failed to finish.