Oisín McShane Gains June-October Billy Coleman Award Nomination For ‘26

17-year-old Oisín McShane from Illistrin, Co. Donegal has received the June-October nomination for the 2026 Billy Coleman Award for Young Rally Driver of the Year Award.

A student in St. Joseph’s Boys’ School, Derry, McShane shone in a Peugeot 208 R2 this season combining gravel and tarmac events, taking six class wins. The latter half of the year saw class wins on the Donegal International Rally, the Jim Walsh Cork Forestry Rally, the Stonethrowers Rally and a tenth overall finish on the Laois Forestry Rally. McShane also ventured outside Ireland to compete for the first time, where he secured eighteenth overall on the Portuguese Rali da Água in September,

Having started in RSA events in 2023 at the age of 13, McShane stepped up to the J1000 category for 2024. In his first full season of competition McShane won the J1000 titles in both the Irish Forestry Rally Championship and the Motorsport Ireland Junior Rally Series, becoming the youngest driver to win those titles. Subsequently, McShane has campaigned a McConnell Motorsport run Peugeot 208 R2 on Irish events, becoming the first driver to utilise the new Junior Rally A licence on the 2025 ALMC Hellfire Rally.

Commenting on his nomination McShane said; “I’m extremely grateful to receive the nomination. While the year didn’t go to plan from a championship perspective, I was happy with our speed and progression and it is great to see that rewarded. I’ve put a in a lot of hard work with my co-driver Niall Myers and without him, my family and sponsors, what I’m doing would not be possible.”

McShane now joins January-May nominee Oran England together with championship nominees Ben McFall, James McShea, David Travers, Tommy Furlong and Jack Harris. A wildcard nomination will be announced later this week completing the final list of nominees.

Oisín is supported by Ecodan Renewable Heating Technology, iHeating and Cooling, Glenard Plant, Kelly Motorsports and The Craig Breen Foundation.

About the Award

The winner of the Motorsport Ireland Billy Coleman Young Rally Driver of the Year Award will receive a support package to contest rallies nationally and internationally in 2027. The Sport Ireland and Motorsport Ireland funded award is valued at €50,000. The award winner will receive assistance and guidance from Billy Coleman coordinator Sean McHugh.

An additional support package, to a value of up to €50,000, will be available from the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy as part of an agreed training and development programme designed to progress the winners’ career. The winner may apply for a second year of support upon satisfactory performances in their award-winning year.

Both Billy Coleman Award runners-up will receive support to compete in stage rallies at home and abroad up to an amount of €15,000 each as well as an invitation to participate in the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy development programme in 2027.

All funding will be based upon agreed plans which will be subject to the achievement of progression targets.