The entry of more than 100 cars has been seeded by the organisers and the rally winner is likely to come from one of the top 20 seeds.
Seeded number 1 is Garry Jennings from Fermanagh and Rory Kennedy in a Subaru WRC. Declan Boyle from Donegal, with his cousin Brian Boyle co-driving, is at number 2 in a Fiesta WRC.
The number six seed is top local driver Dean Raftery from Craughwell, winner of the Motorsport Ireland Young Driver of the Year award in 2014.
The entry also includes no few than 14 of the new generation R5 rally cars - the first year for these cars to feature as the lead class in the Clonakilty Blackpudding Irish Tarmac Rally championship.
Competition is going to be intense this year, with the talented young drivers who drive these cars hoping to spring a surprise result at the end of the event.
The Top 10 seeds
1 Garry Jennings, Rory Kennedy, Fermanagh, Subaru WRC
2 Declan Boyle, Brian Boyle, Donegal Fiesta, WRC
3 Derek McGarrity, Diarmuid Falvey, Antrim, Fiesta WRC
4 Roy White, James O Brien, Tipperary, Fiesta WRC
5 Tim McNulty, Paul Kiely, Meath, MINI WRC
6 Dean Raftery, Mark Kane, Craughwell, Subaru WRC
7 Declan Gallagher, Ryan Moore, Donegal, Subaru WRC
8 Keith Cronin, Mikey Galvin, Cork, Citroen DS3 R5
9. Josh Moffett, Jason McKenna, Monaghan, Fiesta R5
10 Alastair Fisher, Gordon Noble, Fermanagh, Fiesta R5
Overseas entries
Among the entries from outside of Ireland taking part in this year’s event are number 50, Kai Dieter Kolle from Germany in a Porsche Carrera. John Coyne makes the trip from Canada to take part in the historic event in a Talbot Sunbeam, and Tomas Davies travels from the Wales in his new Fiesta R5.
Leading local entries
Members of Galway Motor Club taking part in the event will be seeking to put their name on the prestigious Brian G Thornton Memorial Cup. The top seeded Galway drivers are:
6Dean Raftery, Mark Kane, Craughwell, Subaru WRC
24 Stephen Greaney, Kieran Feeney, Galway, Escort Mk2
25 Tom Flaherty, Patrick Curley, Circular Road, Escort Mk2
32 Pat Kelly, Jonathan Kelly, Galway, Subaru STI
33 Tommy Cahill, Enda O Leary, Galway, Mitsubishi Evo
34 Justin Comer, Adrian Comer, Galway, Mitsubishi Evo
44 Jonathan Folan, Ross Forde, Galway, Citroen DS3
45 Richard Whelan, James Whelan, Galway, Citroen DS3
