A Route for 2016?

Clerk of the Course, Andy Jardine has sent his route to Police Scotland for comment as well as Argyll & Bute Council. Both parties are working through their consultation processes before giving final approval for the 47th running of the Mull Rally.

The MSA are also sending over two representatives in May to carry out a full assessment of the route. As the only closed public road on ‘mainland’ UK, Mull is very much a focal event with the proposed legislation for closed public roads still with the Department of Transport in Whitehall.

We will be ready to announce the route towards the end of May. No matter what the permutations, we will be looking at 150 competitive miles, over three legs over the weekend of 14th – 16th October.

EMOTIONAL FAREWELL FROM MULL, AND CALUM DUFFY

Around 1000 islanders and rally crew gathered for today’s emotional ‘Celebration Walk’ in Tobermory. Below is the poem written and read today at the end of the Walk by eight-times Mull Rally winner, Calum Duffy.

We thank Calum for allowing us to print his poem and believe you, like us, will feel this is a fitting closure to the weekend:

We are gathered here in simple disbelief,
united we stand to share this grief.
Taken from this world in the blink of an eye,
doing what he loved but no time to say good bye.

A gentle giant, fun loving and kind
these traits in a man are hard to find.
He loved this island and now calls it home,
he loved rallying and he would never moan.
A fierce competitor but would always help you out
and it would be fair to say he liked the odd stout!

Our sport is full of risks and we all know them,
this is where the adrenaline begins to stem.
Every competitor here and away is heart broken
for the loss of one of their own men.
None of us expect to be touched by this thing,
but when it comes close, its reality it does bring.

So many people give up so much to create a rally.
Us competitors have massive thanks to you all personally.
Our community is strong and together in times of scrutiny
and as one, we celebrate, we commiserate, we have unity.
As one we are here to show our support
for Andy’s family and Sarah; you’re not alone at this port!

We are here to say thank you for this event.
We wish John MacCrone a speedy recovery.
But mostly we are here to say good bye.
Take care big fella, the angels have you now … good bye.

Calum Duffy 11/10/15

Photographs all copyright of

MULL AND RALLY COMMUNITY UNITED IN SUPPORT OF FATAL ACCIDENT CREW

Twenty-hour hours after Scottish rallying suffered another black day, the close-knit community of Mull united to support the family and friends of the crew involved in the tragedy.

Co-driver Andrew Mort died when the Subaru Impreza he was competing in, driven by close friend John MacCrone, crashed on the second of Saturday’s scheduled 13 stages of the Mull Rally. Both driver and co-driver lived in Dervaig on the island.

The duo, who started the second Leg of the rally in third place after a series of impressive drives through the opening five stages on Friday night, were poised to challenge overnight leader Calum Duffy.

MacCrone, the 26-year-old who won the Mull Rally in 2013 and who was airlifted to the hospital in Glasgow with injuries, is acknowledged as being one of Scotland’s brightest young rally stars.

Immediately following the tragic incident, the organisers of the event and Police Scotland confirmed the event had been abandoned.

Today, as family members confirmed MacCrone’s injuries appear not as bad as had previously been, a ‘Celebration Walk’ went ahead at the request of Andrew Mort’s partner, Sarah Everitt.

Led by a lone, silent piper, and followed immediately by three rally cars, around 1000 islanders and rally crew members walked in silence through the main street of Tobermory.

The emotional gathering then stopped outside rally HQ in the picturesque coastal town, where the brightly painted multi-coloured facades of the homes were in compete contrast to the sombre mood of the islanders.

Then, instead of the normally boisterous, champagne-spraying podium ceremony, eight-times Mull Rally winner Calum Duffy — who himself lives in Dervaig and is a cousin of MacCrone — read an emotional poem he had written reflecting on the weekend.

The gathering ended with the lone piper playing a haunting lament.
Afterwards, Iain Campbell, Clerk of the Course for the annual event, which this year marked the 46th running of the event, which takes place on closed-off public roads, spoke of the sadness which shrouded the island.

“The tragic events of yesterday have left an indelible mark on everyone associated with Mull and the sport we all love, rallying,” he said.

“Naturally we, the organisers of the event, are deeply saddened by the tragic incident and send our condolences to the family and friends of Andrew, and offer our best wishes to John for a full recovery.

“The statement of support today by the people of Mull and the wider rally family — not just from Scotland but from across the rest of the UK who formed part of the 150-crew entry — emphasises the strength there is in our sport.”

The event organisers and relevant authorities are continuing to work closely with Police Scotland to establish precisely what happened in Saturday’s accident.

Photographs all copyright of

Sarah Everitt, the partner of Andy Mort — the co-driver tragically killed today in the fatal accident on the Mull Rally — has requested his life should be marked by going ahead with the Celebration Walk, which traditionally marks the end of the rally, today (Sunday, October 11).

Andy (47), died yesterday in an incident on SS7 when his car, driven by John MacCrone, crashed into a field. MacCrone (26), who won the event in 2013, is currently in hospital in Glasgow after suffering serious injuries. Both competitors are from Dervaig.

It will be an emotional gathering for the 3000 residents of the close-knit Inner Hebridean island. The population is further swelled by members of the 150 crews who started the rally on Friday evening, and the thousands of people who flock to support the annual iconic event.

The walk, which will also reflect on the death of 41-year-old Chris Lawson, from Otley — the driver of Car 130, who died suddenly on the island on Monday — will start at 2.30pm.

Starting at the Aros Hall in Tobermory, the walk — also supported by the family of John MacCrone and led by three rally cars — will end at Ledaig.

It is with deep regret, that the organisers of the Beatson’s Building Supplies Mull Rally can confirm that there was a fatality on today’s second stage, the seventh of the rally.

The co-driver of Car 2, Andrew Mort (47), was pronounced dead at the scene of the incident by paramedics. His family have been informed.

Driver, John MacCrone, aged 26, was airlifted to a hospital in Glasgow to receive treatment for serious injuries. Both men are from Dervaig on the island of Mull.

No one else was was involved in the incident.

The event organisers and relevant authorities are working closely with Police Scotland to establish precisely what happened.

The organisers of the event are deeply saddened by this tragic incident and send their condolences to the family and friends of the co-driver, and offer their best wishes to the driver for a full recovery.

Road policing officers have begun an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the incident. Sergeant Archie McGuire of Argyll and West Dunbartonshire Divisional Road Policing Unit, who is leading the inquiry, said today: “For the spectators and participants of the annual Mull Rally, this has been a desperately saddening event. We are working closely with the event organisers in investigating the incident. Specialist officers are at the scene and have begun the process of determining the circumstances which have led to this crash.”

“We thank those who have been in contact with police at the scene to pass on information and to give statements. We would ask for anyone else who has not yet given a statement to contact officers at the Road Policing Unit at Dumbarton on the 101 number. We would be grateful to receive any mobile phone footage that spectators may have as part of our ongoing enquiries.”