I love rallying, it's my life. Here I am now talking about it when I have a college assignment due in 12 hours. Thanks to Rallymedia, Flyin Finn, SudRallye and all the other great video guys for distracting me from my work so much haha!

My first memory is when I was 6 years old, watching Bertie Fisher in the Toughmac Impreza on the famous Moll's Gap stage on the Rally of the lakes. He set the record of 9.59. He was so quick he almost caught Liam O Callaghan in a fresh TTE ST205 GT4 on the stage! The whole place was going wild, I was up on my dad's shoulders, very nice memory.

Since then I used to go with my father to rallies until me and my friends were old enough to drive ourselves. Andrew Nesbitt flat out in the old P2000. Eugene Donnelly beating everyone in the famous K-AM 651 Corolla. McRae in Killarney 2005 in his Escort, sideways everywhere. In 2007 seeing Gronholm, Loeb, Sordo and Hirvonen compete in our tarmac championship rounds was unreal, I will never forget Loeb's pace on the Cork 20, and Donnelly, Higgins et al trying to keep him in sight. Higgins always sideways in the yellow S11 Subaru.

The first Irish WRC round was incredible. Not so much the stages themselves,just the atmosphere. Going to shakedown on Thursday morning, hearing the loud bark of the Focus' anti-lag through the trees. Watching all the WRC cars being loaded onto the transporters was very cool. Just little things like that stand out.

Sitting in with local rally drivers during testing, the speed, the noise. Now I am old enough to compete I cant wait to start. Every road I drive down I am calling pacenotes to myself in preparation, driving my girlfriend mad. First rally in a few months. I don't think I'll ever be happier than on the start line of the first stage