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Circuit of Ireland Rally 2014, Thursday April 17 to Saturday April 19 in Belfast, Downpatrick and Lisburn

CANCELLED last year due to terrible weather conditions (remember that heavy snow?), the Circuit of Ireland Rally is set to roar back to life on Northern Ireland's roads next weekend.

The first tarmac rally of the European Rally Championship calendar, the Circuit of Ireland gets into gear next Thursday for a ceremonial start in Belfast.

Around 1,000 competitors and team personnel are set to descend on the north over the Easter weekend, with the two day event kicking off properly on Friday April 18.

Drivers will cover nearly 150 miles through stages in Belfast, Downpatrick and Lisburn.

The Downpatrick district leg of the rally will see competitors reviving special stages used regularly during the 1980s by star drivers such as Jimmy McRae, Billy Coleman, Russell Brookes and David Llewellin while competing for the Circuit of Ireland's UAC Trophy.

The action then moves to Co Antrim for the Lisburn Power Stage, to be launched at Lisburn's Civic Centre on Saturday April 19, before the rally then returns to Belfast for a big finish on Saturday evening.

Rally fans who can't make it out to watch the stages in person can follow racing on Eurosport throughout the weekend.

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