Oran England Secures First Billy Coleman Award Nomination For 2026
21-year-old Oran England has received the first nomination for the 2026 Billy Coleman Award for Young Rally Driver of the Year Award, for the opening period of January to May.
England, from Virginia, Co. Cavan has been campaigning a Peugeot 208 Rally4 this season. In the January – May nomination window, he managed to secure class wins on the Mayo Stages Rally, the Birr Stages Rally and the Circuit of Munster. His performances see him leading the points standings in the Stellantis Rally Cup Ireland and the Motorsport Ireland Junior Rally Series while he also leads his class in the Triton Showers Motorsport Ireland National Rally Championship and the Sligo Pallets Border Rally Championship.
Having started karting in 2014, England became a twice national champion, winning the Junior X30 Championship in 2017 before going on to take the Senior X30 title in 2022. The switch to rallying in came in 2024 in a Ford Fiesta Rally4 and the young Cavan driver has shown speed and maturity on both tarmac and gravel, with regular frontrunning pace on both surfaces. England rates his performance on the 2026 Birr Stages Rally as the best of his career to date where he took a commanding class win against a strong Class 2 field, in challenging conditions.
Outside of his time in the car, England has just completed his 3rd year of a bachelor's degree in Fire Safety Engineering in ATU Letterkenny and is currently on work placement as a Fire Safety Engineer in Michael Slattery Associates in Dublin.
Commenting on his nomination England said; “It’s an honour to receive the nomination and it’s been something I have been targeting since I started rallying in 2024. I have to thank my family who have been a huge support and I also have to say a special thank you to Odhran Henry and Odhran Henry Racing for all the knowledge and experience they passed on to me in my years of karting. My co-drivers Damien Connolly and Darragh Mullen continue to help me develop and I’m looking forward to what the rest of this year has in store.”
Oran is supported by TEE Fire Safety Solutions, The Mason’s Apron Bakery & Café, BJD Electrical, Lough Owel Motors, Streamline Coaches, BSR Plan & Civil, CA Hire, The Dentman, IRL Motorsports, OHR, Fortus and Petrolheads.
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.