Building a legacy for Kildare racing
Kevin Keyes onboard the Daracore Racing Team’s Yamaha R6 at the 2026 Isle of Man TT.
There is a major Kildare interest in the 2026 Isle of Man TT, the annual two-week motorcycle racing event held on the island ever since the inaugural race in 1907.
Kildare are proudly represented this year by the Rathangan-based Daracore Racing team and their rider, Kevin Keyes from Edenderry.
Brothers Keith and Brian Farrell of construction company, Daracore Ltd are embedded in their local community, sponsoring GAA and soccer teams in the Rathangan area.
In 2019, the brothers made their first venture into motorcycle racing, with Kevin Keyes joining the team in 2022.
The Edenderry rider has had a long career, with 2026 marking his 23rd season in competitive motorcycle racing, with multiple championship wins across Ireland and the UK under his belt.
Keyes secured inaugural victories for Daracore Racing and won the Leinster 100 on his very first weekend riding a Daracore bike.
The team have gone on to claim a Superbike Championship in the UK and became the first ever Irish team to complete the Superbike Pro & Supersport Pro double.
Now in their third season of road racing, the Daracore are team are currently in the Isle of Man for the world-famous TT Races.
Practice riding began on the island on Monday, May 25th, with Qualifying taking place between Tuesday and Friday.
Racing then began on Saturday, May 30th and will continue until Sunday, June 7th.
Daracore rider, Keyes took to the track on Sunday, May 31st for the Superstock 1000 race and returns today (Tuesday, June 2nd) in the Supersport TT race.
The Kildare team's Honda Fireblade and Yamaha R6 will see more action tomorrow (Wednesday, June 3rd) in the Superstock TT; this coming Friday at Race 2 of both the Supersport TT and the Superbike TT; and Saturday at the Senior TT.
Not resting on their laurels, Daracore Racing are in the process of building for the future.
They established their Young Rider Academy program in 2024 where Keyes and the team helped to develop a young rider, providing the best in coaching and infrastructure.
Fionn O'Connell was the chosen rider, who has already experienced tremendous success, securing a Championship win in his rookie season.
Managing Director of Daracore Ltd, Keith Farrell, spoke to The Kidare Nationalist ahead of the races, saying, "We are always looking to attract new business and individuals to join us and grow with us as a team. We have various opportunities to offer new partners to join our professional team.
"You can follow all our progress and catch the latest news via our Social media pages - Daracore Racing. And if you want to follow Kevin's progress and latest news you can also follow his social media pages - Kevin Keyes Racing."
