Motorcaravan Club of Ireland.  It is our policy  to help if we can and in many cases we do manage to help people.

The Motorcaravan Club of Ireland was formed in 1983 to act as a forum for those like-minded people who are interested in the pursuit of the Motorized caravan. We are still here 40 years later.

The Motorcaravan Club has been highly successful in promoting the use of the motor-caravans here in Ireland and has encouraged friendship amongst thousands of people of similar persuasion. It has also supported the tourist industry, and encouraged motor-caravan owners and hirer’s from other countries to visit Ireland.40 Years on and there is now a good little industry converting camper, there are now 6 insurers for motorcaravan’s. in 1983 there was not even one insurer  for Campervans, they didn’t want to know. The average cost of insuring a VW  campervan in 1983 was £980 punts. We did the hard ground work and we got the first insurance for  Motorcaravans-campervans, where one insurance company started others followed. Yes it was us that did it. We got the vehicle registration tax down from 33.3 % to 13.33%.  Yes it was us that did it. We got the Road Tax down to £50 as special contrivance,  now in 2023 running at €102  Euro ,yes it was us that did it. Here we are 40 years on and we regularly  get abuse from the newbies.

Membership

Membership of the club is reserved for people who love the free way of life that the motor-caravan can give and are of good character. The Club may require people who seek to join to be recommended by existing members. We may ask a member in the location to recommend an applicant. We  make no apology for being selective. and we don’t suffer fools.

We require all applicants to give full name ,address, new Eircode, date of birth, occupation,insurance history, make, model,value and year of the motorcaravan

Insurance

The club has a very successful Insurance deal underwritten by our new insurer Ornella formerly known as Patrona probably the best motorcaravan Insurance deal in Ireland . The annual rate is very competitive. . These rates are for members and foreign visitors alike. At present the club is recognized as the foremost authority on motor-caravans in Ireland and on many occasions act as consultants to Insurance companies and the Revenue Commissioners regarding importation of Campervans into Ireland. Patrona was rebranded on the 1st May 2022 to be Called Ornella Underwriting Ltd.

Excise Duty

We have assisted in compiling for the Customs & Excise authorities a list containing accurate ‘Market Values’ for motor-caravans, for the purpose of calculating fair excise duties on importation.

Statistics in 2023 show there were  over 20 thousand motor-caravans in Ireland. The 2019 Pandemic changed all that, the rise in popularity has been phenomenal  . In the last 2.5 year’s Its come of age a huge growth  may be due the high cost of Hotels and the difficulty in flying to foreign destinations. Not having the support of an industry or Government for many years. The Camper van in Ireland has come of age. What it has brought is prosperity and with that entitled assholes who all know their rights but very few know their responsibilities, Leave nothing but a good impression. seems to have little value .

A great leap forward occurred in 1998  due to our lobbying when the then Minister for Finance  , Ruari Quinn TD changed the Motorcaravan V.R.T. from the draconian 33% and  reduced it to 13.33% of open market value, quite a substantial drop .

Most motorcaravans here in Ireland are imported. Many are home conversions and some intrepid builders have built a few very good home builds almost equal to those imported. There is now in 2023   a labour intensive industry here in Ireland building motorcaravans.Brexit has brought its own frustrations.  Not that motor-caravans should attract any such a duty under the Treaty of Rome free trade agreement, for as a vehicle, they are not commercial. They are strictly private. 90% of motorcaravans are used at weekends and holidays.

Reduced Road Tax

We are now the envy of Europe thanks in no small part to the efforts of the Motor Caravan Club of Ireland. We have achieved the lowest rate of road tax in Europe, (€102), and with the club, you can insure a camper-van full comprehensive for as little as €339 all year, provided you are aged between 25 and 80 years with a full clean driving license and a positive proof of driving experience. Terms and conditions also apply. We do protect the insurance scheme and we do have our own criterion.

This insurance policy is full and complete; there are no restrictions, terms or conditions and you don’t have to have another vehicle. The Club do insure vehicles that are properly converted low roof but must be from commercial vans not cars or people carriers.

The Club had negotiated with Mondial AGA  a very good annual breakdown and recovery (from anywhere in Europe) deal for all members  but from 2020 Mondial stopped There is now no deal to repatriate a campervan from Europe. . Mondial AGA as they are now known   changed the rules and bit by bit little by little the pulled out of the market  so for that reason

We also have in association with Ornella an optional Roadside assistance breakdown for as Little as €40 per annum , worth considering, if fact its the only deal at present Roadside assistance for an Hour and tow you to a garage.

International Motorcaravan Festival & Trade Show  (Suspended temporarily)

The Motorcaravan Club of Ireland have for over 30 years hosted the biggest Motorcaravan Trade Show and Rally Festival in Ireland which  traditionally took  place every June week end. In 2005 it was on the Racecourse in Wexford and in 2006 it returned to Ballinrobe probably the nicest racecourse in Ireland.  The event was very successful but the recession in 2008 took its toll and the Club had to downsize .The last great Rally Show was in Roscommon Racecourse in 2008, It then moved to Ballyshannon Caravan Park where it was held for 2 years. It has since been held on other caravan parks and rugby club location ,but as the economy recovers we are hopeful for a Phoenix like return

Tavern Trail

The Motorcaravan Club own and operate the very successful and much sought after Tavern Trail, (That’s an exclusive list of Good Pubs hotels and other places where members may overnight in their motorcaravans). This is only given to full paid up members of the Motorcaravan Club and free to overseas visitors.

Self Build Booklet

The Motorcaravan Club of Ireland have their own self build booklet. Ideal for anybody converting a Ducato, Transit,  Mercedes. Iveco van, this only available to members.

The Motorcaravan Club of Ireland is the only (  to use a generic term) “caravanning related pursuit” organization in Ireland, with an office open 5 days a week, 9.30 to 5.00 pm. Telephone lines are open 24/7 by answering machine , just leave a message and we do return all calls.