The triple World champion was one of many drivers who gave Ireland's first WRC round a ringing endorsement. And although the rally won't be back next season while the FIA work through a two-year revision programme for the championship, it has been provisionally listed for 2009.

And Loeb is batting on Ireland's behalf.

"It's a nice rally and it's always a nice atmosphere here," said the 33-year-old Citroen ace who became a dad for the first time the day after the rally ended.

"It's really exciting to come to a place where people like rallying and they enjoy what you are doing. It's a great atmosphere.

"I have come here three times to compete in rallies - and won three times - and so I would like to come again."

The champion's comments were echoed by Subaru's Chris Atkinson, who, despite falling foul of the treacherous Irish roads, said he was 'definitely' glad the WRC had come to Ireland.

"You see the amount of people around and the enthusiasm for the rally here and the amount of media coverage and you hear it on the radio and you know it's an important event," continued the Aussie. "In some countries you don't get that feeling but here you definitely do."

His Subaru team-mate Petter Solberg, the 2003 World champion, said he " loved it" even though it was "so, so difficult".

Malcolm Wilson, whose Ford team celebrated a second successive manufacturers' World championship in Ireland despite Marcus Gronholm crashing out, unequivocally backed the event.

"The organisers have pushed the envelope way beyond my expectations," he said. "To actually run a rally over two countries - and all the implications of that - is in itself remarkable.

"Although going to Stormont was logistically difficult, the value it delivered far outweighed the difficulties.

"For me it definitely ticked the box to be included in the WRC in the future."

And, of course, Niall McShea, the PWRC winner from Fermanagh, was all in favour of Ireland staying in the championship.

"Rally Ireland was an absolute credit to the organisers and to the people both north and south of the border," he said.

"The crowds have been humungous; they are the largest I have seen in WRC.

"The stages are very unique, tricky and typical of Irish rallying. It's a unique rally and it should have a proper slot in the World Championship. I hope the FIA decide to bring it back soon."

More importantly, perhaps, the FIA hierarchy who attended the event, including Rallies Commission president Morrie Chandler, made encouraging noises.

"We've had three new events in the WRC this season and they have all gone off fantastically well," said Chandler.

"I think they have set a new standard and caused some of the older events to wake up their ideas which is exactly what we needed.

"I would say Rally Ireland has pushed the standard. It would be unfair to say they have raised it because there are a lot of good existing events but there's a few others that are languishing a little bit.

"But the Rally Ireland organisers have shown the events that are languishing that they need to pull their socks up."

Ronan Morgan, who was the co-promoter along with Sean O'Connor, was happy with the way the event ran but said they would look to fine-tune the event if included in the 2009 calendar.

"There are areas I know where we can improve but speaking to the FIA observers they were very happy with the rally.

"They've said they will de-brief me at a later date and show me the little pointers that may need tweaking for the future. But overall, they were happy. So was I and the whole organising team."