Mk2 Escorts are really popular rally cars in Ireland. Is this because there are RWD-only rallys?

There are 2WD cles on most rallies, and the Escort MK1 and MK2 were both top rally cars in the 1970s before 4WD became the norm. They are probably still popular because they are fun to drive, easy to service and you can make them do just about anything using only the accelerator pedal and a flick of the steering wheel.