Who do you think you are, Joey Dunlop?

I was at the 2019 VJMC Show in Dublin today and was in awe of some of the stunning machinery on display. One machine that really grabbed my attention was an immaculate 1997 RVF400 NC35. I was shooting around it when I noticed that it was signed by the late Joey Dunlop. I enquired about the back story to this and think it's well worth sharing the details.

24/03/19 - Mark Quinn Memorial Tractor Run Video

A few clips that I recorded at the very well supported memorial run in Castletown on Sunday. The run was in aid of SOSAD, the suicide counselling service.

Click here to see the video - 2019 Mark Quinn Memorial Tractor Run Video 

09/03/19 - Terry Cassidy Memorial Run Video

I recorded a few clips of some of the fantastic supercars and people who attended the Terry Cassidy Memorial Run in Carrickmacross last weekend. 

Click here to see the video - Terry Cassidy Memorial Run Video

Click here to see the photos - Terry Cassidy Memorial Run Photos

10/03/19 - Frank Meagher Tribute

Time and tide wait for no man as the saying goes and it's definitely true when you consider that it is 17 years since the untimely passing of Frank Meagher in a testing accident.
Frank was the undisputed people's champion in rallying and he achieved phenomenal results on a shoestring budget in comparison to his rivals, which culminated in winning the Dunlop Tarmac Rally Championship in 1995. I was lucky enough to work for him that year, helping with media duties. Unfortunately, I haven't got around to scanning the films from 1995 yet.
Here are my favourite photos of him from the early 90s.

(Apologies that the photo sequence is out of sync)

Click on the Fallen Heroes link at the top of the blog if you would like to see some of the other tribute posts that I've posted.

24/01/19 - William Dunlop images

Its only a few months since William lost his life in that tragic accident and we are now on the cusp of another season of thrilling and hopefully safe racing. 
Michael's announcement today that he will compete in 2019 with the Tyco BMW team spurred me to upload these images.

Click on the Fallen Heroes link at the top of the blog if you would like to see some of the other tribute posts that I've posted.

Taken at Walderstown in 2008 when Michael gave William a lift back to the pits after his bike broke down

21/01/19 - The Fisher King

1990 Circuit Of Ireland Rally

The years don't be long passing by but it's hard to believe that it's 18 years since the accident that claimed the lives of Bertie, Mark and Emma Fisher.
There is no doubting the immense legacy that Bertie left behind in the rallying world with some fantastic displays of driving across the stages of Ireland and beyond.
His firm, Fisher Engineering was involved in some of the largest building projects in Ireland , building large parts of the  Intel plants, the Dundrum Town Centre, National Convention Centre, the 3Arena, whilst they also built the Waterfront Hall and Victoria Square in Belfast.
I was very lucky to be involved in photographing rallies during the late 80s and early 90s.
Here are some of my favourite shots of Bertie & Rory Kennedy.

Click on the Fallen Heroes link at the top of the blog if you would like to see some of the other tribute posts that I've posted.

1992 Lurgan Park Rally

Road Racing Heroes - Joey Dunlop

I was thinking about adding a post with some of my road racing photos on it and was wondering where to start. In reality, there is only one place to start and that is with the undisputed king of road racing, Joey Dunlop. I remember seeing him race when we started going to Skerries in the early 80s and he was definitely the one who was talked about for days and weeks afterwards.

My favourite photo of Joey was taken on the morning of the Skerries Road Races in 1989, I think it was shortly after he got the works Honda ride for the F1 championship. I was taking a few shots of the bikes and didn't recognise him as he walked over. I asked if he'd pose for a photo and got a typical Joey response "Ach surely, but hurry up. I don't want my friends to see me dressed like this!". It must have been a condition of his contract with Honda that he had to be 'presentable' for any media briefings. He said he was just back from doing a couple of interviews. 
It was the first shot that I ever took of him and has turned out to be the most enduring.









Click on the Fallen Heroes link at the top of the blog if you would like to see some of the other tribute posts that I've posted.