'King of the Roads' Joey Dunlop remembered 25 years on from fatal crash

4 hours ago 4

Pacemaker A large number of people standing looking towards the right hand side of the frame. Many are wearing sunglasses and hats. There are event tents in the background.

Motorcycling legend Joey Dunlop has been remembered and celebrated in a special event in Ballymoney, County Antrim, on Saturday.

The Joey 25 celebration was held a quarter of a century after the 26-time Isle of Man TT winner was killed in an accident at a race in Estonia in July 2000.

The event brought together famous riders like Carl Fogarty and Jonathan Rea who rode some of Dunlop's original bikes around the town.

"We couldn't think of a better way to remember Joey than an event in his hometown," Joey's wife Linda said.

Getty Images Joey Dunlop has long dark brown hair with a fringe, he has dark eyebrows and facial stubble. He is wearing a white racing suit and is looking to his left, the background is blurred.

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council hosted the event to remember the man dubbed the "King of the Roads", in conjunction with the Dunlop family.

His daughter Donna McLean and a son-in-law Michael McCammond represented the family at a parade around the town.

"It makes it a little bit easier for us not doing it on the exact date of the anniversary because it is a private time for us," Joey's son Gary told BBC Radio Ulster's Your Place and Mine programme.

"It's been 25 years, it's still not easy. It's still not easy living with the name, I can assure you, but time is a little bit of a healer," he said.

"But the longer it goes on you come to realise how unique everything is and how special it is to a lot of the fans and at the end of the day, that's why we are happy to see it."

'Joey's memory lives on'

Pacemaker Rea is standing on the right. He has his right hand in the air waving. He is wearing a grey sweatshirt and has short brown hair. The host is to the left. He is wearing a white shirt and is holding a microphone. He has curly grey hair. Behind both men is a yellow sign showing the face of Joey Dunlop and the words Joey Dunlop Celebration.

Liam Beckett, Dunlop's former mechanic and a close friend of the family, said he would never forget the day of the crash.

"Young Richard, Joey's youngest lad, was staying in my house that weekend. He would have been my son William's biggest friend and they still are to this day," he told BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today programme.

"It was Donna who arrived at our house that morning in tears, Joey's daughter, to break the news to us.

"It's a shock I don't think I'll get over 'til the day I go but, it's great to see so many people rallying around to mark the 25th anniversary of his passing."

"It's great to see that Joey's memory lives on."

Pacemaker Two motorbikes, one white and red, and the other blue and white sit next to each other in front of a yellow Joey Dunlop 25 years board with his face printed on it. There are ten people (8 men and 2 women) standing around the bikes dressed in a range of clothing from black, grey, blue, green and beige. There are also two small children sitting on the bikes, a girl with brown hair wearing a blue tracksuit and a boy with an orange jumper.

'I raced alongside him'

Brian Reid A man with white hair looks into the camera. He is wearing a royal blue top with short sleeves. He is holding a red box frame containing three medals. A bust of himself is also beside him.

Brian Reid is a former double Formula Two world champion who raced against Dunlop and became his friend.

"He was a great ambassador for our sport and proved it worldwide," he told BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today programme.

"I watched him before I started racing... but would never have dreamt that one day, I would be racing alongside him and, eventually, the odd time, beating him."

"It's great to see that everybody is getting involved in this wonderful event and to see all these bikes and getting a chance to ride one of them is going to be a great honour," he said.

Getty Images Joey Dunlop racing one of his bikes at the Isle of Man, it is black and has a white circle with the number 3 on it. He is wearing a black racing suit and a yellow helmet. He is coming around a corner on the bike as the image is taken. There are spectators in the background watching.

What's happening?

The free public event began at 14:00 BST and will finish at 22:00. It will show off Dunlop's original bikes as well as autograph signings and entertainment.

The parade of bikes will take place from 18:00 to 20:00, along North Road, High Street, Main Street, Seymour Street, Station and return via Townhead Street.

The roads will close to vehicles from 17:00 to 21:00.

A park and ride will operate from the Joey Dunlop Leisure Centre from 14:00 and the last return journey will be at 22:30.

The event will be live streamed via Greenlight Television's King of the Roads platform with the broadcast scheduled to begin at 18:00.

Joey 25 Exhibition

The Joey 25 Exhibition at Ballymoney Museum was also open on Saturday.

It hosts a collection of artefacts and memorabilia such as Dunlop's restored and original motorcycles, rare photographs, racing leathers, trophies and personal items that mark Joey's remarkable career.

Getty Images Joey Dunlop is racing a white and green bike with the number three in black on the front. The bike is on its back wheel as he races along the road. He is wearing a yellow helmet, a white racing suit and red gloves. Behind him is the darkness of the green trees.

Who was Joey Dunlop?

William Joseph Dunlop was born near Ballymoney on 25 February 1952 and died at the age of 48 on 2 July 2000 in Tallinn, Estonia.

Respected as the "King of the Roads", the sportsman achieved 26 Isle of Man TT wins, five Formula One World Championships, 13 North West 200 (NW200) victories and 24 Ulster Grand Prix triumphs.

He was honoured with an MBE in 1986 and an OBE in 1996 for his humanitarian work with children in Eastern Europe.

Getty Images Joey Dunlop racing a white and blue bike with the number two in a red circle on the front. He is wearing a black racing suit with red and white detailing on the sleeves. He is wearing a yellow helmet. Behind him is the stone wall with advertisement boards on it.

'Sporting ambassador'

BBC Sport NI presenter Stephen Watson said Saturday was an "incredibly special event" to celebrate "one of Northern Ireland's greatest ever sporting ambassadors".

Speaking to BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme, he added : "I don't think you'll ever see a collection of motorcycle riders together in the one place at the same time ever again because they're coming from all different disciplines of the sport and all different eras.

"And every single rider who is coming on Saturday will be riding one of Joey Dunlop's original machines."

What racing icons will be at the event?

The big names at the event include: World Superbike champions Carl Fogarty and Jonathan Rea; Grand Prix stars Ron Haslam, Jeremy McWilliams and Eugene Laverty; British champions Leon Haslam and Adrian Coates; World record holder Ryan Farquhar.

Double World Formula 2 Champion Brian Reid will also join Alan Irwin, Trevor Steele, Con Law, Raymond McCullough and Leslie McMaster

Visit Source