Joey Dunlop’s son Gary says family ‘humbled’ by Ballymoney motorcycling legend's undiminished popularity 25 years after passing
Northern Ireland sporting icon Joey Dunlop’s son Gary says his family is ‘humbled’ by his father’s undiminished popularity and enduring legacy almost 25 years after his passing.
The Ballymoney motorcycling legend died on July 2, 2000 aged 48 following a racing accident at an event in Estonia.
To celebrate Joey’s achievements and mark the upcoming anniversary of his tragic death, Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council in conjunction with the Dunlop family has organised a special ‘Joey 25’ event in the Co Antrim town.
This will take place on Saturday, May 24 when 25 of Joey’s famous racing machines will be ridden through the town in a closed road parade by many of his former rivals, team-mates and friends.
These include quadruple World Superbike champion Carl Fogarty, who will be joined at the event by six-time World Superbike champion Jonathan Rea, whose grandfather John was a former sponsor of Joey’s early in his career.
A 26-time Isle of Man TT winner and five-time TT Formula 1 World Champion, Dunlop is revered as one of Ulster’s greatest ever sportsmen.
Thousands turned out in Ballymoney to celebrate with him as he rode on an open-top bus through the streets of his home town on his return from the Isle of Man TT in 2000, when he famously won the Formula 1 race one final time as part of a hat-trick of race victories.
A quarter-of-a-century later, massive crowds are expected to turn out to honour Joey, whose renowned bar in the town is still run by his family.
At the official Joey 25 launch event yesterday at Ballymoney Museum, Gary said his family was ‘really excited’ by the plans.
“I’m actually really excited about it because my days in bikes have come to an end and I could easily take it or leave it, but this is one thing that I have been looking forward to a lot, especially to see my Dad’s old friends like Ron Haslam and his whole family, who are coming over,” he said.
“Eugene Laverty is flying over from Portugal and he’s as excited about it as anybody else, so I’m really looking forward to it.
“It’s incredible and it’s humbling for us. It’s still unbelievable the amount of people we see around Ballymoney, some who aren’t really that big into bikes, but you see them all with the wee ones with their shirts on.
“Ballymoney as a town has been brilliant to us and even the council is going to go ahead at this stage, 25 years down the line, shows testament to how they thought of my father.
“We’re all getting on now and this 25th anniversary is probably the last big thing there’s going to be in our lifetimes, so it’s nice that they are pushing the boat out that extra bit to make everything perfect for it.”
A meet the riders session will also be held on the day, with autograph signings, live music, and additional entertainment.
As part of the festivities, a memorabilia exhibition will run from April at the museum in Ballymoney, with further tributes planned at the North West 200 and a parade of race bikes at the Classic Bike Festival Ireland in August at Bishopscourt Racing Circuit in Co Down.