Joey Dunlop
1952-2000 - William Joseph Dunlop OBE MBE
Photo - Bill McLoed
“King of the Roads”
Say the name Joey Dunlop to any true bike fan in almost any part of the world and they will know instantly who you are talking about. Not some here-today-gone-tomorrow, manufactured “superstar” with an ego to match his pay-cheque, but a quiet, shy part-time publican from a small town in Northern Ireland.
“The world’s greatest living sportsman”, the words of Big D, Ireland’s loudest commentator are an apt description of this most remarkable of men. William Joseph Dunlop MBE OBE, is the greatest motorcycle racer that has ever lived. I say that without shame or without doubt.
He was, and will remain, a hero to hundreds of thousands of people, young and old alike, in every far-flung corner of the world. He inspired generations of young Irishmen to take up motorcycle road racing, and can almost single-handedly take the credit for the strength of the road racing scene today.
But Joey wouldn’t dream of it. In fact he would be embarrassed beyond belief at the very mention of such a notion. The man was modest almost to the point of self-denial. He never wanted the limelight, the fame or the attention. Joey was a reluctant hero. He just wanted to race bikes and to win.
The Dunlop legend all started rather inconspicuously aboard a £50 Triumph Tiger Cub at Maghaberry in 1969, “as a bit of fun with my mates”. It was the mid 1970’s before Joey established himself as a regular winner, and from that point on, he never looked back. He entered his first TT race in 1976: “It was wet, I rode a 250, and I’d never been round the circuit before, even in a car. I remember coming up to Ballacraine and didn’t know whether to turn right, left or straight ahead!” Amazingly, and perhaps as a foresight of what was to come, he finished all three races he started in, including a good 16th position in the Junior 350 event aboard a new 350 Rea Yamaha. The following year, still a virtual unknown at the TT, he beat all the favourites to take the 1977 Jubilee TT aboard a privately-entered TZ 750 Yamaha. A few barren TT years followed before he won the 1980 Classic 1000cc race, again Yamaha-mounted.
That same year he joined the works Honda team-with Honda boss Bob McMillan promising him “bikes for life”-to begin a 21 year association, making him Honda’s most loyal servant bar none. The men in suits at Honda tried to change Joey, his unkempt appearance and almost incoherent accent not really conforming to the Honda image. But it was soon apparent that they were wasting their time, and they left him pretty much to his own devices, supplying him with the machinery required to do the job.
And do the job he most certainly did. As well as winning countless Irish road races, including the Ulster GP and North West 200, he started winning TT races for Honda in 1983, beginning a winning run in the F1 event that was to last for 6 consecutive years from 1983-88 during which time he was F1 World Champion on 5 occasions.
But the genius of Joey Dunlop extends much further than his many big-bike wins; equally at home on any bike from 125cc-1000cc, Joey was easily the most versatile rider of his generation . How many of today’s WSB or GP riders could do a 120mph lap of the TT course on a 1000cc V-Twin, jump straight off that onto a 125cc bike, and do a 107mph lap ? None. Joey and his raw, unadulterated talent stand alone.
At home in Ireland, Joey’s record on the pure roads circuits will probably never be bettered. He was victorious in 24 Ulster Grands Prix, 13 North West 200’s, and countless other races in the domestic series, including 17 wins here at the Skerries 100, making him the joint record holder for the most wins along with the great Raymond McCullough. Indeed Joey still holds the course lap record of 105.95mph, set in the 1999 Grand Final race, one of the most thrilling road races I have ever had the privilege to witness. It will be a long, long time before that lap record is bettered.
On the Isle of Man, Joey’s final tally of 26 TT wins will never be surpassed. 12 more wins than his nearest rival, and the only rider to win a hat-trick of hat-tricks at the TT, Joey had infinitely more talent than any rider on the current scene around the circuit which he made his own. I have spent many an evening or afternoon watching as Joey came around lap after lap, on the same line every time, totally at one with the bike, be it a 125cc single or a 750 4-stroke. Smooth doesn’t even begin to describe his riding style: Joey was pure poetry in motion.
His greatest ever win came this year, his 32nd year of racing, in what was to be his last ever TT race meeting. His victory in the F1 race on a totally new, ill handling Honda VTR SP1, which he had hardly ridden before, was the crowning glory of a glittering career. He and his family received a standing ovation at the prize presentation, the likes of which will never be seen or heard on such a scale again.
But there was another side to Joey that only his closest knew so well. A quiet, devoted family man with 5 children to his childhood sweetheart Linda, the pair recently renewed their marriage vows in the same church in which they were married all those years ago.
Although he was awarded the MBE for his services to motorcycle sport, it was perhaps his OBE for charity work which best gives an insight into this remarkable man’s persona. Twice he has travelled with aid to Bosnia and once each to Romania and Albania, all under his own volition and all at his own expense. He would travel around the Ballymoney area in his own van collecting food and clothes from locals. When the van was full, he set off to wherever he was going. No fanfare. No razamatazz. Just Joey and a battered van full of aid, destined for those less fortunate than himself. Such a simple gesture. Please take a few moments to think about this.
Such selfless, humble, decent acts only served to deepen the enigma and mystique that surrounded the quiet Irishman known universally as “Yer Maun”.
I am going to miss Joey hugely. His death has been an abominable tragedy beyond words. Such a great man did not deserve to lose his life in an unimportant race in a little-known part of the world, thousands of miles form his loved ones. I do know one thing though: if he could have chosen to go any way, it would’ve been in the saddle of a Honda. Joey died a happy and content man, doing what he did best. Several times he was told he should retire, to which he replied, “It’s what I do best. It’s in my blood. It’s what I like and until I feel I can’t do it any more I’ll keep on.”
Everyone has their favourite memory of Joey and mine will stay with me for the rest of my days. It was at the Southern 100 on the Isle of Man in 1999, and I stood watching Joey working frantically on his bike in order to make the next practice session. A man with a young son approached Joey and asked if his son, who was probably no older than four could have his picture taken with him. Joey smiled, downed his tools and lifted the boy upon to the petrol tank of his bike and sat smiling on the saddle himself whilst the overjoyed father took the picture. The man thanked Joey, who smiled and carried on working flat out on the bike. That young child now has a keepsake that he should treasure forever. And that for me summed up Joey as person: humble, kind and someone who always had time for anyone.
Many clichés and phrases have been synonymous with the name Joey Dunlop over the years and it would be all to easy to conclude with one or two of them. Instead however, I feel the final words should go to the man who asked for so little throughout life, but gave so much to so many.
“I never really wanted to be a superstar. I just want to be myself. I hope that’s how people remember me.” We certainly will Joey. We certainly will. God bless.
Stuart Christian
Joey Dunlop Fact File
FULL NAME William Joseph Dunlop MBE OBE
DATE OF BIRTH 25th February, 1952
PLACE OF BIRTH Ballymoney, Co. Antrim
HOME TOWN Ballymoney, Co. Antrim
STATUS Married to Linda
CHILDREN Julie (24), Donna (18), Garry (16),
Richard (13), Joanne (10)
HOBBIES Darts
FIRST RACE Maghaberry
FAVOURITE CIRCUIT Isle of Man TT course
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Five times Formula One World Champion, 26 TT wins (including 3 hat-tricks), 24 Ulster Grands Prix, 13 North West 200’s, 17 Skerries 100’s
FIRST TT WIN 1977 Jubilee Classic
FIRST HONDA WIN 1983
CURRENT TEAM Honda Britain
AMBITION To race as long as possible
Notable Wins
Isle of Man TT Races 26
North West 200 13
Ulster Grand Prix 24
Skerries 100 17
Killalane 6
Southern 100 32
Steam Packet Races 10
Fore 6
Mid Antrim 15
Dundrod 150 2
Killinchy 150 22
Temple 100 5
Tandragee 100 17
Cookstown 100 10
Dundalk 2
Kells 2
Munster 1
Joey Dunlop 1952 - 2000
I remember cheers and shouts - at Black Dub and Bray Hill and anxious moments waiting for the light
And I recall the twenty first - as misty mountain slopes told the tale of who would win the fight
Could I forget a rainy day - in June of eighty five when in a rainsoaked senior race he flew
this hero ran the gauntlet of the flooded mountain course to be as great as we already knew
To TT eighty nine he came but didn't race that year I met him after practice in the "tent"
we talked on nothing for an hour before he had to leave he left me stunned in silence as he went
My minds eye sees a day day in august nineteen ninety one his pride injured - being lapped two years before
the yellow helmet stormed in first - to claim the UGP and gave Dundrod its greatest ever roar
at Tornagrough in ninety six on roads of melted tar I saw the master - show the quack way round
while younger riders wilted in the searing august sun he rode the course he loved and took the crown
At Skerries nineteen ninety four on the RC forty five against the nimbler smaller bikes he fought
on tight and twisty narrow lanes more suited to a twin he led the big one never to be caught
And some days that I don't recall he'd roll it in the race he didn't have to win on every track
we'd know by Bray if things were right and if he had "the face" but all we wanted was to see him back
But one thing that we all recall - the times he stood up high and took the honours (twenty six in all)
he well knew how to celebrate he'd spray the bubbly wide and smile to us the greatest smile of all.
And now the thing we always feared has come to us this day his light has not come on although we wait
Joeys yellow Arai won't be coming round again past Bradden, Bray or down from Keppel gate
No more will we stare in awe - at Barregarrow on full bore or Glen Helen beating radio TT
or Rhencullen on the back wheel flying through the thirty zone it's never going to be the same for me
In the beginning there were roads and all of them untamed god sent a quiet king the roads to run
Joey Dunlop came and conquered all where 'ere he stood God Bless yer man - rest now - job done.
Eddie Byrne
© Copyright The Loughshinny Motor Cycle Supporters Club Ltd 2000, 2001, 2002
Dedicated to the memory of William Joseph Dunlop MBE, OBE
Photo - Bill McLoed
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Dates for your diary 2008
Club Annual General Meeting
26th February 2008 at 8:30pm
Yacht Bar, Loughshinny.
Club flag seminars
26th February 2008 @ 8pm
Yacht Bar, Loughshinny.
Road Race Dates 2008
Skerries 100
Friday & Saturday 4th & 5th
July 2008
Killalane Road Race Dates 2008
Saturday & Sunday 13th & 14th
September 2008
Skerries DVD
2005 Skerries DVD can be yours for only €25. Please send your name, address plus cheque or postal order to:
Susan Plunkett,
Hon Club Secretary,
Loughshinny Motor Cycle Supporters Club,
Baldungan,
Lusk,
Co, Dublin.
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