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Joey Dunlop RIP


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#1 AD

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Posted 08 July 2000 - 16:23

I meant to post this earlier on in the week but I'm posting this now. This is a bit of topic as Joey was a motercyclist, who died in a race in Estonia on Sunday. He was a hero in Ireland and better known than even Eddie Irvine. He had over 50,000 people at his funeral yesterday, Friday 8/7/00. I'm sure many people here have many memories of him if they follow motorcyling.

JOEY DUNLOP, 1952-2000.

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#2 Keir

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Posted 08 July 2000 - 20:06

Now here was a guy you had to admire.
I can always picture him coming over the crest of some blind bend at the Isle of man, "WFO"!!!!!

He will be missed!!!

GO, JOEY, GO!!!!!!!!!!!!

#3 Eric McLoughlin

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Posted 08 July 2000 - 20:44

Being Irish, I should have mentioned something about Joey Dunlop earlier in the week. I saw him racing a number of times (at Skerries and the Phoenix Park). He was a total legend amongst road racers and road racing fans and will be sorely missed. If (God forbid) Mr Irvine ever met his demise in a race, would 50,000 fans turn up for his funeral?
To be honest, one has to question why Joey was still racing at 48 and with a wife and 5 children to support. I'm sure he had their total support in what he did I guess he just lived for the buzz of travelling at high speeds on open roads.
I went to a film presentation back in 1983 in the Skylon Hotel in Dublin which consisted of on board film footage (this was the pre-video era) taken by Dunlop as he did one complete lap of the Isle of Man TT citcuit. It was narrated by Dunlop himself and was truly awesome. Dunlop was so self-effacing and had not a hint of boastfulness about him. I'm sure that's one of the reasons why he never took to Grand Prix circuit racing, the showbiz and glitz element would have been too embarrasing for him. Joey was just one of the lads.



#4 Ray Bell

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Posted 08 July 2000 - 22:23

If not Eddie, would John Watson attract such numbers?

#5 Eric McLoughlin

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Posted 09 July 2000 - 10:16

Although I like and respect John Watson a lot, I don't think he ever had the same support from British or Irish fans as Joey Dunlop so the answer would have to be I doubt it. It's funny how some drivers/riders capture the imagination and some don't. Nowadays, public support is often generated by media hype but, sometimes, an individual will just attract attention purely because of his persona. Lord knows, motor cycle road racing gets as much coverage on the media as the annual conker championship. Joey just atained fame by dint of his natural charisma, and of course, his exploits on the road, especially the Isle of Man.

#6 Mullaluska

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Posted 09 July 2000 - 10:21

Eric i would have to agree the man was naturally charismatic with out any of the hype that surrounds some of the sportstars of today
My condolences to the Family he will be sorely missed

#7 Ray Bell

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Posted 09 July 2000 - 11:49

What's a conker? Pardon me, but I'm not Irish...

#8 Mullaluska

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Posted 09 July 2000 - 12:43

Ray a conker is what we played with is school basically the fruit of the Horse chesnut tree you used to make a hole in the centre and put a shoe lace through or string (whatever was handy) then one player would hold the string at arms length while the other player would attempt to hit it as hard as possible thus causing it to crack and eventually break the winner then added one to the total for his conker and you kept added up if you beat a cnker that had more than one you got the total from his one as well we used to play it when we were kids and i am ashamed to say i used to bend the rules with artifical aids i.e. quick drying hard shell varnish :blush: :)

#9 Ray Bell

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Posted 09 July 2000 - 12:58

Boys will be boys... or could girls play too?

#10 Mullaluska

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Posted 09 July 2000 - 13:04

Nope it was a sexless game anyone could play although few girls ever bothered guess it just never appealed to them :)

#11 Huw Jenjin

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Posted 09 July 2000 - 14:07

Every rider who tackles the IOM TT is very brave, the fastest ones had their imaginations removed at an early age.
It is indeed a tragedy that someone as universally admired as Joey, who had proved everything he ever needed to prove, should die long after he should have retired.
i thought it inevitable early in his career, but he was so good he beat the odds, and was trully a legend, and this seems an unnecesary waste of a true hero. I guess he died enjoying what he was doing. A TT without Joey seems unimaginable.

#12 ghinzani

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Posted 15 June 2009 - 23:41

Just to add that Joeys nephew Michael won his frist TT last week, carrying on the proud tradition of his Dad Robert and Uncle Joey.