26-time Isle of Man TT winner Joey Dunlop remembered in Ballymoney in special hometown parade

Motorcycle racing royalty joined thousands of fans in Ballymoney, Co. Antrim to pay tribute to five-time Formula One world champion and 26-time TT winner, Joey Dunlop, on a special day of remembrance.

The legendary road racer lost his life in a crash in Estonia on July 2, 2000, with the 25^th anniversary marked by a special event in his hometown on Saturday, May 24.

Dubbed the Joey 25 celebration, the event was organised by Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council with a host of leading riders from past and present taking part in a special parade through the streets on 25 of Dunlop’s race bikes.

Michael Rutter, Ryan Farquhar and Ian Lougher flew in by helicopter from the Isle of Man TT paddock to join a star-studded line-up that included Carl Fogarty, Jonathan Rea, Jeremy McWilliams, Ron and Leon Haslam, Eugene Laverty, Bruce Anstey, Adrian Archibald, Adrian Coates, Steve Cull, James Courtney, Alan and Glenn Irwin, Phillip McCallen, and more.

“It’s a privilege and honour to be here.” four-time World Superbike champion Carl Fogarty said in tribute after riding Dunlop’s 1999 Honda RC45. 

“And all the fans have turned out as well. I got the call in January or February and I said absolutely, put me down for that because I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

Fogarty, who shared a garage with Dunlop in 1988 and was team-mates with him in ’89 in the Honda Britain squad, recalled working alongside the famously enigmatic Ulsterman.

“Nobody really knows Joey!” three-time TT winner Fogarty reflected. “He was his own man, he was very quiet and softly spoken. I loved the way he approached racing and just did it his way.”

MotoGP legend Jeremy McWilliams remembered the shock of hearing news of Joey’s fatal crash.

“I remember the day it happened; I was commentating on Superbikes for Eurosport.” he explained. “I was speechless, and I actually had to leave the studio. I literally just left and flew home. I was dumbfounded and like everybody here, I remember the day very well.

“It was such a shock to the system and then the next week was the Donington Grand Prix.”

McWilliams produced one of the rides of his life in that year’s 500cc British GP before making a very special dedication.

“I actually had an awful qualifying, but I had a really good race. I led it for a while and in the end Valentino Rossi and Kenny Roberts Junior beat me to the line. I was third and I remember dedicating that podium to Joey.

“I wish I had won it to dedicate the win to Joey, but it was the least I could do. It was still very raw at the time.”

Speaking to a huge crowd of fans in front of Joey’s Bar, which the Dunlop family still run, the atmosphere was a revelation for six-time World Superbike champion, Jonathan Rea, whose grandfather was one of Joey’s early sponsors.

“I parked my van up the town and came down and it’s the same buzz up at the top of the town as well – it’s immense really.” Rea smiled.