Friday, May 16, 2008
Robert Dunlop dies
Robert Dunlop has died in hospital after an accident at a practice session for the North West 200. His brother Joey was killed in a motorcycle race in Estonia in 2000. The BBC has tributes to Robert here, the Belfast Telegraph has an obituary here.
Update: Robert’s son Michael has won the first race at the North West (the 250cc)
Turgon @ 08:28 AM
roadrider
“i’d love to know if those commenting on the cultural alleigances of road race fans have actually been to a race or met any of the racers or riders”
The answer is no - but I never let my lack of knowledge stop me from jabbering about something.
Posted by on May 16, 2008 @ 03:17 PMI raced motorcycles in NI/ROI then moved to the United States and continued.
To those calling for Road Racing to be banned, you will never understand it until you do it, and when you do it, you still wont completely understand it, but you will want to do it again.
Motorcycle racing is expensive. In NI 40 years ago, members of the unionist community in general could afford it more than members of the nationalist community. Consequently there was more of an establishment in the Unionist community. In the ROI 40 years ago, there simple was less of it in general that in NI, again largely because of economic reasons, but it was there.
Over the years it has grown and truly has become a mixed community sport, in all the time I raced (a nationalist) I never heard a single sectarian utterance. Most people who put that much money into a sport and make the time commitment are typically only thinking about motorcycles.
The Motorcycle Union of Ireland (MCUI) is an all Ireland body made of of various member clubs, with the clubs hosting events. The northern clubs race on Saturdays, the southern clubs race on Sundays (typically), events are packed with riders and spectators from the north and south no matter which day of the weekend it is.
There used to be a rule, no idea if it is still there, that recommended the use of the MCUI flag instead of either of the two national flags for instances where a flag would be used to start or finish a race.
In motorcycle racing, you are not a prod or a taig, you are either fast or slow.
Posted by on May 16, 2008 @ 03:32 PMSad tragedy for a family that has already suffered .Condolences to the family RIP.
Posted by on May 16, 2008 @ 03:54 PMI can’t believe that some have chosen the event of Robert Dunlop’s tragic (if not entirely unpredictable) death to launch into a Prods v Taigs debate. Completely tasteless!
RIP Robert Dunlop. RIP Joey.
How many more have to die before this carnage is stopped?
Posted by on May 16, 2008 @ 04:18 PM“ How many more have to die before this carnage is stopped?”
A wee bit ott surely, Picador? One could ask the same of driving to work or doing the school run.
Posted by on May 16, 2008 @ 05:13 PMLiving in the “hotbed” of Protestantism, that it has been alleged that the area is, I just wanted to add that we are all gutted by this.
Life stops up here when these races are on. Fan or not of bike racing, it’s one of those events that you remember year on year since childhood. The loss of Dunlop No2 makes this year’s event all the more sad.
“How many more have to die before this carnage is stopped?”
It never stops. It’s in the blood.
RIP.
Posted by on May 16, 2008 @ 05:26 PMA very sad day for many, many sports fans in Northern Ireland, with the loss of Tommy Burns and Robert Dunlop.
Tragic news.
Calls for the banning of road racing are pointless - people will always want to road race their bikes.
Better to allow those who wish to do it, do it in as safe as possible environment.
It is worth noting that last night’s tragic accident was nothing to do with the road - Robert’s bike seized up.
Had these been on a race track, the outcome could have been exactly the same.
Robert was a reluctant celebrity/hero to thousands of people around the world - like his brother Joey.
Rest In Peace Robert.
Posted by on May 16, 2008 @ 05:30 PMMy sympathies to the Dunlop family.
Posted by on May 16, 2008 @ 05:35 PMIt’s a pity that some think the mere examination of the community roots of this sport is an attack on this or that tradition. As the person who started this i want to say it is not - it is merely an attempt to understand what makes us the same and what makes us different, nothing more, nothing less.
Thanks to McGarth for his comments: again I want to make it clear that I am not for instant suggesting the sport is marred by sectarianism. I am, though, wondering why it is such hot property for unionists and very much take it or leave it for nationalists.
I don’t want to upset anybody. I’m provincial enough, despite everything else, to be upset at the death of someone who has made our little north eastern enclave even a little bit more famous. My sympathies are with Robert Dunlop’s family - my interest is with the sociology of the sport he made so famous.
Posted by on May 16, 2008 @ 10:28 PMHow can I put this?
I love Irish rugby.
I especially love it when an Ulster player comes on in the green.
I know that no Ulster player is likely - in the immediate future (though I have been told this may change!) to be from my tradition.
But to be from Ulster, to be the inheritor of Gibson, is enough.
I have my views about the politics of the island. But I am also a local yokel.
Posted by on May 16, 2008 @ 10:33 PMMcGrath’s post seems plausible, about motorcycling being expensive in the past. I also wondered if it maybe had something to do with the historical circumstances of engineering in NI, where jobs in that industry would have been largely in the preserve of Protestants? Just a guess.
Terribly sad news about Robert, especially for us north Antrim types.
Posted by on May 17, 2008 @ 11:53 AMThe performance of Michael Dunlop today should be lauded by all. His courage and determination to come out and win the opening race for the memory of his dad was truly heroic.
For me, no sporting performance will ever beat the sight of him roaring down the coast road in the lead on the way to victory.
Immense.Posted by on May 17, 2008 @ 11:49 PMCS Parnell
“Though I wonder why people take part in this sport when it is so dangerous.”Some folk enjoy the thrill of speed and dont want to live in a hermetically sealed cotton wool lined bubble.
Posted by on May 18, 2008 @ 11:52 AM
