No races this year but still Tipperary motorbike supporters celebrate 20th anniversary

Faugheen50 club members, past and present, celebrate the 20th anniversary of the rerunning of the annual Faugheen50 Motorcycle Road Races at an event in Keevers Pub, Faugheen on Saturday night last

placeholder image — Faugheen50 club members, past and present, celebrate the 20th anniversary of the rerunning of the annual Faugheen50 Motorcycle Road Races at an event in Keevers Pub, Faugheen on Saturday night last

Last weekend saw the Faugheen50 Supporters Club celebrate the 20th anniversary of the rerunning of the annual Faugheen50 Motorcycle Road Races in the village just outside Carrick-on-Suir. Unfortunately, due to the insurance issue affecting the entirety of motorcycle sport in the Republic, this year’s Faugheen50, like so many others, did not go ahead.

The club wanted to mark such an auspicious occasion and so put together a wonderful night for club members, local residents and invited guests to help them mark the event in Keevers Bar, Faugheen.

Many of the original club members were on hand to ensure that the trusted Faugheen50 baton was passed optimistically to a whole new generation of club members and supporters. With live music, video screens showing the club’s history and key moments, so many of the guests got a chance to swap their stories, memories and anecdotes with great enthusiasm and fondness, not just of the club but the race weekend going back over nearly 50 years, from its time at Rathgormack to the event’s home, in Faugheen, for 40 years now.

Mattie McGrath, TD, was presented with a picture of club member Brian McCormack on his way to winning the first Superbike Race in 2022 at Faugheen. From left: Alan O’Dwyer, Faugheen50 Club President, Brian McCormack, club member, and Deputy Mattie McGrath

MATTIE GREAT FRIEND AND SUPPORTER

Local TD Mattie McGrath, who has been a great supporter of the club and the sport, and who has been a great advocate in raising the insurance issue in the Dáil, came along and was presented with a picture of club member Brian McCormack on his way to winning the first Superbike Race in 2022 at Faugheen.

The club wished that the event could have been larger for all the supporters and regular racegoers, but alas, the dark cloud of insurance availability hung over the village, so a scaled-back event had to take place. However, the laughter, the friendships, the music and the sounds of motorcycles filled the air at Faugheen once again, and the club look forward, hopefully and optimistically, to once again putting on the fastest and friendliest race event in the south east in 2024.

A huge amount of thanks goes to Keevers Bar, the residents of Faugheen and all the supporters, club members and sponsors for making the anniversary celebrations so memorable.