The famous four
Thursday, 1 July 2010
Top road racers Paul Robinson, William Dunlop, Michael Dunlop, John Burrows, Brian McCormack, Wayne Hamilton and Ryan Farquhar join Clerk of the Course Bill Kennedy and Charlene McLean at Ballycastle last Wednesday as they launched the Armoy Road Race whi
IN the mid-1970s four riders from Armoy in North Antrim put the small village on the road racing map - Frank Kennedy, brothers Joey and Jim Dunlop, and their brother-in-law Mervyn Robinson.
Well-known racing commentator Derek 'Big D' Mason coined the collective phrase 'The Armoy Armada' as all four came from the village and soon after an Armoy Armada Supporters' Club was founded to give the local men some financial backing.
During the late 1970's members raised substantial funds and by 1978 the Club guaranteed each rider £500 to help with running costs. All four racers competed in key national and international road races including the TT, North West 200 and the Ulster Grand Prix.
In 1977 Joey Dunlop won the first of 26 TT wins on a Yamaha and raced with Rea Racing Team, Suzuki and then Honda with whom he remained until his death on July 2, 2000.
Jim Dunlop's racing career began in 1975 riding machinery borrowed from his elder brother with his big break coming in 1977 when he was named 'Best Up and Coming Rider' for 1977 season. He scored many national short circuit and pure roads wins in Ireland and raced in both the TT and the Southern 100 in the Isle of Man. Jim retired from competitive racing in 1982.
Frank Kennedy began racing in the early 70's and soon established himself as one of the best Irish riders winning the 500cc Short Circuit Championship in 1974. Narrowly beaten by Martin Sharpe, Frank was a runner-up in the 500cc class at the North West 200 in 1976. He died after sustaining serious injuries at the North West in 1979.
Mervyn Robinson made his racing debut in 1969 but didn't achieve success until he teamed up with local sponsor Hugh O'Kane. The highlight of Robinson's career was his famous victory at the 1975 Ulster Grand Prix and he also achieved third place at UGP in 1976. Mervyn lost his life at the 1980 NW200, however his son Paul is one of the leading two stroke riders in Ireland both on roads and short circuits.
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