The 2014 documentary film "Road" (narrated by Liam Neeson), addresses the subject of death in Irish road racing, from the perspective of the Dunlop family:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLI2r8pyla0
First, Joey Dunlop was killed in 2000. His funeral was attended by 50,000 people from all over the world. There is a statue of Joey in the Dunlop's hometown of Ballymoney Northern Ireland. There is a second statue located just above the Bungalow Curves on the Isle of Man, and we've visited it.
Joey's baby brother Robert Dunlop, was severely injured six years earlier during the 1994 Isle of Man TT, when a rear wheel failed after the Ballaugh Bridge Jump. This set in motion a tragic chain of events that would eventually take Robert's life.
Robert's 1994 crash destroyed his right leg to the point that the doctors told him he'd never walk again, much less ride a motorcycle. The extent of the injuries to his right leg left his right leg shorter than his left. The 1994 crash also crippled his right hand, preventing him from operating the front brake, and preventing him from accurately controlling the throttle on anything more powerful than a 125 Grand Prix racing motorcycle. In 1996, Robert returned to racing, on a 125 Grand Prix racing motorcycle that had the front brake lever switched from the right handlebar to the left (where the clutch lever is).
Robert quit racing after the 2004 Isle of Man TT to go into the hospital to have his right leg broken so that it could be extended to be as long as his left leg. After he healed, Robert returned to racing, and by 2008, felt he was strong enough to ride a 170 mph 250 Grand Prix racing motorcycle.
Robert entered the 2008 North West 200 race alongside his two sons- William Dunlop and Michael Dunlop. At the beginning of the event, Robert expressed his wishes that a Dunlop would win the race. During a practice session, Robert's 250 was running unusually fast. Two-strokes seem to run faster and faster as you lean them out, right up to the point that the engine seizes up. At about 160 mph, Robert's engine began to seize, and Robert did what any two-stroke racer does- grab the clutch lever as fast as you can, to avoid locking up the rear wheel. Unfortunately, Robert also accidentally grabbed the relocated front brake lever just as hard, throwing him over the handlebars at speed. William and Michael were out on track in the same practice session, and came upon the scene. Robert died in the arms of his two young sons.
The race organizers made a determination that William and Michael were not mentally fit to race, due to the death of their father. William and Michael responded by suiting up, and physically forced their way onto the starting grid with their motorcycles. The race organizers declined to forcefully remove William and Michael from the starting grid, as it was apparent that doing so in their home country, just two days after their father's death at the same event, would have resulted in further loss of life through riots.
Unfortunately, William's motorcycle failed on the warm-up lap. At the beginning of the event, Robert had expressed his wishes that a Dunlop would win the race. In his youngest son Michael, who had just turned 20 years old, those hopes were still alive.
Michael rode the wheels off his 250, and won the 2008 North West 200 race in honor of his late father.
My wife and I watched William and Michael race in the Isle of Man TT when we were there. Michael ran the first 133mph (average speed) lap in the history of the Isle of Man TT.
Tragically, William was then killed last year in an extremely high-speed crash at the Skerries 100 race.
Here's some pics of Joey's statue:
vic
