Paddy Hopkirk Gala ~ Feb 22nd

Not long to go until the big celebration in Belfast marking the 50th anniversary of Paddy Hopkirks win on the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally in 33EJB.
The day will start off with a cavalcade of cars leaving Stormont Parliament Buildings at 10.30am and they will travel to Belfast City Hall for 11.00am where Paddy will meet the Lord Mayor of Belfast and receive the documentation that he didn't get 50 years ago when he got the Freedom of the City. From City Hall the cavalcade will then drive to the Titanic Belfast, arriving at 11.45am, where the cars will be parked up along the slipway. Onlookers will be able to look at all the cars and chat to the owners/drivers.

At 1.30pm a knock out style tandem autotest will take place where some of Ireland, Northern Ireland and Englands top autotesters will go head to head to see who is the best. Drivers like Eamonn Byrne, John Lyons, Robin Lyons, Robert Dickson, Sam Bowde, Steven and Norman Ferguson are likely to be competing.

Also at 1.30 an autograph session with some motorsport legends will start, as well as Paddy Hopkirk we will see Kris Meeke, Paul Nagle, Adrian Boyd, Terry Harryman, Ari Vatanen, Rosemary Smith and Jimmy McRae from the rallying world with John Watson and possibly Eddie Irvine from the world of F1 in the PHG sponsored marquee signing autographs and chatting to fans. There will also be a vendor area open while the autograph session is taking place.


More details on http://www.paddyhopkirkgala.com

Anyone else heading along, I'm heading up good n early to find a good parking spot at the Titanic and then out on the hunt for a good spot to get some pics of the cavalcade. Will be boxing up a few models to bring with me to get signed as well as a few books.....I might need a private session with most of the drivers to get everything signed

Some of the cars for the cavalcade have been seeded and it's a who's who of drivers in some very nice cars

http://paddyhopkirkgala.com/-news/cavalcade-seeding-106

i def aim to be there.........   

Bit of a panic on at my end trying to get the model display into shape. Amazing the number of models one can come up with when one puts ones mind to it. Big issue is colour photos so I have cheated a little by picking obscure drivers in some of the more popular makes of car. The problem is that some of those attending may know or remember some of them. I hope to have a few surprises in the lineup. Looking forward to it now eventhough I have a rally in Abbeyleix on the Sunday.

James if you need a hand set it up on the morning give me a shout, I plan on being up there nice n early and then maybe walk over to City Hall for some photos of the cavalcade.

If you are putting any memorabilia in with the display I have a copy of the Castrol Achievements booklet from 1964 with 33EJB in the cover and a brief write up inside it. Also have a copy of the Monte Carlo book here.


I'm currently trying to work out what models to bring to get signed by some of the celebrity drivers and co-drivers that will be there   

Speedy wrote:I'm currently trying to work out what models to bring to get signed by some of the celebrity drivers and co-drivers that will be there   

I have a "Mad for Tar" book that I use to collect autographs - just over 200 at present. But the most difficult people to get (incl Eamonn Boland) are John Lyons and Terry Harryman. Does there exist an Adrian Boyd model ?

Thanks for the offer of help - I might just take you up on that.

There will be quite a few motorsport people turn up at the dinner later in the evening.

Don't think there's an Adrian Boyd model....but that reminds me, need to get on to Roisin about photos of Dereks Sunbeam, or might just chat to DB on Saturday week and get him to go rummaging

John Lyons goes to a good few autotests with his son Robin, John was unwell for a while about a year ago.

I'm not hanging around for the dinner....might go to Abbeyleix on the Sunday too

I'll bring the book and Castrol brochure with me anyways, might find a spot for them

It will be a great spot for the autograph hunters......enjoy !!

what time is the cavalcade peter and where? really want to get down to it after seeing the list of entries!!!

Paul thats only a fraction of the entries for it. The cavalcade starts from Stormont at 10.30am and heads to City hall for 11am where Paddy will meet the Lord Mayor. After that thy then head to the Titanic where the cars will line up on the slipway. The autograph sessions and autotest knockout competition will start at 1.30pm

the black-tie dinner that evening is £100 per head....... tempting.......... but prob couldn't stretch that far..... would be a good night though....   

cheers peter for info!!

I've just spotted a slightly different list for the cavalcade on rally.ie


list of entries for the autotest is as follows
LEGENDS
R1 Simon Brien (MG Midget)
R2 Eamonn Byrne (Cooper S)
R3 Derek Coates (MG Midget)
R4 Noel Cochrane (Midget)
R5 Robert Dickson (Cooper S)
R6 Colin Earney (Mini 1275 GT)
R7 Norman Ferguson (Cooper S)
R8 Harold Hassard (Nissan)
R9 Ken Irwin (Mini 1275 GT)
R10 John Keatley (Hayrake)
R11 Frank Lenehan (Cooper S)
R12 John Lyons (Cooper S)
R13 George McMillan (Spyder)
R14 Milton McWilliams (Mini )
R15 Ron Mullen (Nissan)
R16 Eric Patterson (Riley Elf)
R17 Hill Scott (VW Buggy)
R18 Robert Woodside Jnr (Sprite)
R19 Mervyn Williamson (VW Beetle)

EXPERTS
1 Paul Blair (Westfield)
2 Sam Bowden (Mini Special)
3 Daniel Byrne (Mini Saloon)
4 Eamonn Byrne (Mini Saloon)
5 Tom Devaney (Westfield)
6 Gareth Dillon (Westfield)
7 Raymond Donaldson (Nova)
8 Simon Echlin (Westfield)
9 Peter Falvey (Mini Special)
10 Steven Ferguson (Mini Special)
11 Trevor Ferguson (Stryker)
12 Norman Ferguson (Mini Saloon)
13 Guy Foster (Mini Special)
14 Peter Grimes (Mini Saloon)
15 Chris Grimes (Mini Saloon)
16 Mark King (Nova)
17 Geoff Lamont (Nova)
18 Ashley Lamont (Westfield)
19 Robin Lyons (Mini Saloon)
20 Gilmore Magee (Westfield)
21 Jonni McDaid (Mini Saloon)
22 Tommi McDaid (Mini Saloon)
23 Jamie McMillan (Nova)
24 George McMillan (Nova)
25 Paul Mooney (Nova)
26 Eddie Petersen (Westfield)
27 David Thompson (Nova)
28 Michael Workman (Westfield)

Gonna be some competition in the autotest

2 Names I expected to see on the cavalcade entry list are Ron Neely and Mervin Johnson both great mini men !!!!!!

A few people not on it that I thought would be there including the first all Irish crew to win a Monte Carlo Rally, it may have been the Classic Rally but it would have followed a similar format to the 64 event

bmd wrote:the black-tie dinner that evening is £100 per head....... tempting.......... but prob couldn't stretch that far..... would be a good night though....   

McDonalds I guess !!!!!

ah donie, you been talking to the wife again?? !!      

[/quote]McDonalds I guess !!!!![/quote]

A hoppy meal - sorry I couldn't resist the temptation.    

oh james...................... go and stand in the corner!!!      

bmd wrote:oh james...................... go and stand in the corner!!!      

Glad someone got it.    

James

Good luck with your Monte 64 display this weekend.

How many models have you actually managed to source?

Hopefully, you will be able to post some photos of the display next week?

Cheers
Chris

CDM wrote:James

Good luck with your Monte 64 display this weekend.

How many models have you actually managed to source?

Hopefully, you will be able to post some photos of the display next week?

Cheers
Chris

Between decals sets and commercially made models I have just about 20 but I have another 20+ period cars with correct rally plates etc plus a few other period rally cars in the background (failed to get the correct colours for the Anglia Allardette that competed,the NSU etc etc). I have also about a dozen other models to represent Irish participation in the Monte over the years : the Adams Jag, Boland Subaru, Meeke Citroen, Barry Evo McHale Focus, Breen Fiesta as well as a few models of those listed to appear - Ari Vatanen Monte Ford Fiesta,Rosemary Smith Imp, John Lyons Escort, Jimmy McRae Chevette etc. A car that won't be ready is the 1951 Cecil Vard Mark V Jag that finished third overall on Irish registration plates. I am getting it done with help from the Irish Jaguar owners club so I might show the display elsewhere later in the year and include it and a few others that have not made it e.g. Barrable 2014 Fiesta (decals only just on ebay). I also have a few mounted FDC's - for those who don't know a FDC is a colourful envelope issued on the first day a new postage stamp is issued and they are collectable. The Irish Post Office,UK Post Office and Monegasque Post Office issue such FDC's for rallying, Mini and Paddy Hopkirk.

Probably a topic for a separate thread but does anyone collect rally stamps and FDC's - I have quite a nice collection.

CDM wrote:James

Good luck with your Monte 64 display this weekend.

How many models have you actually managed to source?

Hopefully, you will be able to post some photos of the display next week?

Cheers
Chris

I'll try and get a few pics of the display and post them either during the day or on Saturday night

Best of luck with the night James, it's great to see all your hard work coming together. Should be a great night!