Hopes for Newcastle memorial to bike ace

Hopes for Newcastle memorial to bike ace

20 February 2019

A MEMORIAL to road racing legend Tom Herron could be erected in the heart of Newcastle.

Motorcycle enthusiasts hope that in the 40th anniversary year of his death at the North West 200 agreement can be reached to erected a tribute to him in the resort.

Herron — one of the most popular riders ever to grace the sport — was originally from Leitrim before his family later moved to Ashleigh Manor on Newcastle’s Bryansford Road.

He sadly died in 1979 following a crash in the Superbike race with his passing sending shockwaves throughout the sport and further afield and closing the final chapter on an Irish road  racing legend.

To mark the 40th anniversary of his death, a fascinating new tribute book has been published chronicling in granular detail Herron’s early life and racing career, punctuated by superb photographs charting his rise to the top of the sport.

The book’s editor, Leslie Moore, has discussed the idea of a memorial being erected in Newcastle to the road racer with Newry, Mourne and Down Council chairman Mark Murnin who supports the idea.

Leslie says the new book has “stirred up a lot of memories” across the motorcycling community and beyond and believes that a new memorial would be a major attraction for Newcastle.

While it is still early days, an area outside the Newcastle Centre has been suggested as the location for a tribute to the racer as is this is where bike riders congregate when they visit the resort.

“Many bike riders have asked me about Tom, where his family lived in Newcastle, where he is buried and the location of the original family home in Leitrim,” explained Leslie, who believes there is merit in developing a Tom Herron Trail at some point in the future which would feature the local places he was closely associated with.

For now, the focus is on a potential new memorial which Leslie has no doubt could have the same impact on tourism as the tributes in Ballymoney to road racing brothers Joey and Robert Dunlop.

“Many people believe a memorial in Newcastle would be a fitting tribute to Tom,” he continued. “Newry, Mourne and Down Council owns the Newcastle Centre so it would be a matter of gathering up the funds to build a tribute and locate it there. Hopefully, the council would come on board with its support.

“There is nothing motorcycle-orientated in Newcastle yet the town is hugely is popular with many hundreds of bikers making their way at all times of the year.

“The most important aspect of the desire to erect a memorial in Tom’s honour is that it is being driven by the motorcycle family and I am keen to do what I can to help, along with the council chairman.”

Leslie is confident a memorial would be a major tourist attraction with people from across Ireland and Europe making their way to the resort to see it.

“Tom was an extremely popular rider, winning national and international races, including the Senior TT at the Isle of Man. There is great interest in a memorial in his honour and while it is early days, I hope this can come to fruition. A golden opportunity exists to do something in memory of a true sporting icon.”

Cllr Murnin said he was supportive of a memorial in honour of the motorcycle racer and was delighted to be presented with a copy of the new tribute book. He also agrees that the motorcycle community has a key role to play in helping deliver any new tribute in Herron’s honour.

“My initial thoughts are that the biking fraternity can work alongside the council as part of a partnership approach to bring this idea to fruition,” the chairman said. “The first thing would be to test the appetite for doing something like this and then look at fundraising which the motorcycling community could assist with.”

Cllr Murnin said that while the local authority may not wish to go it alone and erect a memorial, it may be prepared to work with others to help them achieve their goal.

He continued: ”If we can demonstrate that there is an appetite for a new memorial — and from what I have heard so far there certainly is — the council may be prepared to provide an element of match funding to get this particular project over the line.

“Look at the memorials erected in Ballymoney to road racing legends Joey and Robert Dunlop which have become major tourist attractions. There is the potential for something to happen on a similar scale in Newcastle with a memorial to Tom Herron.”

Cllr Murnin said that given the number of bikers who already visited Newcastle, providing a new memorial was “something worth pursuing” and hoped that all the pieces in the jigsaw can fall into place.

He added: “I believe this is the right time in what is the 40th year since Tom tragically lost his life, to explore the potential for a memorial in his honour. It is important that we remember our sporting heroes and icons.”