Big Eddie's Memorial Traditional Cache

Eddie's interest in motor cycling began when he was thirteen, when he started off in the school boy Moto Cross. He continued through the ranks, having great tussles with such people as the McClelland brothers, the Bailey brothers and of course the Dynes brothers (Gary and Evan). He progressed to the men's division, eventually making Grade 'A' before a recurring knee injury forced him to retire.At this time he started going to Road Racing with his friend Melvin Richardson, and the motorcycling bug was rekindled.

In 1989 he purchased his first road racing machine, a TZ350 and set about learning his trade on the short circuits. Every short circuit was contested in order to fulfill the next part of his ambition - Road Racing.For 1990 the TZ350 was updated and we were set to compete in the newcomers race at the Cookstown race. Eddie's intention was to try the roads and then make his own mind up regarding where he should race. A top six result, finishing just behind Gary Dynes, left Eddie in no doubt that his future lay with the roads. The rest of the season was spent learning the road scene throughout Ireland and by the end of the season, Eddie felt confident enough to quit the support scene in favour of the National 250/350 races.

As with most Irish Road Racers, the Isle Of Man beckoned, and plans were made to contest the Manx Grand Prix. Good results followed in 1993, with Eddie having a string of top ten finishes, the most memorable being a 4th and 5th at Bishops court, and a 6th at the Temple. Eddie respected the TT circuit and his only real objective was to achieve an average speed in excess of 100mph. His Winter preparation was thorough, but unconventional, with each Sunday evening spent in his brother's house watching a video of Joey Dunlop riding around the circuit. Eddie leaned from side-to-side on the settee, calling out the name of the next corner as Joey approached it. The practice paid dividends when Eddie finished 4th in the Newcomers race with an avarage speed of 106.3mph from a standing start. This was followed by a lap of 108.8 mph in the Senior Race.

Eddie was badly affected by the racing death at the Temple Road Race of his friend Ian King in 1994 and he decided to retire, only to crash in was was to have been his final race at the Sunflower meeting, which resulted in a broken pelvis.

1995 and 1996 was spent helping Dennis McCullough, and although he enjoyed this, he admitted to missing the buzz of racing. He decided to return in 1997 and with a new 600 Honda kindly supplied by Alec Waugh, we started the season with a win in the support class at Cookstown. However the season was to be short-lived, as he crashed at Dundalk in June, breaking his collarbone, which proved slow to heal. In 1999, Eddie ran his own bike for the season, having applied to ride the Moira Motorcycle racing Club bike, but being beaten for the ride by Gary Jess. Gary Jess secured a ride with another team for 2000 and Eddie was given the Club bike to ride.

he 2000 season showed promise. With a competitive bike, the enthusiastic backing of the Moira Club members and help from Road Racing Ireland, Eddie approached the season with relish. After a solid performance at Cookstown, Eddie's 3rd place at his home circuit of Tandragee, was the proudest moment of his life. He followed this with consistent performances and another 3rd place at Skerries, arguably Eddie's favorite track, proved this was his best season to date. However this was another season tainted with tragedy with the deaths of Joey Dunlop, close friends; Raymond Hanna, Gary Dynes and Andrew McClean greatly affecting Eddie.

After a break at the Manx Grand Prix as a spectator, Eddie came back rejuvenated and his team headed for the last race of the season at Carrowdore. in the 600cc Race, Eddie crashed at Farmhouse Corner. By cruel irony, his Mum Sheila was the first aider on duty and attended to Eddie, but sadly he lost his life to the sport that he, like so many of the road racers could not give up. 2000 was the last year that the Carrowdore Races ran, with 8 riders losing their lives in various road races in the previous 12 months. Eddie was in every way a larger-than-life character and it is appropriate that the memorial to his action packed 34 years should be there and be maintained in his memory.