19th annual Bikers’ Memorial Mass is celebrated

Documentary shown at the Courthouse Cinema.

Bikers from all over the country braved the elements last Friday, May 5, to attend the 19th Annual Bikers’ Memorial in Clones.

This year was slightly different to previous memorial days, with Clones Film Festival committee and Monaghan County Council hosting a short documentary shown at the Courthouse Cinema on McCurtain Street.

‘Freebirds’, a beautifully shot and emotional film, explores loss, grieving, and coping, within a small group of Biker friends and club mates from Co Longford.

Filmmaker and artist Brigid Mulligan welcomed fellow bikers to the first showing, and Bikers’ Memorial Committee vice chairperson, Mick Hoare, expressed delight at the “great co-operation that allowed the film to be shown”.

As 8pm approached, the nearby Sacred Heart Church was thronged.

Large crowds gathered outside, with hundreds of motorbikes parked, with six more brought inside to the altar.

First was 1986 Suzuki RG 500 Walter Wolf Special Edition, extremely rare with only 25 ever made, owned by Pat Costello, Central Motorcycles, Tullamore.

The second, also from Pat, was a 1976 Kawasaki Z900 California Highway Patrol police bike, designed and built by Dan Gorini, and one of only 230 specifically built for the California Highway patrol.

Bike three was a stunning custom 1997 Bandit 1200 built by Shane Egan in Limerick, and owned by Paddy McClory; while the fourth was a 2013 125 cc Honda Grom owned by Barry McDermott, Rockcorry, Co. Monaghan.

Number five was a 2018 Harley Davidson 107 Street Bob belonging to the late Billy ‘The Barber’ Behan, a native of Dublin who lived in Longford. Billy’s wife Jean and his family were proud to have him remembered at the Bikers’ Memorial, a memorial he attended many times himself.

Finally, a Honda 250 two stroke race bike belonging to the late Davy Morgan was brought to the altar.

The mass was concelebrated by Fr Stephen Joyce, Scotstown, officiating for his second year, and Fr Tony Conlon, returning for his seventh year.

Attending for their first time was Clones Parish Priest Fr Jim Moore and Reverend Ian Cruickshank, Church of Ireland minister based in Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan.

Music was provided by Caroline Adamson, Maureen O’ Shaughnessy, Cathy Kirke and Dez Murphy, and chairperson of the Bikers’ Memorial committee, Anne Marie Marshall, thanked everyone for their help in the run up to and during the service itself.

“We are very lucky to have such a willing and helpful community,” stated the Fermanagh woman. “Part of the joy of being a biker is being part of this wonderful community that will go out of their way to help their fellow bikers.”

As is traditional, after the memorial ended, bikers were slow to leave the chapel, milling around in groups inside and out, at the altar to look for names and pictures of loved ones, as well as get a closer look at the bikes on display.