In the week that it was announced that Kelly Motorsports sponsorship of the Knockalla Hill Climb at Portsalon next month, Team Principle Roger McMahon shared his memories of his father Derek’s time in motorsport. Derek was well known for his involvement in motorsport and his close links to the famous Eddie Jordan who died last year. A host of stars of track and stage gathered in London last summer for a memorial event for the late F1 team boss Eddie Jordan but his road to success was paved by a unique link to Milford. The charismatic Dubliner was a beloved figure in the world of motorsport and passed away at the age of 76 last March in Cape Town in South Africa after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate and bladder cancer. The London event saw figures such as singer Rick Astley and Genesis guitarist Mike Rutherford joined with current and former F1 racers including Eddie Irvine, Damon Hill, Mika Hakkinen, Martin Donnelly, David Coulthard, Martin Brundle, Christian Horner and Johnny Herbert in Westminster Central Hall to pay their tributes to one of the most recognisable figures in the sport. Among them was Milford’s Roger McMahon whose father, Derek McMahon, was the man Jordan himself credited for setting him on the path to running his own formula one team. Derek was a well-known garage and business man who was a pivotal figure in Irish Motorsport.
