Committee

Jim McGrath

Chairman 2022

I started my biking as a teenager in the 60s. when I caught the motorcycling Bug, and to date haven't got rid of it . My first bike was a 250cc NSU Super Max, followed by British, German, Italian and Japanese bikes, all of which I enjoyed riding . My current bike is a 650cc Suzuki Vstrom.

I have travelled many miles touring Ireland , Scotland, Main land Europe and the USA. I am a founding member of the DMTC, and in 2021 it celebrated its 50th. anniversary .

Laurence Boland

Treasurer

Biking since the late 60's with a good few breaks along the way. I got back on the bike in late 90's with the purchase of an R65 from a hayshed in Ballymore-Eustace! Several BMW's later, I decided to try the KTM alternative. This 1290SA-S is an excellent ride and carried me to all the photopoints last year and this year too. Some issues but a real joy to ride. Looking forward to getting out for the Club rides and to getting back on the Photo Rally trail next spring.

Stephen Whelan

Club Secretary

PROFILE.
Stephens introduction to motorbikes began in the mid
60's when he got a part time job with Stanley Woods and Burney in
Pearse Street.
He has spent a lifetime in the motorcycle scene participating in
Motorcross.. Enduro's..Road Racing..Short circuit & Production racing
, he was also one of the mechanics on the Irish Paris Dakar team who
successfully completed the grueling three week race in Africa.in 2003.
He has toured all over Europe & Scandinavia and has also travelled
around Israel and Egypt..he also spent a year touring the
USA..Canada..Mexico and Alaska.
He also spent a few years Mountain biking.
Stephen has owned an amazing amount of motorcycles and his current
mount is a 700cc Yamaha T7 Tenere.
Weekends away camping, with his fellow club members, is something he
still enjoys.
He joined the DMTC when it was founded in 1971 and has been an active
member ever since.

John Tannam

Membership Secretary

Andy Deane

Committee Member

Dee McGinn

Committee Member

Hi club members, my name is Dee (McGinn) and I am on the committee of the club.

My role is to help with events or anything being organised by the committee.

I have a Kawasaki 500 GPZ which is now 30 years old. I think it's time to treat myself to a new bike!

My first Way West was in 1977, just after the event name changed from the Autumn Convention! It was held at the old Ryan's Hotel in Shannon, Co. Clare. It was a bitterly cold, wet day as we meandered along the old roads of Ireland on our way to the hotel. Eric Morton kindly brought me on the back of his bike ( I think it was a 650 cc but Eric might correct me on that!). We arrived at a fairly full hotel, packed with happy bikers in the bar having the craic. A great first rally with the DMTC.

I bought my first bike in 1978, a YASI 100. This was followed by a 125 Yamaha and then a couple of 250 Kawasakis. My other bikes have been a BMW 650 single, Yamaha Seca 750 and 650. I bought my first Shoei helmet at McHugh Himself in Talbot Street from Leonard Kelly and still have it as a keepsake, along with a pair of Lewis leather boots and my first bike jacket.

Back in the early '80s, a bunch of us hired a bus and went to a motorcycle show in London. Well, I have to say, that was the best craic ever!! I can't remember seeing a bike, but the company and the fun were second to none.

The Way West and the Riders Rallies were regular events for many years and the fun we had was super. It was all very simple craic with tents and a little gas stove for the sausages and rashers in summer with the luxury of a hotel at the Way West in the cold of November.
I became Secretary of the club around 1991 and continued in that post until 2001. It was a very different role back then in that it was all paperwork, no fancy computers to store all the information and no zoom meetings, just a big red journal with all the names noted inside.

We went abroad to many other non-club events, for example the FIM in Denmark, rallies in southern Germany, Madonne des Motards in France aswell as events in Scotland, England and Ireland.

Sharing all the fun over the years with everyone in the club has been and still is very special. Thank you all.