He had earlier won his first ever race around the 5.3-mile course, taking victory in the Open event on the JMF Millsport Yamaha. Renowned as one of the most spectacular riders ever, Finnegan emerged as one of the greatest competitors from southern Ireland in many years.

He finished third in the Superbike race at the Isle of Man TT in 2005 and set the fastest lap ever by rider from the Republic of Ireland, averaging 127.014mph on his way to fourth place in the Senior TT on the sixth and final lap.

Dubliner Sheils has taken on the mantle as the top road racer from the south in recent years, with Derek McGee and Michael Sweeney also emerging as frontrunners at the Irish national meetings.


Sheils, who set the fastest lap ever by a southern Irish rider at the TT last year at 128.780mph, told the News Letter:

“I was actually in that race when Martin was killed at Tandragee and it was a bad job.

“I knew him to say hello in passing and we’d have a few quick little chats now and again; there’s no doubt he changed a lot for motorbikes in the south.

“He did that lap at the Isle of Man TT at over 127mph in 2005 to become the fastest Irish rider ever at the time and he was third in the Superbike race that same year,” he added.

“Alan Bonner then did the fastest lap by a southern Irish rider and I got it last year (128.780mph), so for Martin to have lapped at 127mph more than ten years previously was some going and it just shows how much skill he had.”

Sheils also credited Finnegan with reviving the sport in the south, drawing huge crowds to his home races at Skerries and Killalane and bringing new sponsors into the sport.

“I didn’t know him all that well personally but obviously I have a lot of respect for the man and what he achieved in motorbike racing,” he said.

“There is huge support for road racing, especially up north, and riders like Martin helped to generate more interest in the south and get more sponsors involved.

“A lot of those sponsors are still around today so without a doubt Martin was definitely great for the sport.”