Team Ireland Rally Legends | Billy Coleman

Team Ireland Rally Car International Ambassador and Irish American businessman, a renowned rally enthusiast John Campion and his wife Suzanne Campion, hosted a panel discussion with Irish Rally Car legends at his private rally car shop.
The panel included Irish rally legends Craig Breen, Billy Coleman and Paul Nagle. Breen made his debut on the rally scene in 2009 when he gained the International, British and Irish Fiesta Sporting Trophy titles and was crowned Ireland’s Young Driver of the Year. Coleman was Ireland’s top rally driver in the 70s and 80s winning countless accolades at international racing events. Nagle, who made his rally debut in 1997, achieved fame in 2001 when he became the Peugeot Super Cup champion co-driver.
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[@bobmontgomery9598]

I have great memories of Billy as I was General Manager of Dealer Opel Team Ireland when Billy drove the Manta 400 for us. The whole season was completed without any damage or mechanical failure and it really was a case of the fluids being changed and the car checked over between events. Billy, to me , was always the rally equivalent to Jim Clark, and quite unsurpassed in his ability. Apart from which he's a really nice guy.

[@hollyhillbilly1747]

What a feat that was in 1974. No Internet. No mobile phones. Getting as far as Britain was a victory in itself. After getting that far there was no in car cameras. No pace notes. And this man wins the British Rally championship against the great Roger Clark in his own back yard. A man who could beat the best in the world in Britain. To say he was the best that Ireland has ever produced is doing the man a disservice to be honest. In the 70s and early 80s he was World Class. Full stop.

[@Scamdemic]

Legend, and legendary cars. The Mantas make the hair on my neck stand. Stunning cars.

[@munsterfloyd]

Those of us of a certain age, even if we were not petrol heads at the time, can remember Billy winning. Let's face it, victories in an international setting, of any sort, were rare. Billy's victories gave us a sense of national pride and made many of feel, that maybe, we could achieve something ourselves.

[@jonnymac66]

I remember driving to England with Michael Delaney getting engine rebuilt days before Billy won the Lakes in Killarney in the borrowed G3 from his father Sean Delaney.

[@dieselpaddy1]

All action and no talk 👌

[@patodwyer721]

Nice one 🏁

[@barryotoole6990]

RIP Bob Champion ... 🙏

[@benzinafilms1331]

Great film - it made me realise you've got to get an Opel Manta 400 into the collection next.

[@bobbythompson3544]

What an awful loss, John Campion was!