Phoenix from the Scrap Pile.: Rebirth of a Lightweight Panther. 5. A bit more history

I had a call from Mike who had sold me the Game Changer via Ebay to say he had received some photos of the bike from the previous owner in Ireland. These show the bike as it was about 40 years ago, even then bit of a wreck. On the front mudguard is written "Joe McKeown", presumably the previous owner. The photos are interesting in that they show what can happen to a machine as it lays around. Mr McKeown may have called it "The Princess" but it seems to have been singularly unloved.

Following publication of this post, POC member Tony McStraw in Ireland contacted me as follows.

"Hi Laurence, I became very interested in your blog when I noticed the County Antrim registration on this bike, and then I saw Joe mentioned. I knew Joe very well, he lived about 3 miles from me. Sadly Joe passed away about ten years ago; he was in his 80s and still riding many bikes, including a custom trike. I spent a lot of time with him. He had a large collection of bikes and I am sure I have stood beside your Panther. The funny thing is I noticed a Northern Ireland registration on a M60/70 on Ebay last year, surely that's not yours? The reason I am curious it that the 1947 range was for export only to earn some foreign exchange after the war so how come it had a Northern Ireland registration as that is part of the UK. That's not me being nosey just obsessed with Panthers, especially Irish ones. I came across a 1947 Model 60 first registered in county Clare, that is now safe and well in Co Mayo. Any UK Club Panthers I come across have been reimported."

Tony also sent me a link regarding Joe from Northern Ireland News.com dated 28th January 2013.

"The Man who worked tirelessly for the motorcycle world and charity groups.

Joe McKeown

It was the most appropriate tribute that could possibly have been paid to Joe McKeown as 40 motorcyclists, including two police outriders, accompanied his cortege to his final resting place. For Joe (84) was Mr Motorcycle Personified, a lifelong member and office bearer in many clubs, Chairman of Club 30, a founder member of the Clady Club and the Ulster Grand Prix Supporters Club and the starter of the Tandragee 100 event. In his 'home club, the North Armagh Motorcycle Club, he held just about every committee role since the 1960s until his death.

Joe was responsible for starting classic racing in Ireland and introducing the first classic race at the Tandragee 100. In October past he was honoured as President of the Irish Racing Association. Not only did he enjoy watching and administering motor cycle racing but, in conjunction with his genius in all things electrical and mechanical Joe McKeown loved to collect and restore old vintage machines over the years which he kept at his home in Bleary. Perhaps his most unusual purchase was a mini trike on which he roared around the roads when the weather permitted. But there was much more to Joe than motorcycling. He worked hard for charities and when he was 80 he did a tandem parachute jump to raise £15,000 for the Banbridge Portadown Alzeimer's Society Group whjch he helped set up, a cause he adopted when his wife Ena took ill as a result of the condition which ultimately claimed her life. He was also involved for many years with the legendary Josie and Walter Kerr of Northern Ireland Kidney Research Fund and a great supporter of their annual Waringstown Cavalcade which raised thousands of pounds for the charity. Indeed Joe had the magical touch for raising funds for just about everything including motorcycle organisations and it was very difficult to get past him without having a ballot ticket for some worthy cause.

Joe McKeown was born in Moyallon on January 28, 1929, his father being a land steward there for the famous Richardson family. The McKeowns moved to Ballygowan in County Down for a number of years and then returned to their home area, settling at Clare Road, Waringstown. He was one of a family of four. Joe started his valuable service to the community as an officer with the Waringstown Company of the Boys Brigade. He attended Lurgan Tech and showed an immediate aptitude for all things electrical and mechanical, obtaining top grades for woodwork, technical drawing and engineering. He served his apprenticeship at Harland and Wolff, the Belfast shipbuilders, and then worked as an electician with Alfred Briggs furniture factory in Lurgan. He then spent a year with an electrical firm in Glasgow and then worked with the Ulster firm of Reyrolle as a charge hand. They supplied major power stations like Ballylumford, Coolkeeragh and Tandragee. His last job was with the electrical maintenance department at Belfast International Airport where he remained until he retired in 1993. Most of all he adored his family, and his devotion to wife Ena, to whom he was married for 60 years, was shown in his role for |Alzeimers from which she died some years ago. He was also a loving father to their four daughters.

In December 2011 Joe was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and fought the illness bravely through a series of chemotherapy treatments and was given the all clear in July. Sadly he passed away on Monday of last week as a result of pneumonia following a short spell at Craigavon Area Hospital. His great lifelong friend Paddy Hoey paid a tribute at the funeral service in Knocknamuckley Parish Church. He said "The one word to describe Joe was service He served the many interests in which he was involved with enthusiasm, diligence and commitment. If he was on your side he went all the way with you, even if he crossed swords with you it was quickly forgotten." After recounting Joe's many interests, Paddy recalled that a realignment of the Tandfragee 100 curse necessitated a remeasure. "But rather than do it on foot, Joe persuaded the owner of an A35 to drive slowly round the circuit, sitting backwards in the boot, legs dangling and pulling a measuring wheel. He recalled the circuit was five miles 333 yards exactly!" The hearse was in the form of a motor tricycle and the service was performed by two minsters one of whom says the prayers each year prior to the Tandragee 100."

The parts that have disappeared between the photos being taken and my purchase of the remains are as follows:-

The rear lifting loop, rear mudguard stays, rear footrests, battery carrier, saddle downtubes, rear wheel, front wheel rim and spokes, exhaust pipe and the centre stand. Most of this can be fabricated fairly easily, the main problem is the back wheel.