By Ross McKee
Their names are already etched into local motorcycling history, but next week a new road race will aim to capture the spirit of legendary road racers 'The Armoy Armada'.
During three seasons of racing in the late seventies, Mervyn Robinson, Joey Dunlop, Frank Kennedy and Jim Dunlop produced performances to stir the senses of the most placid bike fan.
Unfortunately three of the quartet were ultimately to perish in bike accidents.
Jim Dunlop is the only surviving member of the group and is sure to have mixed emotions when the inaugural Armoy Road Motorcycle Race gets under way on 8 August.
He is a member of the Armoy Motorcycle Club which was set up in 2007 with the objective of establishing a world class race in the Armada's honour.
However its chairman Bill Kennedy, whose brother Frank was a member of the group, said the race should be viewed as a "celebration" of the quartet.
"The enthusiasm they had was great," he said. "Wild horses would not have stopped them getting to a race. They were riders that changed the course of road racing in Ireland at the time. It will be a weekend of celebration, celebrating their great exploits and what they bequeathed."
Bill said if the weather was good it was hoped a crowd of between "10,000 and 15,000 spectators" would attend the event.
He said the three mile course being used had been suggested by the late Robert Dunlop, who was a member of the club.
Bill added that a host of leading riders had signed up for the course.
"All the top local riders will be there such as Adrian Archibald, William Dunlop, Michael Dunlop, Sam Dunlop and multiple Irish champion Ryan Farquhar. The Scottish rider Keith Amor will be there as well as English rider Guy Martin."
Kathleen Hartin, a founder member of the club, said she was delighted that her original idea of having a race to honour the Armada had finally come to fruition.
"I live in Armoy and we know all about the Armada," she said. "They were the brave men of road racing. "They knew every road, every bend, every corner, every tree, it was unreal."