Joey and Robert Dunlop Memorial Gardens
I saw Michael Dunlop being interviewed on BBC Northern Ireland about a pathway between his uncle Joey’s and father Robert’s memorial gardens in Ballymoney. It seemed that while his family and grandmother were all for the link, Joey’s widow Linda and children were against it.
The Mayor of Ballymoney made a statement in the press and he explained his point of view in a reasonable and diplomatic manner. The brothers mother May Dunlop had written to the council and requested the gardens be linked by a wee path.
I couldn’t understand what was so bad about the pathway so I visited Linda Dunlop’s Facebook site and discovered that she had posted a petition to stop the council creating the path.
Her daughter Donna had posted this on her Facebook site:
Donna McLean. "Just a pity may dunlop didnt mention on bbc last night that she told me to go away and that my daddys garden didnt have anything to do with me, things change when a camera is put in front of you" Tuesday 09.24
I decided to post this message:
Amanda Martin: Resurrected myself to say that I don't understand why Linda Dunlop and her daughter Donna are so against a path linking Joey and Robert's Memorial Gardens. I think it is a fitting tribute to two fantastic brothers who shared a love of motorcycle racing. Shared love, shared space. The gardens are area's where the public... can pay homage to them not the sacred graves where the family have sole rights. MM
10 November at 23:58
Linda Dunlop responded as follows:
Linda Dunlop im sorry u feel this way, we just find it hard to think of a contractor coming into joeys garden to upset it in anyway. it has matured for over 9 years and is beautiful. 2 gardens for 2 lovely brothers. we have no problem to visit both gardens. our grandchildren love it and cant understand when we tell them the council wants to do this.
12 November at 16:45
They sent more messages and blocked me so I could not respond. I decided to copy and paste them onto my Facebook site and I believe people should know what was said.
Donna Mclean
NO1- I do not take my 2 children to a morbid graveyard, I take them to a place more fitting for a child when they are learning to understand who & where there granda is! NO2- Daddys garden has been maturing for over 9 years & we have grown to love it the way it is & should always be! NO3- The Dunlop family went to the council & robert...s family but did not think of coming to us, Joeys family, with their plans of digging through our HUSBAND & DADDYS garden! NO4- The boys were brothers but led seperate lives & were individuals & deserve their own merits! NO5 We didnt ask for a garden, but to our delight the public came forward in abundance, & the garden was created with MUMMYS CONSENT! NO6 - Gary didnt seize anything, it was gave to him after we agreed that the council disrespected daddy & his memory to often, "ALL" was only 1 set of leathers, 1 helmet & 1 trophy! NO7- It is not just mummy & I, our families , thousands of fans, friends & people with respect all feel the same!
12 November at 16:44
So Donna thinks her father’s grave is a morbid place. How sad. She probably never goes there then. I often go and visit my gran, granddad’s and brothers graves. I know they have moved on but I talk to them anyway and it makes me feel close to them. I never accused Gary of seizing anything. I can’t give you a copy of the exact message I posted because Donna blocked me. I’m sure it is out there somewhere unless it was removed before anyone got to see it. I posted a comment on Donna’s facebook site while I was waiting for Ballymoney council to get back to me and confirm if the rumours were true. They did confirm that Linda took back items loaned to them. I said this …
Amanda Martin. I don't know the ins and outs of it but it's hard to ignore what's on TV, in the press and on Facebook. Clearly there is a rift with May Dunlop and Ballymoney Council. And now me for voicing my opinion. If I've misintererpted that please accept my apologies. I don't think Bill Kennedy would allow a digger to go in and “mess with Joey's garden”. I'll ring him and find out and get back to you. MM
12 November at 19:15
Amanda Martin Sorry can't get back to you Linda or you Donna as you've blocked me. Guess that means I'm barred from Joey's as well. At this rate you are going to alienate half the Toon.
12 November at 19:19
I got this from Linda Dunlop …
"number 1 amanda, there is no family rifts, number 2 we would have liked to be present at council meeting that we didnt know about, and number 3 is it so hard for u to understand that we dont want joeys garden to be touched in anyway as his grandchildren loves it so much if the council treat joeys name in this way id ont think they should be using his name. number 3 why touch a beautiful garden . i dont want to drive by and see joeys garden upset. we havent been rowing with anybody. linda"
12 November at 19:28
I was starting to get a bit scared at this point but then I decided not to be intimidated.
I posted this on my site:
Amanda Martin Guess it's time to deactivate myself again before I end up under the path between the memorial gardens ... though it may already be too late. Guess Bendy and Gary will block me after they all get to read my response! Perhaps I should stay active so you my dear peeps will know if I have disappeared under mysteryous circumstances. What do do? MM
12 November at 19:42
Gary Dunlop then sent me a message saying I should have asked about the problem before I said anything and I replied by saying:
Amanda Martin I'm sorry Gary. I went with what was on the TV and stuff and what some people are saying. It is sad though that you guys have fallen out with Bill Kennedy and the council and Donna is giving off about your Gran on Facebook. Hope May never gets to hear about it. Is the pathway such a hateful thing that it's worth all this? Anyway. Expect you won't be talking to me soon. All the very best to you. MM
13 November at 10:51
I got this back:
Gary Dunlop. “bill kennedy agrees with us but can't do anything about it or the boys will boycott the armoy road race. do u know may? do u know my da's relationship with may? i don't think u do or u wouldn't be talking so much pish about our poor granny. if may cared anything for my da she would listen to the thoughts of his children instead of tellin them to mind there own business, that maybe clears up why donna is rightly upset. the pathway isn't the problem its the fact our wish's and opinions were ignored by the council and by my granny who is pushing this without even roberts wife louise's wish's. i also hear u have a problem with me taking MY stuff back from the councils museam which I was kind enough to lend them for a year with no charge? why have u a problem with this”
And then this when I copied and pasted his message to my page:
Gary Dunlop. “private message means private mandy! were working hard behind the scenes and away from the media to get this garden link done right so i would appreciate it if u would mind your own business and let this problem get sorted privately. things is dying down a bit and your trying to stirring things up for some weird reason.”
Monday at 11:11
Finally I said this …
Amanda Martin. “I'm not the one stirring things up Gary. I expressed an opinion based on information received and your mum and Donna chose to tear me to pieces on Facebook. After they blocked me you started. I have every right to defend myself and tell people what you have said. You seem to forget that your dad and Robert are legends and the public at large can't understand why you guys have been trying to prevent the pathway between their memorial gardens. Your mother has a bloody petition on facebook for goodness sake. Try talking sense to her and leave me alone.”
Monday at 11:13
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