Keith Farmer death: A quiet, smiling, ‘first-class’ lad says veteran motorcycle figure as he voices sympathies with tragedy-hit family – Belfast News Letter

It has also emerged that his death is the third tragic loss of a young man to have hit the wider family.

The news associated with Keith’s passing emerged on Thursday.

His brother David revealed that the four-time title-winner from Clogher, Tyrone, had died in the early hours of that day, with relatives by his side.

A death notice from their family asks for no flowers, but suggests well-wishers could offer donations to the Samaritans.

Their funeral is being handled simply by Holmes of Dungannon, though the date and location have not yet been announced.

Figures from the motorcycling world had spoken warmly about the father-of-three since the particular news surfaced, and now veteran biker Sam McMinn has added his own voice to the chorus associated with tributes to Keith.

Mr McMinn, a 77-year-old who has already been involved in motorbike sport for much of the last 60 years, said that he had known Keith since the mid-2000s, and that racing was “in the particular blood” of the whole Farmer family.

He added that will two of Keith’s cousins – Stephen Farmer plus Mark Character, also keen motorcyclists — had both died some years earlier.

Mark died after the crash at the Isle of Man TT inside 1994; a website called Motorsport Memorial gives his age as 30.

Stephen passed away in 1997; a report within the Irish Times states he was 24, and had died due in order to an accident under a lorry cab he was working on.

In an interview along with ThePitCrewOnline in 2016, Keith had been asked if this individual observed any “rituals” before a race.

He had replied that among the things he did to prepare was to “ask my mum plus cousins (Stephen and Mark Farmer) that passed away in order to look after me”.

Mister McMinn said whilst Keith was a fierce competitor, this individual was “a very quiet lad, and he has been always willing to help others”.

“He had been first-class, ” said Mr McMinn.

“Everybody will always remember him just as a nice, silent lad, plus generally every time you saw him he or she was smiling – I always remember their smiling face, ” he or she said.

“I never, ever remember your pet using foul language, which a lot of motorbike racers were! ”

Information of his death experienced left him in the state associated with “disbelief”, he added, and voiced sympathy for the Player family.

This individual also stated it’s likely that a minute of silence will be observed at the AGM from the Motorcycle Racing Association of Ireland, being held in Dundrod tomorrow [Saturday].

Meanwhile Tom Elliott, UUP MLA for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, mentioned: “Keith was a great competitor and was right up there with the all-time greats of motorbike racing.

“Northern Ireland offers always provided a significant number of sports activists, people like Keith Farmer adding to that tally.

“He will be sadly missed by the many who had been close to your pet and knew him. My sincere compassion to all their family and friends. inch

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