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Sadly, Eoin passed away this morning....losing his battle.
By now he will have settled in up top, and be enjoying a red or two with his mates.
Deepest, most sincere condolences to his family and friends.
What a life, certainly it beat working for a living :-)
RIP
God what a loss that will be. He was a font of knowledge and had highly influential friends around the world. He was also Bruce McLarens Motor Racing's first employee I believe. Certainly the end of an era
R I P
See you Buster, go well.
R I P EION.
Sadly Missed Jamie A
RIP, your legend will live forever in print.
RIP we move on ................ all of us enjoy the present moment .......have fun ...... Grant
He'd want you all to raise a glass and have a laugh. There was still a wee bit of both last Sunday when we had lunch with our wives at The Brewer's Arms in Merivale - which is where his funeral service will be next Saturday, the 13th, at noon.
Godspeed me old china
MAC - cheers.
To all who have passed on best wishes, as we do, the Autosport site has been busy too !!, RIP indeed, followed a young man to England, and became very much a legend in motor racing, Doug Nye et al have said so, unfortunately can't quite make the Brewers on the day, and even having been in England, never got to the Barley Mow. a big part of our motoring, scene has left the building,
and have raised a glass, thanks MAC -
RiP.
I'd only just passed on the details of this thread to another Barley Mow regular, trombonist Chris Barber, who I remember caught up with Eoin after his one and only concert in Christchurch in 2000. I know Chris sent a message straightaway, but it was probably just too late.
Well, I will be missing the Saturday of the Icebreaker meeting to attend what I term "The Last Lunch with ESY"....paid for my airfares today.
Can't say I'm looking foward to it...but I'm sure it's going be one hell of a service!!!
Look forward to it MM - that's how he'd have wanted it - a funeral service in a pub...at lunchtime. I shall see you there.
Just in case anyone missed the death notices in either the NZ Herald, Christchurch Press or Timaru Herald - the dress code for Saturday is esy casual - in other words no ties.
The funeral service is in a pub afterall.
I never met Eoin, I wish I had. Despite all he achieved in life, it was the way he lived his life that impressed me most. The saying 'you only live once' is so overused people don't really stop to consider its true meaning. But I think Eoin did. He lived a very full and fascinating life, squeezing in so much more than the majority of us ever will.
I briefly exchanged emails with Eoin about 15 years ago when I was first starting out doing a bit of free-lance writing work with a couple of motoring publications. I asked him for a few pointers, he told me: "Make the story flow, write as you speak, and spin a yarn". I've always stuck to that advice, and its served me well.
Another of the good ones has left the building. Thanks Eoin. Rest in peace.
There were workmates, friends, media, and people that knew him from drinking at the 'Arms.
Greeta was there, Amanda, Sandra, Alfie, and cousins.
There were those that had made his last few months a pleasure, and those that had pleasure from him for months...and months...and months!
There were those that realised the enormity of his achievements, and those that achieved because of the enormity of his help.
We all came together to honour our friend, in the best way possible, done the best way possible!
"It's all in the order you put those 26 letters - ESY is a good order to start with".
I will leave it to Michael Clark to sum up when he is able.
But it was fantastic to be there - so glad I made the trip down.
Malcolm wasn't the only person to make the trip from the North Island - we ran into Donn, Lynn and Jamie Anderson at the airport along with NZCC's Allan Walton - Greeta Hulme, Amanda McLaren, Ray Stone, Jim Palmer - the problem when you start making a list is the fear of forgetting someone.
Tony Haycock and Terry Marshall arrived 'with Eoin' in a Bugatti and Eoin's wife Sandra brought his ashes into the pub to the sound of the Crusader's theme song that got everyone on their feet. Peter aka Grant set the tone and then we had eulogies and tributes from Min and Alice Sargison (widow and daughter of the legendary photographer Euan), Jamie and Donn Anderson, and Brent Esler.
Sandra had a wonderful tribute and eulogies from Wally Willmott, Nigel Roebuck, Maurice Hamilton, David Tremayne, and Howden Ganley were read - plus also from the UK Motoring Writers Guild. And then to conclude - in accordance with ESY's express wishes - a final word from Chris Amon before cranking up Neil Diamond with 'Red, red wine...'
Eoin's ashes will be spread at Ruapuna (he has identified an exact spot) in the summer.
Hope there is a never-ending supply of good red wine, European cheese, and great motoring books up there for you Eoin ... along with an endless summer of cut & thrust classic motor racing spent with old friends. RIP ESY.
Just finished a glass of red with lunch in memory of my old mate who died a year today.
My wife nicknamed him 'Easy' - a play on his initials and because when he came stay, he was so easily pleased...toast and blackberry jam for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch so long as it came with a glass or two of red, and "not too much" of what Sandy called "Easy's nursery food' for dinner - before which would be at least two whiskey - or whisky, it didn't matter when you were going to add milk.
I tried it twice - once out of curiosity, and then some time later because I must have forgotten how awful it was.
'Easy' stuck - he once described someone as 'non-standard issue'...well he could have been describing himself.
Cheers Easy.
Nice thoughts Michael, and it doesn't seem like a year has gone by.
cheers
I lied - unintentionally...
I've just been reminded that at Eoin's funeral service, shot glasses of whisky and milk did the rounds at the end. I went back for another go. I like whisky and I like milk...but not in the same glass - but he did!
The last of Eoin S Young's articles to be published is in the Tony Loxley (Full Throttle Publications) Tasman Cup book, now available and being officially launched next week (September 16) at the HSRCA's Social Night.
When Tony approached Eoin about writing something for this book he was met with two things - first, a great willingness to do something, to recall for posterity the great days of his youthful exuberance; second, that it was a commercial operation and he wanted to be well paid!
An agreement was reached and I really don't know if it was the last item written by this prolific man. But it has been given eight full pages in the book and it's accompanied by many of his photos, all but one in colour... photos of moments he remembered so well with the greats...
http://s26.postimg.org/lw3iu3cc9/ESYhillinhospital.jpg
...and photos of specifically McLaren times:
http://s26.postimg.org/z1j10767t/ESY...servicestn.jpg
It's all interesting stuff and just what you'd have expected from Eoin in his final days. Nothing of the fun of the past forgotten, nothing of the importance of the events neglected, nothing of the tragedies downplayed, nothing of the camaraderie left out.
I remember well how Eoin's presence in those days was always associated with the fun of the pre-race and post-race times, I'm guessing he was there, however, because he did a good job during the races and working for his team and team-mates.
Having his close insight into the doings in the teams, and I do mean more than at Cooper and McLaren, enabled all enthusiasts who read his columns to be better informed in times of dramatic advances in motor racing.
A column entitled 'Straight from the grid' was arguably never better titled
Yes, his syndicated column went under different names around the world...
But it was all from the source of all the best information. Perhaps sometimes biased McLaren's way, but that's completely understandable.
He also wrote columns on behalf of Bruce, and probably others, like Denny for instance.
Like I said... 'prolific'.