News reached us on Wednesday that Irish legend Dermot Carnegie, six times British Rallycross Champion and after that, a long-time Three Castles stalwart who won our event with Paul Bosdet in 2018, has passed away in Ireland. Following his retirement from rallycross driving in 2008, Dermot contested the Three Castles 2009-2019, frequently in the top ten and usually fastest on the tests. Fittingly, our picture shows the view other drivers most often had of him, with Paul Bosdet calling the cones as they three-wheele around the Great Orme on their way to victory in 2018.
Our report said, "After a sabbatical in 2017, when we ran the one-day Three Castles Trophy, the Three Castles Trial returned to widespread acclaim in 2018 for a fifteenth-anniversary edition. This was the first Three Castles to run using scratch timing and the first in recent years to feature a united route for both Heritage and Classic crews. Dermot Carnegie and Paul Bosdet finally reached the top step in the Classic Trial category in their Ford Escort after many years in which a win eluded them, although they have often been best on tests”.
Dermot first did the Three Castles with Paul Bosdet in a Mini in 2009 - that year their gearbox was rebuilt overnight on the beach! Following a sabbatical with Frank Hussey aboard after Paul had broken his leg on the Historic Acropolis the month before, Dermot teamed up with Paul again in 2012, and they ran in the top group every year thereafter, coming oh so close in 2016 before finally and deservedly winning in 2018. Often, they were best on the tests, and Dermot's spectacular, if lurid, style will be long remembered. In 2019, it even became a little too lurid as a half roll at Bodelwyddan Castle proved their undoing - they had just taken the lead after the Great Orme tests - Paul said"no heroics” before they started the test as they had a good winning buffer - typically, it made no difference. After patching the car up they still finished 7th.
Flamboyant behind the wheel yet quiet and courteous out of the car, Dermot will be much missed. He was well-respected, as is evidenced by the many posts on Facebook. His funeral is on Saturday*. We extend our deepest condolences to his family and to Paul, Frank and his many friends.
Full details including funeral arrangements here