Members of Galway Motor Club and the wider motorsport family are mourning the passing of Bryan Brophy.

Living in Barna, Co. Galway and late of Taylor’s Hil in Galway City, the Galway solicitor passed away in the early hour of Saturday morning last and will be remembered as a dedicated motorsport personality all over Europe.

Bryan was a big man with a huge personality, a man with a big voice that could never be ignored in the many roles he played in the sport. Bryan was Hon. Treasurer of Galway Motor Club for 21 years and later became the Chairman of Motorsport Ireland’s Rallies Committee.

Internationally he became the first Irishman to act as a Formula 1 Steward in 1993 when he accepted that post at the Monaco Grand Prix. When The FIA introduced the practice of appointing four permanent stewards in 1996 Byran was chosen along with Nazir Hoosein from India, Paul Gutjahir from Switzerland and Leopoldo Barbosa from Venezuela. He was Ireland’s Titchler Delegate on the FIA from 2004 and served on the FIA’s Historic Motorsports Commission, presiding over their Circuit Sub-Committee.

As a competitor Bryan Brophy had a passion for historic cars competing in Historic rallies in Ireland, UK and around Europe including Monte Carlo in his MG, Rally Imp and Alpine Renault.

Bryan Brophy is survived by his wife Brigid his daughters Joanna and Emma and his son Robert.