Farewell Henry!
Friday, 14 Jun 2024
In August 2014 Paddy bought his first classic car. What a car it was! A Ford Capri MK III 2.3 S - Paddy named it Henry. No, not after Henry Ford. Henry was named after Henry Joy McCracken, an Irish industrialist and founding member of the Society of the United Irishmen. Ten years later, it's time to say goodbye. What a decade it has been.
Soundtrack of the article: Dropkick Murphys - Until Next Time
Now the time has come for leaving, fear not we shall return
We were so glad we could make it, but so sad we gotta run
Well it may be a long time till we raise another glass
You can rest assured that next time we’ll have ourselves a laugh
Yeah we’ll have ourselves a laugh!
Soon Henry was making a name for himself on the rally stage. He drove Team Paddy Murphy to victory in the Strade del Vino in 2015 and 2016. Henry conquered Europe, finishing the Coppa d'Europa in 2016 and 2022. He failed to finish the race in 2024. Cleary, the humans were the weak point as driver and navigator fell ill.
Henry was more than a machine, he was steady, reliable, sometimes stubborn and a proper race car. In 2022, Henry raced on the Nürburgring Grand Prix circuit, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Circuit Zolder and the legendary Nordschleife.
Now the show is nearly over and we’ve gotta pack it in
Though we’ve had ourselves real good time, it must come to an end
So now we’ll say good evening as I write another line
We’ll have ourselves a parting glass and we’ll wish each other well
Yeah, we’ll wish each other well!
After several tours in Piedmont, St. Moritz, Swiss mountain roads and many other destinations, Henry's time comes to an end. He has ridden over 200,000 kilometres and has never backed down from a challenge. Time and stress have taken their toll. It is time to rest, settle down and enjoy retirement. All the battles have taken their toll and Henry has many wounds - not that he complains! It is with a heavy heart that Team Paddy Murphy and Henry part ways, as the cost of restoration is simply too high.
We’ll meet again
I don’t know where, don’t know when
We all had a good time
And we’re sad to see it end
Good luck be with you, you go your way, I’ll go mine
So until the next time, it’s farewell and not goodbye
Paddy's Chilean cousin has the last word: Surely, he spent his best years running and competing like a champion.
Addendum, last words from Paddy's German cousin: It is not the years in Henry´s life. But the life in Henry´s years, that counts
