Irish Mini Owners Club

a great few days, a real eye opener for me as id not been before: being there for the 50th anniversary of the Mini, outside the factory gates, was very special. Also the friendship of mini owners everywhere, all happy to chat, happy to meet and im sure sorry to part.
We had a great turnout, some 35 or 40 cars, im sure the exact figure and the photos will be among soon.
spare a thought for our hosts, the Bermingham Mini Owners Club, who gave their best in face of some 6000 "guests". A great thank you to them for the effort they put in. It was to be fair a huge task and they spared nothing in making everyone feel welcome.

things i wish i had brought:
1 - a pillow! its ages since i went camping. one forgets these things!
2 - a radio for the car: tempted to use an MP3 player but didnt want to star in "UK dumbest drivers.."
3 - more money.. there was great value to be had, specially from some of the smaller suppliers
4 - sun block: the boots and anorak stayed in the car!

next year? definite maybe: Munich is a worthy destination.

Yea have to second that. it was a great weekend thanks to all who made it happen. enjoyed every minute of it.


Number 8

Have to say it was a blast we really enjoyed our stay . The team did a super job catering for so many people and meeting so many new faces ( except number 8 ) he snores for Ireland NO Europe .

A special thank you to the IMM / Birmingham club for taking on the task of looking after 5 or 6 thousand people over three days .

Regards
Brian & Karl

pics here: http://s672.photobucket.com/albums/vv84 ... 5/imm2009/

it was a fantastic weekend a great turnout by the club and sorry i didnt get to talk to many but their was so much to c and buy ,the deals on offer were umreal and wished i had a van to bring back all the stuff i wanted to buy and i finally got to see neils marcos .thanks to neil for doing the bookings and to billy and the lads for waiting on me a good bit on the friday

To echo the comments above, I also had a brilliant time at IMM 2009.
Thanks to all who were involved with all the logistics to ensure that we were all well looked after.

Just some of my fondest memories:

- Number 8 (aka Teabag!!) kept Karl, Brian, Steven, me and various passers by supplied with lovely brews from his bunsen burner.

- Phil & George (Zig & Zag)....... hopefully you made your ferry home and no doubt have just about sobered up at this stage!!

- D_3m0_n (Steven), I'm eternally gratefull that you didn't contract Swine Flu but none too pleased with the flu you did pass on-my voice should be back in a day or
two........althou the excessive singing (read shouting...) on Sunday night are quite likely the cause of my hoarseness!!!!!
Oh yeah, thanks for teaching me the new 'skill' of handbrakers

- Brian & Karl - sorry we frightened you on the convoy run around the park on Sunday

- Ronan (Woody)....nice of you to welcome me to the event on MONDAY(yesterday) morning despite already talking to me over the weekend.
I want whatever you were drinking!!

- Rosalie (Madjackjr's girlfriend)- you do a much better job of plaitting Danish mens hair than I do

- Standing in the showers on Sat eve covered in shower gel when the water ran out. Not funny then but brings a smile to my face now

- Joe Whytes unique chat up lines..........Enough said!!!!!!

Tony

and here's the video...

360 degrees of minis. as far as the eye could see.

http://www.iol.ie/~home/mini/360-mini.rm

Keith
Just looked at your pics,some nice ones there.
Your car of the show is owned by Ben the Chairman of the Crewes Missiles club.
It was on the rolling road with mine a few weeks back and made around 80bhp at the wheels.
Did you hear it running? it sounds awesome.
I have a video of us on the rollers I will post if I find it.

would love to see/hear it

Coonos Cab wrote: - Joe Whytes unique chat up lines..........Enough said!!!!!!

Tony

"sure ya couldn't leave it behind ya"

brilliant weekend. loved every minute of it!!! roll on germany!! any way heresw a few pics i managed to get before the camera died... and my favourite car for the weekend was a grafitti clubbie estate its the first three pics

http://s233.photobucket.com/albums/ee300/glennon16/

Arrived back last thursday and only got the cars cleaned polished and waxed yesterday.I have to say what a wonderful weekend the IMM was this year although I did not see half the cars due to the size of the event.It was great to see so many IMOC members over for this event and the huge encampment that was the IMOC pitch was brilliant and given that it was just inside the gate everyone could see the IMOC banners and Irish flags as they came in.The Donnellys had great craic welcoming everyone on Friday and this is the second year running that the wellies stayed in the car,although Tony Cooney was seen early Monday morning sporting a nice green pair.The Glennons spent the whole weekend filling the van to the brim(photos later)amazing what will fit into a mini van.No need for a bigger van when there are mini vans about.I know there were some issues with organisation but this was a huge event ran by amatuers but that in no way should take from the fact that this was still a brilliant event.The organisers did not have the backing of a large multi-national company so I think they did a fine job and this was THE mini event of the year.It goes to show you that the BMOC did not have to give away tickets to try and make up the numbers,people just wanted to be part of the whole experience.The display of cars was superb throughout the show and my favorite was a red turbocharged Moke with no roofbars.Everyone in the IMOC should be proud of our own cars which included vans,a pickup,estates,saloons from MKI to Sportspacks,a moke,hornets and a certain kit car (my moment of the weekend was looking out the door of the gazebo only to see Eamon Fahy and Paul Kelly driving around in the Marcos laughing their heads off)and one modified vectra Thanks to Neil for organising the club booking and thanks to Keith for bring home my new alloys,no need for a courier when your in the IMOC.Great weekend and roll on Germany next year,I already have my route planned.

kerryminigringo wrote: and this is the second year running that the wellies stayed in the car,although Tony Cooney was seen early Monday morning sporting a nice green pair..

Nice report Aidan,

Aidan, after only 4 hours sleep, the wellies were the only footwear I was capable of putting on!!!

A certain lay-by in the Welsh mountains was to prove an invaluable source as a rest area where we caught up on much needed sleep for a few hours before waking to a nice cuppa from Number8 (Eamo) off his bunsen burner!

Hard to believe its all been a week ago, feels like yesterday and I wish it was so that we could do it all again.

Been plotting my route for IMM 2010 also, will make a holiday out of it and looking at possibly coming back via Scotland to do The Thistle Run on the return leg of the trip

Only 274 days to go.........


Tony

We got back last night after a memorable 11 days. Definitely the right idea to do IMM first, then holiday to recover and catch up on the lost sleep!!!

As always, the IMM was brilliant - no two IMMs are ever the same, this was our 10th, and very different to the last few years, mostly because it was so big. But the common denominator is always the fun and the camaradarie!!! Didn't get to talk to as many IMOCers as I'd hoped, there were just too many of us!!! But had some great chats with those I did get to meet properly!

And who started this rumour that I'd like a Moke - never heard such nonsense!!!! Where did that idea come from?!!!!

Julie

Just got back last night, great IMM lots of cars and I've never seen so many trade stands before, spent 3 days shopping. Thats a nice cluby Keith, I took a shine to its arches and it took me 3 days to find a set for sale. Great to have a week off to recover ,not sure what I was drinking some of the time . Tony are you sure it wasn't Killian you were talking to.
Speakin of drinking I think some of them young lads will need a bit of practice before hitting the Bavarian Pills. Simon and Julie did a good job in the moke getting the club noticed .

woody wrote: Tony are you sure it wasn't Killian you were talking to.
Speakin of drinking I think some of them young lads will need a bit of practice before hitting the Bavarian Pills.

Ronan,

I know that I had a good bit to drink over the IMM weekend but am POSITIVE it was you I spoke with prior to Monday morning!!
You were obviously drunk yourself cos one of the nights you said that young lads like me were the lifeblood for the future of the IMOC.
Considering you and I are of a similar age, I'll take the young lad comment as a compliment!!!!

By the way, I did speak, albeit briefly, with Killian as well. Yee don't look that much alike that I couldn't tell the difference, even when I am drunk!!!

Cant wait to see the new purchase also. Bet it looks sweet behind the woody


Tony

Anyway, Woody knew I left the IMM on Sunday afternoon.

IMM 2009. think the best bit for me was the look on the Drs face on friday night when she said she wanted to keep me in over the weekend for observation, ( it was me who held up the traffic for two hours waiting for the ambulance "sorry" ) when hubby and I said NOOo your not,
Long story,,, we had an awesome time and would not have missed any of it , hubby was in the garage for the weekend and fixed over 25 Minis,
as for me from tuesday to friday was very busy on the gate, also doing a host of other jobs that I was told to do . from Friday was given easy jobs , lol, never saw much of the stalls, but meet a lot of nice people and have made a new friend in Woody and his family. so life after the IMM can only get better,

Don't forget what we told you, "You have to go to IMM2010" , because then you can Party and enjoy it and take a little pity on those organising it , because you know what they will be going through.

Proof for the non-believers



http://s173.photobucket.com/albums/w48/ ... 0010-1.flv

http://s173.photobucket.com/albums/w48/ ... 020011.flv

(Just a bit of a Thread jump, the bloke in the white t-shirt on the right is Martin Savage from the Moke Club, he owns the green Moke with the green trailer, he was at the Redcross weekend in 1990 - just shows how long you can keep friends in the Mini world)

Hey guys. Thanks for posting pics!

Special thanks to Tony for giving me a mention. Not sure I deserve that much attention. And may I say Tony, you've been the IMOC's pride when it cam to hitting the dancefloor

Well worth coming to see the Marcos at last. Heard people have been waiting so long to see Neil's special project they no longer knew if it was truth or legend anymore...

Anyway, big thank you to our Moke drivers for the memorable rides! And to our lovely neighbours who shared provisions with us: Liam, Gareth, etc. No pics from me I'm afraid, was too distracted by enjoying the moment...

Rosalie

just got broadband today i am just getting the hang of it had a great time at the immoc in birmingham done 800 klms in the era went great just bought a fiberglass mini trailer for germany next year i hope i would like to thank everybody for all the help myself and my wife my daughter who is expectin her first baby but still had a great time anb her husband johnny who did not know anybody but yet was made feel at home by everybody i am in the process of making a removable ball tow hitch for the era i will try to tak some photos and get my daughter to help me put them on the mini forum as a granda the internet is a bit of a puzzle to me at the moment

Welcome Shay, Theres a big interest in tow bars at the moment so keep us posted

welcome to the forum shay... towbars are the new craze with all these campers!!! lol