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When the iconic Temple crossroads became the Temple Roundabout, Sam & Joe McBride saw it as the perfect space to immortalise the history of The Temple 100 Road Race. A platform to display a monument of a motorbike and rider to honour the sport of motorcycle racing and the community brought together by their shared interest in it.

The Temple and surrounding area has been a home to motorbike racing since it hosted the first Temple 100 Road Race in 1921. The longest running and original true road race in Ireland, one of the oldest in the world, held annually thereafter until the turn of the millennium. The area will be forever associated with the race and the sport.

After much work to organise the placement of a monument with local government bodies and a meeting to confirm that the monument would be a granite replica of world class local rider Brian Reid, who held the title of World Champion 1985 and 1986 and was an avid rider at the Temple 100 was to be immortalised on a TZ 250cc Yamaha, his World Championship Motorbike.

The go ahead was given to erect the emblematic motorbike.

Shortly after Sam McBride, Joe’s father, a local business man, sadly passed away Sam had held the position in the past of Press Officer and Clerk of the Course and was a proud member of the Temple Motor-Cycle and athletic Club. It seemed fitting to honour his memory with the monument at the same time coinciding with the 100 year anniversary of the Temple Motorcycle & Athletic Club in 2021.

For almost a century the members of the Temple Motorcycle & Athletic Club were responsible for the running and organisation of The Temple 100 Road Race, meeting and staging Motorsport Races and Events. Setting the stage for motorcycle riders to follow their dreams, at the same time bringing people together in an adrenalin fuelled spectator sport. Each year the event was planned and engineered by a team of hard working locals, who were friends, Motorcycle enthusiasts and family men brought together by the club and their love of the sport . A motorcycle and Athletic club composed of local men who through the generations committed to bring the thrilling sport of road racing to life each summer in the Northern Irish countryside. The Temple club members' dedication of time and hard work resulted in riders and their bikes arriving into our hamlets and villages each year from every corner of the road racing world.

Racing legends emerged on the roads at The Temple, a roster of champions never to be forgotten with a fan base worldwide.

An Informational monument etched in granite is to be erected in the adjacent car park for locals and tourists to view providing a brief history of the Temple club and a detailed illustration highlighting the five different circuits used by the Temple motorcycle and athletic club to host the races over the past century, starting with the original Temple circuit and ending with the locally known Saintfield circuit. This granite monument will also honour by name the eight riders who sadly lost their lives racing on our roads. Ultimately memorialising Mr Philip Conroy a local rider and friend who passed away at the last event in 1999.

The Sam McBride Trust’ was formed by Joe McBride and charity events organised by them have secured funds to help with the monument's payment. A JustGiving page allows members of the public to make their own donations towards the erection of the monument which will be greatly appreciated and received with many thanks from all involved. With that help Sam & Joe’s vision will be realised to be enjoyed by all and future generations will know of the century old Temple Motorcycle and athletic club and the fine men who once graced our roads and raced our roads. !