Eoin Young

[Oldfart]

The news is not good for Eoin, he has been admitted into care at St Winfred's Hospital in Christchurch.
What a life he has had, and always entertaining. Rest comfortably.

[Grant Sprague]

The news is not good for Eoin, he has been admitted into care at St Winfred's Hospital in Christchurch.
What a life he has had, and always entertaining. Rest comfortably. I will make this short .... Eoin has not been well for some time ...we all get old..... he has seen & met some people we have not met in the motor racing circles ...... big time .. as you might know ..... dedicated to motor racing & its history ...writing & mixing with us all to the top level in F1 & loved a beer @ his local with his mates ... beautiful person .... Thinking of you mate ...The Sprague Family ....

[jamie]

Never met the man but what a legend Jamie A

[Kwaussie]

copied from autosport tonight..
Posted Today, 17:31


From Allan Dick of Autonews NZ.......

THE FINAL LAP
Not such good news about Eoin S Young I am sorry. He was admitted to hospital on Monday and today is being transferred to St Winifreds which is likely to be for final care.
I went to Christchurch last Friday for lunch at his home with he and Tony Haycock and it was painfully obvious that he was fast approaching his final lap. Krissi was on hand to prepare the lunch and to assure him she would be back later.
Many people have helped on a daily basis to make life comfortable for ESY over these past few weeks — in particular Wardie, Tony H and Terry Marshall. But also a special mention to Krissi who either walked or caught the bus on a daily basis from the other side of Christchurch to look after him. Her sincerity and concern was heart-warming.
I confess I am writing this through a mist of tears as I tell you of a man who was both my inspiration and a person with whom I got into all sorts of desperate trouble over many years.
I know there are many, many people who would like ESY to know how much they care about the pleasure he's brought to them over so many years.
Cards and letters would show him just how large and widespread his fan base is.

Eoin S Young,
c/- St Winifred's Hospital,
10 St Winifred's Place,
Bryndwr,
Christchurch 8052



......& an update.....

Earlier today I posted a really sad message about the state of ESY's health and suggested that cards and letters would be appreciated. Because the situation is dire, I'd suggest you tell him how much you have appreciated his words and stories over the years rather than the usual "get well soon".
The address is
Eoin S Young,
c/- St Winifred's Hospital,
10 St Winifred's Lane
Bryndwr,
Christchurch 8052

If you would prefer to email the address is
kimberly.gaudin@rrcl.co.nz - mark it attention Eoin S Young.

Let's show the hospital they have a world famous person in their care.

[Jizim]

I sent an e mail today to this icon of our sport......it is probably best if you want to write him a quick note to do it now because I don't think he will be racing for too much longer. .. His reports will be sadly missed....rest easy ESY, you deserve it.
With regards, thoughts and warmth to all his many many friends and family, Tony Rutherford.

[Jizim]

I sent an e mail today to this icon of our sport......it is probably best if you want to write him a quick note to do it now because I don't think he will be racing for too much longer. .. His reports will be sadly missed....rest easy ESY, you deserve it.
With regards, thoughts and warmth to all his many many friends and family, Tony Rutherford.

[SPman]

Appalled to hear this. Eoin has been an institution - around all my life.
Living in outback West Australia, you don't get to hear all the news as soon as you'd like.
I take it it's the big C?

[Oldfart]

I had a lovely response from the lady at the hospice. Eoin has been very delighted with his mails. She is now away for a few days so the contact is now Julie.best@rrcl.co.nz

[Michael Clark]

He texted me this morning to say he'd had 41 emails from all over the world - if that delighted him, he was in for treat because I was still to forward an email that came in overnight to me to be forwarded onto ESY - from Sir Stirling.

I'm flying down to see him on Saturday morning - he sounded pretty good on the phone today.

[Grant Sprague]

Wooow Michael... that's super cool... geee from Stirling Moss he will be chuffed .....well done ..the man has been involved in so much history .. Thank you for keeping us posted ....... Grant

[Michael Clark]

Peter (aka Baldric) Grant and I took Eoin out for lunch yesterday - he is struggling along pretty well, all things considered.

He is quite blown away by all the messages of support he has been receiving from people across the planet.

[paul lancaster]

I remember when I worked part time at radio caroline/classic hits in timaru, I was announcing on the sports show , and as im a petrolhead, I used to have a fair bit of motorsport on my show.
at the time I was in touch with grant aitken, who was my contact for the queenstown hillclimb.
well this sat arvo I rang him and he was flat out, I was trying to get some info out of him, and he said, sorry paul, im a bit busy at the moment, but here, talk to this fellow, he will fill you in, his names eoin.
little did I know at the time, that I was talking to a living encyclopia, that is eoin young.yarned way longer than my time schedule allowed, will always remember that interview with him,(I got in the shit for missing an ad break).anyways, race on eoin.was good to talk that day

[Malcolm McLeod]

My tribute to Eoin S Young, who regrettably is on his final lap.

Eoin,

I am pleased to say that at this very moment, a very special gathering is happening at The Barley Mow.

Rob Walker and Innes Ireland are standing next to the bar, discussing various Lotus cars they have been involved with.

Meanwhile Ken Tyrrell has launched another froth job aimed at James Hunt over comments Hunt made about Italian drivers.

Hunt is unaware that Michele Alboreto has just arrived in the latest Ferrari, which is a present for Ken.

Meanwhile, Denny Hulme is busy discussing touring cars with Black Jack and Jenks, Jenks being quite impressed with Denny's description of the old Brno circuit.

And George Harrison, who arrived in one of Gordon Murray's Rocket cars, is now sitting down with Bruce McLaren, who is busy doing doodles on a table cloth coming up with improvements for it.

The gathering is brought to order by Teddy Mayer, who explains that no matter how enjoyable previous lunches have been, the future ones will be even better, due to the pending, but unexpected, arrival of the gentleman who should have been given a knighthood for his services to Motorsport and journalism, Mr Eoin S Young.

*************************************************************************

Eoin, I have really enjoyed reading your "Straight From The Grid" columns through the years, and also your books.

It really saddens me to hear you are on your last lap, but wow, the enjoyment you have had on those laps, during what some would discribe as the best era in Formula One, must come close to making up for the bad times.

I must admit that a lot of my enjoyment of my hobby of collecting Motorsport books, has been due to you. You ARE correct, the thrill of tracking down rare material is just, um, so much fun! I recently purchased a copy of the Evan Green book "Journeys With Gelignite Jack", which had been autographed by all 4 members of that excursion around Australia....about $NZ180 worth. Without your, I guess, approval of such collecting, I doubt if I ever would have tried.

I still rate that Chris Amon dinner at Hampton Downs, where I was sitting at YOUR table, to be one of my most enjoyable nights. Not least because of you grabbing my Forza Amon book to refresh your memory of any humorous stories, in case you got called up to talk! And that photo of Graham and a young Damon Hill you gave Damon.....

The chequered flag may be getting prepared to be unfurled, and the last chapter may be almost finished being written, but thank you for your services to the golden era of New Zealand, and International, Motorsport - and to the memorabilia industry.

God speed, Eoin.

[Michael Clark]

Great stuff guys - I've just forwarded these posts onto Baldric so he can print them off and take them into Eoin tomorrow.

[rf84]

I've never met "Baldric" but, from what I have heard from various sources, he is really is the type of person you would want to have visit you when you were feeling "down". The type who leaves you feeling much better than you were before they arrived.
I sometimes think the motor racing fraternity is considered by the general public to be on "the lunatic fringe" (or maybe even beyond the fringe). You may have heard the old saying "if you have a half a mind to race cars, that's all you need".
But as with any group that is marginalised that attitude simply serves to make the ties between motor racers stronger. It's a case of 'us' verses 'them'.
On behalf of myself (and I'm sure I speak for a lot of other car racing enthusiasts) a big thank you to you Michael and to Baldric for looking after Eion who is definitely one of 'us'.

[Michael Clark]

Baldric and Tony Haycock, Terry Marshall, Peter Ward and co are the guys on the ground in Christchurch - at least one of them sees him/has lunch with Eoin every day.

[Kwaussie]

25678Nice photo from 1963.

[Grant Sprague]

25678Nice photo from 1963. Wooow what a great pik, this must have been when the Lads recently arrived in UK you can see the BIG grin in Eoins face trench coat to boot ............beaut photo...as for the band of supporters in Chch hey great job guys good old mainlanders in fact good on Kiwis North & South etc etc
....FEELINGS run deep in these times a place we are all going to visit sooner or later ..

[Malcolm McLeod]

From Allan Dick earlier today -
ESY UPDATE
Eoin was taken from St Winifred's hospital/hospice to ChCh Hospital earlier today.
Friends and his wife Sandra are at his bedside.
A great career spent in the public light, slowly fades into the dark of night.
Travel well my dear friend.

[SPman]

Although this is expected, it's still a shock when this, as it must, suddenly looms large. May you have a soft passing, Eoin.........

[Oldfart]

Thanks for the update Malcolm, I received just yesterday a fabulous memento. What a life. There is going to be one hell of a party at the next Barley Mow. A few glasses of red will pass.

[Roger Dowding]

Very sad, as a reader of Eoin's work over many years, including him getting his UK drivers licence in a Rally Healey 3000, was published in a magazine, Autocar perhaps as I did subscribe and the comment was about, him sliding around the roundabout and using the handbrake to slide around the curve.. He and I have a slight connection we both started work in the 60's as a Junior at ANZ Bank, he in Timaru, and I in Customs St, in Auckland, to others who have close knowledge, thank you, fellow enthusiasts