A solemn occasion took place in pit lane earlier this week when the ashes of a former leading Manx Grand Prix rider and official were taken on a final lap of the Mountain Course.

Isle of Man-born Mike Kelly was a successful rider during the late 1950s and early 1960s, accumulating a number of silver replicas in the MGP when he finished on the podium no fewer than seven top-six finishes including third places in the 1961 and 1964 Senior races.

He received the coveted Lord Wakefield trophy for the leading local finisher in the Senior MGP on no fewer than five occasions.

He rode for Reg Dearden for a number of years, but his final Manx was with rival tuner Francis Beart.

Mike was also a travelling marshal and official car driver, as well as being deputy clerk of the course alongside Neil Hanson for a spell.

He and his second wife Pat emigrated to south-east Australia more than 30 years ago and he died on January 29 this year at the age of 88.

Mrs Kelly travelled to the island last week with her son Andrew and daughter Alison and they were joined by other family members including Mike’s brothers Juan and Canon Brian Kelly. The latter, the former vicar of St German’s Cathedral in Peel, conducted a memorial service at Marown Church (close to where the three brothers were brought up) on Tuesday of this week.

Mike Kelly on his way to third in the 1964 Senior MGP on the Francis Beart Norton
Mike Kelly on his way to third in the 1964 Senior MGP on the Francis Beart Norton (-)

Mike’s daughter Charlotte, flew in from London earlier the same morning. She arranged for her father's ashes to be carried round the Mountain Course by 2023 Senior Manx Grand Prix winner Joe Yeardsley (who is competing in the TT for the second time over the next fortnight).

Charlotte is the associate sponsor of the John Burrows Engineering team (under the title RK Racing), which this year is running Ballaugh ace Conor Cummins in the Senior, Superbike, Superstock and Supersport TTs.

Her father's ashes were laid to rest in the grave of Mike’s grandmother and parents in Marown churchyard, alongside the TT Course.

Mrs Kelly was driven round the course with her son and daughter by Michael Griffiths, son of Selwyn Griffiths who won the final race that Mike ever rode in 1964. The two men stood alongside one another on the podium and ironically both died within a matter of days of one another in January.

The cortege also included chief TT and MGP travelling marshal Tony Duncan on one of the new BMW 1,000cc machines to be used for the first time on TM duties over the coming fortnight.

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Mike with part of the haul of trophies won by Reg Deardon's team in the 1958 Manx Grand Prix
Mike with part of the haul of trophies won by Reg Deardon's team in the 1958 Manx Grand Prix (-)