‘Auto Ireland’ founder and driving force in chronicling motorsport in Ireland

Brian Foley, photographer, journalist and publisher, was the pre-eminent motoring and motorsport chronicler in Ireland over the past 60 years. His magazine Auto Ireland recorded developments in the industry from the days of the Ford Prefect right up to today, while also following the glorious successes of Irish drivers at home and abroad.

Born in Carlow town, Foley went to Terenure College as a boarder, from where he managed to slip out to watch the Tallaght Races in June 1948, which marked the return of motorsport to Ireland after the rationing of the second World War. The motorsport bug firmly took hold.

Working in the family business after school, Foley competed in test trails in his spare times and even built his own test special.

He began taking pictures at events and brought the exploits of drivers such as Robins Rennicks, Frank Keane, Michael Smurfit, John Watson, and Rosemary Smith to the Irish public. His eye for a good picture was acknowledged when he won the Irish Press photographer of the year award in 1968.

Éire correspondent

He began writing for the British magazine

Autocar

and became “Éire Correspondent”. While recovering from a crash on the Naas Road in 1966, he conceived an Irish motoring magazine, which he called simply

Wheels

. Foley’s monthly magazine

Auto Ireland

was launched in 1968.

In the mid-1960s, rallying was beginning to capture the public’s imagination, with Smith’s wins in the Tulip Rally and Paddy Hopkirk’s Monte Carlo Rally victory bringing the sport into every home in Ireland.

The magazine also was an authoritative guide on buying a new car and charted developments among car manufacturers and distributors.

In 1969, Foley married Mary Schwer, and together they built Auto Ireland into the country's most successful car magazine. Together they attended all the major new model launches and were respected ambassadors for Ireland in the boardrooms of the major car companies. He met Henry Ford II and visited Japan to see the Toyota system in operation.

Racing Irish

Foley chronicled the progress of the racing Irish, including the stellar cluster of Derek Daly, David Kennedy and Eddie Jordan. With Daly, Kennedy and Tommy Byrne making it to Formula 1, Foley reported on grand prix around the world.

Foley was also motor sport correspondent of The Irish Times from 1991 to 2010. A founder member of the Irish Motoring Writers' Association in 1975, he was active in the association until his health started to fail earlier this year.

Foley was predeceased by Mary, who he missed greatly after she died in 2012. He is survived by his daughter Sinead.