The life and career of Irish rally legend Bertie Fisher is to be celebrated in a new book, which will be launched in March. ‘King Fisher’ was written by rally enthusiast and photographer, Fergus McAnallen with support from the Fisher family and aims to chronicle the fascinating story of the four time Irish Tarmac Champion.
Fergus said “Bertie was a hero to me and it was an honour and a privilege to be able to put this book together. It took many years of research but the end result is packed with hundreds of handpicked images from dozens of archives, and contains an in depth synopsis of his career, results and life outside the sport.”
The renowned Ballinamallard driver was famed for recording a hat-trick of Circuit of Ireland victories, collecting four wins on the Ulster Rally, as well as winning the Killarney Rally of the Lakes a record breaking six times.
The book will also take a look at Fisher’s legacy in the world of business, particularly the impact of his family company, Fisher Engineering Limited, as well as his charity work . Throughout his career, Bertie lent his support to motorsport clubs across Ireland and raised a significant sum for a number of local charities, often donating his prize money from winning events to worthy causes.
After years in the making, the book will finally be released at a celebratory dinner in the Fisher Suite of the Armagh City Hotel on Friday, March 4th. This event will mark the 15th anniversary of the tragic accident which claimed the lives of Bertie and his children, Mark and Emma. Rally fans can pre-order the book at www.kingfisher.com or reserve tickets for the celebration event.
All proceeds from the book will be donated to the Fisher Foundation, which provides financial support to young people volunteering overseas and continually works to improve motorsport safety standards.
Pictures by www.rallyretro.com / Fergus McAnallen