lit a candle 4h ago87. that clip of him saying dear God then just carrying on with the notes, unreal composure
Their story
Terry Harryman was a Northern Irish World Rally Championship co-driver whose pace notes steered some of the most celebrated drivers of the Group B era. Born in Bangor, County Down, in 1938, he spent nearly five decades in the navigator's seat, winning six WRC rounds and taking nine podiums alongside…
Terry Harryman was a Northern Irish World Rally Championship co-driver whose pace notes steered some of the most celebrated drivers of the Group B era. Born in Bangor, County Down, in 1938, he spent nearly five decades in the navigator's seat, winning six WRC rounds and taking nine podiums alongside Finland's Ari Vatanen, and collecting national and Irish titles with partners from Ronnie McCartney and Paddy Hopkirk to Michele Mouton and Mark Lovell.
His early success came on home roads. He won the Circuit of Ireland in 1962 with Ronnie McCartney and again with Hopkirk in the mid 1960s, building a reputation for calm, precise calling. With Cahal Curley he won the Donegal International Rally in 1973 and 1974 in a Porsche Carrera, then returned to conquer Donegal once more in 1988 with Mark Lovell in a Ford Sierra. He made his WRC debut at the 1974 RAC Rally and later partnered Malcolm Wilson before joining Vatanen in 1982.
The Vatanen-Harryman partnership defined his world championship years. Their first WRC win together was the 1983 Safari Rally Kenya in an Opel Ascona 400. After switching to Peugeot Talbot Sport's 205 Turbo 16 they won Finland's 1000 Lakes, Sanremo and the RAC Rally in 1984, then opened 1985 with Monte Carlo and Sweden before a heavy crash in Argentina ended their title challenge. Outside the WRC Harryman guided Michele Mouton to the 1986 German Rally Championship and won Dutch and Irish titles with Lovell. He also contested the Dakar Rally and remained active into the early 2000s, retiring in 2003 after a career that stretched from Mini Cooper S events to Group B monsters and later Group A cars.
Fans still recall the 1983 Manx Rally onboard clip in which Vatanen clipped a wall and Harryman exclaimed "dear, God" before calmly returning to his notes. Five time WRC winner Kris Meeke and contemporary Northern Irish drivers Josh McErlean and Jon Armstrong were among those who paid tribute after his death. His son Allan Harryman continues as a co-driver in the WRC and international rallies.
Terry Harryman died peacefully on Monday 21 September 2026 at Beverly Lodge Care Home, aged 87, after living with Parkinson's disease. A celebration of his life was arranged at S Clarke and Son Funeral Home in Bangor. The FIA World Rally Championship, Donegal Motor Club, BBC Sport NI and regional motorsport outlets remembered him as one of Ireland's great navigators and a standard setter on pace note events.
Biography adapted from WRC.com official obituary; BBC Sport NI (Andy Gray); Donegal Daily (Chris McNulty); Wales Times / motorsport round-ups citing Autosport and Motorsport.com, Sep 2026.
In their own words
“Terry was a familiar and highly respected competitor on Donegal stages over the years.”
Statement after his death, reported by Donegal Daily
“Dear, God”
Famous onboard reaction on the 1983 Manx Rally before he calmly resumed calling notes for Ari Vatanen (widely reported by BBC Sport and WRC retrospectives)
Photos
2Terry Harryman (inset) and with Cahal Curley on the way to winning the 1974 Donegal International Rally.
by People Forever
Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 Evolution 1 Group B of the type driven by Ari Vatanen with Terry Harryman in 1984-85.
by People Forever
the Manx one, watched it about fifty times