Fisher was Ireland's greatest

Bertie Fisher (left) won three Circuit of Ireland rallies

The late Bertie Fisher was Ireland's most successful rally driver of all time.

Bertie achieved 20 Irish Tarmac Championship wins including three Circuit of Ireland victories (1995, 1997 and 1999).

The Fermanagh man's rallying career began as a teenage navigator in the late 1960s before he made the move to driving in 1971.

A significant development in the early part of his career was his link-up with Dungannon rally engineer Sydney Meeke.

Meeke first worked with Fisher at the 1975 Circuit of Ireland and the partnership continued for the rest of the Fermanagh man's career.

Fisher's talent and more importantly, dedication, were obvious from the outset and observers predicted that impressive results would quickly follow once he obtained the right car.

That happened in 1979 when he acquired the MK2 Escort previously driven by British rally star Russell Brookes.

Bertie Fisher alongside co-driver Rory Kennedy

Improvement was immediate with Bertie taking third place at the 1979 Circuit of Ireland.

After using a succession of co-drivers, Bertie linked up with Austin Frazer in the early 1980s and the partnership was to last seven years.

Fisher's first international win came at the 1982 Ulster Rally in another MK2 Escort.

That season he also took third place at the Manx Rally in the Isle of Man.

The Fermanagh driver then moved to Opel in 1983 and it proved a successful year with Fisher taking second places at the Circuit of Ireland and in the Isle of Man.

1984 saw Fisher making a major impact in Britain with the Northern Ireland man taking a brilliant ninth place at the RAC Rally plus podium finishes in Scotland and the Isle of Man.

Success continued throughout the mid-1980s with Fisher firstly driving an Ascona before moving on to an Opel Manta.

Mark Fisher: Tragic death

A terrifying incident at the Galway International Rally in 1986 provoked Fisher to leave the sport for 15 months.

The brakes failed on his car and he was inches away from ploughing into spectators.

But he was coaxed back into action for the 1987 campaign and it proved a highly successful season with Fisher winning in the Isle of Man and in Donegal.

The 1990s began gloriously for Bertie with the Fermanagh man, now driving a BMW, claiming his first overall Irish Tarmac Championship title after a season's long battle with Austin McHale.

Despite the successful 1990 season, Bertie quickly sold the BMW and after a brief stint again in a Ford, he began what was to prove a fruitful partnership with Subaru.

A lifetime's ambition was achieved in 1995 when, partnered by Donegalman Rory Kennedy, he finally claimed victory in the Circuit of Ireland.

Beloved Fermanagh

1996 saw Bertie at the peak of his powers with victories at the Rally of the Lakes (his sixth) and the Ulster (4th) helping him to his fourth Irish Tarmac Championship.

That year he totally dominated the domestic scene, winning all four of the Irish events in the Tarmac Championship.

1997 was something of a time-out for Bertie yet on one of his few forays that season, he won his second Circuit of Ireland.

In the late 1990s with his son Mark emerging as a major force on the Irish and Britain scene, Bertie was tending to pick his rallies and even getting involved in sponsoring some events.

Yet class is permanent and he saw off all-comers to win his third Circuit of Ireland in 1999.

No one was more delighted than Fisher when it was announced in November that the 2001 Circuit was going to be based in his beloved county.

His beaming smile at the press announcement told of a great pride.

It is an immense tragedy that Bertie will not be there come Easter.