The Irish Motocross of Nations (MXoN) team is set for a leadership change as Mark Mooney has decided to step down from his role as team manager. Mooney, who has been at the helm since 2022, first led the team at RedBud before continuing in the position for Ernée in 2023 and Matterley Basin last year.
Mooney’s departure comes on amicable terms, with the experienced manager citing personal commitments as the primary reason for his decision. He hasn’t closed the door on returning to the role in the future, but as a firm believer in doing things the right way, Mooney feels he can no longer give the role the attention it deserves. With a growing family – five children, three of whom are under the age of six – balancing responsibilities has become increasingly challenging.
It is understood that the MCUI fully supports and understands Mooney’s decision. His tenure, while facing challenges, was marked by dedication and commitment to Irish motocross on the international stage.
We caught up with Mooney, who discussed his reasons for stepping down:
“I did totally walk away of my own initiative. It was up to me and not anybody else. What I did say to them was that I’d leave the door open in 3-5 years when things have settled down a little bit for me. It’s just too busy at the minute with kids. Like I said before, three of them are under six, and they’re literally swinging out of me. They need me there for the next couple of years. It means I can’t give the commitment that I was giving for the last three years to the whole team. Even though I want to, I want to see it succeed.”
“Hopefully, we’ll get somebody else in there, you know. But just for me right now, no, it just doesn’t work. But the door is open. I told them that I’m putting myself forward for that position in 3-5 years when things settle, so hopefully, they acknowledge that. But again, we don’t know when it’s going to happen; it could be different in 3-5 years.”
“Hopefully, things will turn for us so we have the riders that are able to compete at this level. I’m not saying the guys can’t – they certainly can – but we need fresh blood, and we need them coming through. We need a pool of 10 or 12 to pick from, not just 1-4 riders every year.”
“The money to get to the event is serious, and you have to raise it yourself. If you don’t raise the money, it doesn’t really happen. The MCUI, in fairness, does give us something every year. The MRA gave 2,500 pounds, and the MCUI gave 2,500 euros a year. But combined, that’s 5,500 euros. Just getting to the UK cost 40 grand; the USA is another 20 grand on top of that. So, that’s what would have to be raised this year if they go to Ironman. There’s no way around that. It’s real, and I don’t know how it’s going to be done. I’d love to say it could be done easily, but it just can’t.”
“Just to finish, I’d like to say thanks to all the riders that rode for me because I’ve made some great friends and built great relationships through this.”
With the MXoN set to return to America in 2025, Ireland’s participation remains uncertain. Traditionally, the team would make the trip, but given that they have not qualified for the event since Assen in 2019, questions linger over whether they will send a team to Ironman.
Another pressing matter for the MCUI is finding Mooney’s replacement. At this stage, it remains to be seen how quickly a new team manager will be appointed, but the decision will be crucial in shaping the future direction of the Irish MXoN team.
As Irish motocross navigates this period of transition, Mooney will be remembered for doing the best job he could, and the focus will now shift to finding the right person to lead the team forward.
