Team Ireland’s decision not to send a team to the 2025 Motocross of Nations at Ironman has left many in the motocross community disappointed—none more so than Martin Barr. After representing his country at the prestigious event for nearly two decades, Barr was stunned to learn about the federation’s announcement through an online article, with no consultation from the riders themselves.
In this exclusive interview, the Northern Irishman shares his frustration over the decision, the lack of communication from officials, and his belief that attending Ironman is still achievable with the right mindset and support. Passionate about flying the flag for Ireland, Barr isn’t ready to give up just yet—and he’s already working behind the scenes to try and make a 2025 appearance a reality.
GateDrop: Martin, Ireland just announced they won’t be sending a team to Ironman for 2025. I believe you didn’t even know anything about it until the statement, it could have been handled better by speaking to the top riders first…
Barr: Yeah, it was pretty disappointing to read the article that came out saying that Team Ireland wasn’t sending the team to Ironman this year. Obviously, I did hear rumours a few weeks back saying there might not be a team being sent but I thought it was maybe just a bit of hearsay. So yeah, once it came out it was very disappointing, you know, not even to speak to anybody about it, as in the riders and people that’s been a part of the team the last couple of years. The handbrake was just put on straight away without even trying, which was disappointing.
GateDrop: I know how much you love the event, and you’d love to race Ironman (if selected), so you must be extremely disappointed by the decision?
Barr: I love the event, you know, being part of it for 18 years with Team Ireland. Now it’s the biggest and the best event of the year – to be part of that is something special. So yeah, obviously you’re never guaranteed your spot on the team. Results through the year, but I was disappointed to see that the decision has been made at the moment that there’s no team going. They’ve just kind of given up hope, which with me it doesn’t lie very well with young ones coming up through.
Yes, we haven’t qualified since 2019 but at the end of the day, it’s motocross, it’s not from us the riders not giving it our best shot, it’s motocross. Anything can happen out there, crashes, mechanicals, you know, it’s all part and parcel of it, which gives it most of the buzz, you know, everybody’s really excited and giving it our all. But yeah, it’s very disappointing when you don’t qualify, but it wasn’t through the lack of not trying.
GateDrop: It’s very expensive to get to America with the price of everything these days. Would you be prepared to put some of your own money into it if it meant sending a team?
Barr: Obviously being in America, it does come with a bit more cost, but I do believe it’s still doable. You know, we don’t need to go and have the big trucks and all the rest of it. If you want to go and race, we can go and race in a smaller way, but the results on the track is what does the talking and all the rest of it.
So, I do still believe that we could do it on a lot of a smaller budget and still make it possible. So yeah, I’m prepared to work to try and raise funds. You know, the amount of people that’s reached out to me from America and the supporters from over the years, has been kind of very overwhelming, saying they’re gutted that Team Ireland’s not going to be there.
You know, they always get excited. They always love seeing the Irish guys over there, giving it our all out on track. So yeah, I still do believe that something can be done.
GateDrop: Have you spoken to any of the other top riders from here such as Meara, McCullough, McCormick to ask if they’d be prepared to do the same if selected? I’d imagine they’ll all want to go if it is possible…
Barr: I’ve been working behind the scenes as soon as I read the article. I’ve got to speak to a few of the people on the commission and to see if there’s anything that can be done, because I do think it’s important that Team Ireland is at Ironman in 2025. I haven’t spoken to any of the riders as of yet, but it’s something I will do because I’m sure the other riders feel the same as well.
You know, as I said, I think it is possible if we all put our heads down. But yeah, it’s just disappointing the way the Federation has gone about it and, you know, just as I said before, just put the handbrake on without even trying to raise funds or speaking to anybody about trying to raise funds. You know, where they’ve just said no, they’re lying down to it. So it’s extremely disappointing that way.
GateDrop: Another reason they don’t seem to be sending a team is because of not qualifying since Assen – I know that has disappointed you because it just looks like they’re giving up…
Barr: Yeah, another reason they don’t want to be sending team because we haven’t qualified since Assen. Yeah, it’s been disappointing. We haven’t made the main event, but as I said before, it’s not from the lack of trying. It’s motocross. Anything can happen out there, you know. A completely different sport. Rory McIlroy at the weekend has been trying to win the Masters for 16 years. He didn’t lie down, he didn’t give up. You know, and I’m not one for lying down and giving up.
That’s why I’ve wanted to try and see if it’s possible we can try and sort something out to get a team there. So yeah, I’m working hard and hopefully we can get something pulled together because, you know, at the end of the day, it’s still five and a half months away until the event and for them to be giving up already. You know, I don’t think it’s showing the true Irish spirit of, you know, fighting to try and make it happen.
GateDrop: Adam Lyons has been appointed MXoN team manager but for 2026, I think that is a good choice as he has even represented Ireland in the past?
Barr: Seeing Adam Lyons appointed as the new team manager, I’ve already sent him a text and congratulated him on it. So fair play to him. He has a big, big job on his hands. I wish him all the best for it, but we’ll just have to wait and see and hopefully we can get something sorted for 2025 rather than waiting to 2026 because I don’t think it’s a very good idea to be missing a year to try and go back to things again.
I know it’s difficult out there the way the motocross is here in Ireland and Northern Ireland. It’s not what it once used to be, but, you know, for us just to back down and not give our young guys coming through hope to try and make that team one day where they just seem to be lying down. It’s not easy but I’ll be working hard and hopefully we’ll get a few things sorted and, you know, we’ll see how things go.
