With respect, a short tribute to Michael Thomas ‘Munch’ Gallacher

1959 – 2016

The trials world was stunned by the news that Mick ‘Munch’ Gallagher had died suddenly on Wednesday, 16th March, aged 56. It is believed that he was playing a game of football and took unwell. Paramedics were called but were unable to revive him.

Known as ‘Mick’, ‘Micky’ or ‘Munch’ to his many friends and customers, he built up a business called M-Sport in Stevenage, Hertfordshire specialising in Montesa 4RT preparation and repairs.

Mick had been a Montesa dealer at the time of the model’s initial importation to the UK in 2005 and had carefully researched how these advanced and technical machines were built and rapidly amassed a great deal of knowledge on the brand.

Munch became the go-to man when riders encountered a problem with a 4RT. After the closure of the original Montesa UK importer in 2009 and for a period of time the non availability of machines, Mick became an independent dealer/repairer of the 4RT, but also had agencies with other brands, being a trials only retailer.

Gallagher was a regular official observer at the annual Scottish Six Days Trial and was known as a fair, but firm observer who understood the rules of the event and marked riders on what he saw, irrespective of their ability or stature. He wore his SSDT observer number-one bib with pride and was usually in the teams consisting of friends, Fred Savage, Mark Maynell and the Austin brothers, Dave and Clive.

Mick regularly was a ‘back-marker’ at the Pre’65 Scottish, ensuring that sections were closed on time and any stragglers accounted for.

Munch also had a long association with the famous Scott Trial in Swaledale, North Yorkshire, helping the event on numerous occasions as an official. He also enjoyed his outings with friend Fred Savage up to Mid Wales and Shropshire for trials events.

The funeral arrangements will be a celebration of Mick’s life with a humanist service at Harwood Park Crematorium at Stevenage, Hertfordshire on Tuesday 12th April at 2.45 pm, thereafter friends and family will gather at the Orange Tree, Baldock. Family flowers only with donations to the local air ambulance service.

John Moffat: “Munch was a very good friend who I trusted 100% not only when it came to doing work on my bikes, but in everything he undertook. He will be a great loss to his customers of MSport. I got to know Mick in 2000 at the SSDT and he was a very keen supporter of trials sport in general. I know we call this website Trials Guru, but Munch was truly the ‘4RT Guru’. Mick was full of fun and always up for a good laugh when the opportunity arose. He and I had many phone conversations over the years. Munch was a decent, knowledgeable and warm human being who will be sorely missed by all who knew him”.

Trials Guru sends its heartfelt condolences to Munch’s family, his widow Theresa, daughter Jemma and son Ross.