Jeff Bibby and the organising committee made over €12,000 for charity last year with the Bohernabreena Classic Car Show
Local Faces: Jeff Bibby
Jeff Bibby is a man born in London, within the sound of Bow Bells, who met a fine Bohernabreena cailín on holiday and his life was never the same again, writes Ken Doyle.
Today, Jeff, the ‘Plastic Paddy’ (his words, not mine), is a man completely immersed in Irish life and culture and lives in true Gaelic bliss in Bohernabreena with the aforementioned cailín Michelle and their sons Lucas, Brandon and Samuel.
The Bohernabreena Classic Car Show was established in 2024 and, although as Jeff will tell us, it was a tremendous co-operative effort by the community, he drew the short straw when asked to tell us all about it in ‘Faces of the Community’.
But first, a little about the man originally from London.
In his steadily softening accent, he tells me, “I’m from Battersea in London, where the power station is.
It’s a legendary London landmark, everybody knows it. It featured on the album cover of Pink Floyd’s ‘Animals, and it now houses the Tate Modern Art Gallery.’”
Growing up as one of three children born to Christine and Lester Bibby, Jeff had a happy, normal childhood until one fateful day in 1992 when he was almost 17, which would change everything.
“I had been in Harrods with a mate and as we were walking out, we spotted a travel agents across the road.
‘We decided, out of nowhere, to book a lad’s holiday to anywhere we could get.
‘It turned out that we got a deal for a week in Tenerife for a relatively cheap and cheerful price.
Jeff Bibby is a proud coach and mentor at St Anne’s GAA Club
‘We flew out on July 3, 1992 and four days later, I made the acquaintance of one Michelle Dowdall. You could say I was instantly smitten and we were inseparable from then on.”
They were indeed inseparable, but in the early days, the Irish Sea was a big obstacle to overcome and for a couple of years they carried on their relationship long-distance.
Finally Michelle moved over to London, and as luck would have it, she got a job in Harrods, where inspiration had struck Jeff years before.
They made a life for a time as a young couple in London but at the same time, things were happening back in Ireland which would soon change their plans.
“ In 1999 I had done the decent Irish Catholic thing and asked Andy if I could marry his daughter and after winding me up in traditional Irish style, he said yes.”
“Michelle’s parents Andy and Mags had started a company called Tallaght Powder Coating in 1985 out in the shed in their back garden and they had started to do well years later.”
Powder Coating, for those unfamiliar with it, is a durable and decorative powder-based alternative to paint which is applied to many items and is most commonly associated with the industrial trade.
“We moved to Ireland in 1999 and Michelle and I moved into our first house in St Maelruan’s Park, immediately.
‘Andy offered me a job at Tallaght Powder Coating and I gladly accepted.
‘By 2012, the company had moved to a 9,000 sq ft premises and was employing 11 people. I started at the bottom in the early days and worked my way up to Automotive Specialist, the position I still hold today.
Jeff Bibby is one of the organisers of the Bohernabreena Classic Car Show
‘Through the hard work of Andy, Mags, Michelle, Suzi and Andrew Jnr we were delighted to win ‘Local Business of the Year’ at the 2019 Tallaght Person of the Year awards. We even appeared on The Late Late Show, which was a great boost for us.”
Jeff had a background working with cars and bikes and at one time had worked at a very prestigious Kart track in London called F1 Chelsea, under the mentorship of a man named Mike Mallinson.
There, he rubbed shoulders with quite an illustrious group of people.
“Well while I was there, we had in people like George Harrison, Eddie Jordan, a young Lewis Hamilton and even Princess Diana would bring along William and Harry regularly. Through this job I learned to deal with all kinds of people and what Mike taught me there has served me well.”
“Over the years, I’d like to think I’ve been able to diversify and expand the business and I really enjoy my work. We have a great crew and Andy is a great father-in-law and boss.”
When I first came to Ireland, Jeff was put up by Willie O’Reilly, a friend of Andy’s who was the Chairman of St Anne’s GAA Club in Boharnabreena.
Before he knew it, the London lad was immersed in Gaelic Football, becoming a proud representative of the same club as a coach and mentor.
“The Dowdalls were involved with Thomas Davis and yet my three boys all played for St Anne’s and it’s been a huge part of my life ever since I moved over.
‘I’ve made some great friends along the way, including Donal O’Toole, Greg McKeown and David DeLappe, who give so much of their time and energy to teaching the local kids the right lessons.”
“I heard a phrase years ago; It’s takes a village to raise a child.
Jeff Bibby
‘I don’t completely agree with that as there are a lot of pitfalls nowadays within society lots of goings-on we can’t control, but I do believe a GAA club can do it.
‘Mentors, players and senior figures all look out for the child in a GAA club like one big family. I’d urge anyone with young kids to get them involved in their local club early on.
Jeff also gave a special mention to the tragically recently deceased Gerry Anderson, as a great force for good in the community who will be hugely missed.
The Bohernabreena Classic Car Show started, like so many great things, with a conversation over a pint in the pub.
“There was a group of lads out together one night, who are all involved with St Anne’s and were talking about fundraising ideas for the club.
“I’m not sure who brought it up but someone suggested putting a classic car show on and given my contacts in the business, I was delighted to be asked.
“It sounded like great idea and I was only too happy to get involved and soon we had a committee together and began plans for our first Car Show in 2024.”
At this point, Jeff is absolutely insistent on giving all of the credit to others, but he certainly played a huge part in making it all happen.
“One of the lads, Brian Tyrell, who’s a Tallaght-based firefighter was elected Chairman and he was a great motivator, logistician and was the overall brains of the outfit.
‘Fergus Walsh became Financial Controller, Myles Murphy was in charge of looking after South Dublin County Council who were a great help to us,
“Paul Barnes and Ryan Barnes looked after the securing of sponsorship, Mick Brett, music and entertainment. John Anderson, Declan Webb and Joe McManus were also on the committee and had a hand in just about everything, alongside the amazing volunteers we had from St Anne’s itself.”
Last year’s Car Show made in excess of €12,000 which they split 50/50 between St Anne’s and Pieta House.
The 2025 Classic Car Show took place in June and money is still coming in for it.
This year, the split is between St Anne’s and the Irish Kidney Association and the committee is extremely optimistic about the chances of sailing past last year’s total when the counting’s done.
To speak to Jeff, one gets a sense of a man who loves his life and really can’t believe the luck he’s had in finding and being part of a wonderful community. He’s also now become a grandfather with the birth of little Noah, his eldest son Lucas’ baby boy.
“And to think I owe it all to Waikiki’s Bar in Tenerife where 33 years ago, Michelle Dowdall accosted me. And make sure you print that. Accosted me!”
