The exciting world of Rory

Rory. Four little letters and a meaning steeped in history. It originates from the Irish 'Rua', meaning red and 'Ridh' meaning king. The two words come together to form 'Red King'.

Not only does it mean Red King, it is also the name of a King – the King of Ireland in the 12th century was Ruaidri mac Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair or Rory O'Connor.

With such regal background, it is not a coincidence that the latest King of Golfers has such a regal name of Rory. Which Rory are we talking about? The one and only Rory McIllroy.

Rory McIllroy

Rory McIlroy is a golfing sensation. This past summer he won the US Open, the youngest winner since 1923. But not only that, he won with a record score of 16 under par with an eight shot victory.

Before going professional as a 17-year-old, he topped the Word Amateur Golf Ranking for a week back in 2007. His name is that of a King and he is indeed golfing and Northern Irish royalty. He is the most exciting player to hit the circuit in years.

His passion for fast cars is well-known and he is said to own three amazing motors - a Bentley, an Audi RS6 and a Lamborghini.

Here at Speedyreg, we've decided that at least one of those cars should contain the personalised number plate – 12 ORY. It's simple, to the point with no airs or graces – just like the man himself.

But while we have been admiring Rory McIllroy, we've also noticed there are two other notable Rorys that hail/hailed from UK and Ireland. They are the legendary Rory Gallagher and the inimitable Rory Bremner.

Rory Gallagher

Mention Rory to any Irish person (before Rory McIllroy) and the first name that would come into their mind is Rory Gallagher. This self-taught legend of the guitar has gone down in history as a brilliant guitar player, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and band leader.

Born in Donegal in 1948 and raised in Cork, his albums have sold in excess of 30million copies worldwide. Sales continue to pour in as more and more young people discover this amazing, exciting talent. His untimely death at the age of 47 left a void in the music world.

Rory Bremner

You could not have an article about ' Rorys' without mentioning the fantastic Scottish impressionist, Rory Bremner. He's also a comedian and playwright. Since appearing on our screens in 1985 with parody of Paul Hardcastle's 19 primarily about the UK's disastrous Cricket World Series performance in 1984,, Rory has continued to entertain us, particularly in the area of political satire.

Here at Speedyreg, we've been even bigger fans since his time as a panellist on the show Mock the Week.

And if indeed your own name is Rory as you read this, take pride in your name. It's the name of a Celtic Warrior King. And if you want the name plate 12 ORY, you know where to go.

About the Author

Jayne Henry of Speedy Registrations Ltd - speedyreg.co.uk. Speedy Registrations have been supplying number plates to the public since 1984. Based in Northern Ireland we also specialise in Irish number plates. They aim to provide a choice of personalised number plates to meet all requirements. For interviews, quotes, images or comments contact: Jayne Henry Tel(DDI): 02866 387 124 E-mail: sales@speedyreg.co.uk