He later became a commentator for the BBC. Dennis Taylor and wife Pat at their home in Blackburn. To lift the world championship trophy, there’s no better feeling in the world.”, This Sporting Life is on BBC One Northern Ireland on Friday at 7.30pm, The Belfast Telegraph is a member of IPSO and subscribes to its Editors' Code of Practice Stock photo and image search 1980s by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search 20th century by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search affection by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search british by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search champion by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search clothes by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search communication by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search couple by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search daughter by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search denise by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search dennis by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search dennis taylor by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search europe by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search family by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search father by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search female by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search glasses by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search irish by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search journalism by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search late 20th century by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search leisure by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search male by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search man by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search manchester daily express by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search man made by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search mass media by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search mother by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search newspaper by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search pat by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search parry, david by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search pat taylor by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search people by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search player by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search portrait by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search publishing by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search recreational pursuit by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search smart clothing by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search snooker by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search snooker player by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search society by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search sport by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search sportsman by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search suit by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search taylor by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search taylor, dennis by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search united kingdom by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search war by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search wife by Science & Society Picture Library, Stock photo and image search woman by Science & Society Picture Library. It was a decision that paid off handsomely, with Dennis going on to become world champion — helped by the player having conversation with his mother in his head. However Tyrone native Taylor, 70, said that he moved on from the feud with his former teammate in the years before his death at the age of 61. © BelfastTelegraph.co.uk, Coronavirus Northern Ireland: Arrests at Stormont anti-lockdown protest as five further deaths reported, DUP man dating Poots' daughter claims his 'tea' can help in Covid battle without scientific evidence, Belfast model Bernadette Hagans: 'I love showing that I may have a robot foot but I can still look good', Republican dissidents in protests outside Santander banks across NI, Ex-Northern Ireland grammar teacher (80) faces historic sex charge, The Belfast Telegraph is a member of IPSO and subscribes to its Editors' Code of Practice. SNOOKER legend Dennis Taylor has told how he had buried the hatchet with Alex Higgins before The Hurricane's death. Dennis Taylor with wife Pat and daughter Denise, April 1985. Winner of two ranking events, he is best known for winning the 1985 World Championship, beating World number one Steve Davis on the final black in one of the sport's most memorable finals. actual image size: 23cm x 32cm. This image is protected by copyright law. by claire mcneilly Belfast Telegraph Image Details. There was only three channels so you had a captive audience. I remember going to play an exhibition with Ray Reardon and everyone knew him. We had some great characters in the game that helped, they were all household names.". Dennis Taylor with wife Pat and daughter Denise, April 1985. Irish snooker player Dennis Taylor with his wife Pat and 14-year-old daughter Denise. Dennis Taylor (born Denis Taylor, 19 January 1949 in Coalisland, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland) is a retired snooker player, and current BBC snooker commentator. His opponent, Steve Davis, can be seen in the background. The gripping encounter is still the most watched post-midnight show in TV history, with 18.5 million people staying up to see if the underdog Tyrone man could complete an incredible comeback. It was just a devastating time. Ipso, An INM Website "No one knew me then. “I was there chatting away to my mum while I was playing, so that sort of saw me through that tournament. “I didn’t want to play in anything after that. Taylor said: "They were all there to see that grudge match. "It was great to be part of that. Please contact us for advice on our licensing terms, before reproducing it for commercial purposes. He later became a commentator for the BBC. That kick-started everything for me. “It was incredible — that’s the best snooker I’ve ever played. To save a small version of this image for mock-up or research purposes, right click (or control click on Macintosh) and Save Picture As... We suggest that parents use their discretion to determine which of these images are suitable to be viewed by children. Snooker champion Dennis Taylor will never forget the day he potted the black against Steve Davis in the 1985 World Championship and made £60,000 in just ten seconds. Irish snooker player Dennis Taylor became world champion after beating Steve Davis in a tense final watched by over 18 million Television viewers. We did speak to each other a good few years before he passed away.". It was an unfortunate thing. “I got the devastating news about my mum, who was only 62. “After the news I got about my mum, to this day I haven’t worried about anything. A week before her death, his mum had told him of her wish for him to win a first title — and after some persuasion from his wife and father, Dennis decided to resume his career. ", Jonathan Curran dead - shock as former Tyrone goalkeeper dies suddenly aged 33, Neville refused to pay £14.95 to watch Utd's win on Sky Box Office, Tomas O'Se asks his baby to fall asleep so he can be ready for a day of football, Twerking MMA star Loureda reveals Hollywood is calling despite 'selling sex' jibe, Flop Morgan Schneiderlin moaned to wife about Louis van Gaal's Man Utd stay, ©News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. Taylor also recalled the glory days of the mid-80s when snooker was more popular than football with telly viewers. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Alex Higgins and Dennis Taylor shake hands before the start of the UK snooker championship in 1993, World snooker champion Alex Higgins' funeral, Dennis Taylor reflects on snooker's glory days, Alex Higgins and Dennis Taylor at the Benson & Hedges quarter final of the Irish masters, March 30, 1990, An Irishman Abroad podcast with Jarlath Regan, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). It sort of helps you to cope with everything.”. Taylor said: "It's very rarely mentioned these days. “I had my mum there to chat to. Having grown up in Coalisland, Co Tyrone, Taylor moved to the north of England in his late teens after losing his job in a pipe factory. If you add or delete items in the lightbox, the viewer will see the changed lightbox. Irish snooker player Dennis Taylor with his wife Pat and 14-year-old daughter Denise. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. View our online Press Pack. Dennis did not let the viewers down, holding his nerve to sink the winning pot before famously raising his cue aloft and wagging his finger for the television cameras in celebration. It was a sad way for him to end up really. Dennis Taylor was ready to quit snooker the year before he became world champion because of the death of his mum. Belfast native Higgins passed away in 2010 after battling throat cancer for a decade. Dennis Taylor and wife Pat, April 1985. SNOOKER legend Dennis Taylor has told how he had buried the hatchet with Alex Higgins before The Hurricane’s death. Taylor, who lives near Wrexham with second wife Louise and their children Cameron and Amber, has two grown-up children, Damien and Denise, with first wife Pat. Sections, Coalisland Snooker champion Dennis Taylor with his mum Annie Taylor. Dennis walked out of a tournament in Newcastle in 1984 after taking a phonecall saying that his mum had died back home in Coalisland, Co Tyrone. ", He added: "It was an unfortunate period that but it was one that was put to bed. He is now a commentator for the BBC. So I thought I'll just have to beat him so. “My older brother passed away and it sort of broke her heart, then I arrived, so it was a great comfort to her,” he says. Speaking to An Irishman Abroad podcast with Jarlath Regan, Taylor said: "To suddenly be recognised was something quite special. I didn’t want to be involved in snooker again. “That was one for my mum as well. If you add or delete items in the lightbox, the viewer will not see the changes. It was there he realised just how talented he was at snooker. “She’d got terrible back pains through the night... it was a massive heart attack. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. He recalled: "I took a big risk when I did go full-time professional. When you email your lightbox as static, the email message will include a URL link containing a list of images that are currently in your lightbox. There was things said that was unrepeatable. Wardhaugh, John . I can’t even remember who rang me,” he recalls. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. "I did see Alex a good few times before he sadly passed away. News Corp is a network of leading companies in the worlds of diversified media, news, education, and information services. Taylor was amongst those who paid tribute to the two-time world champion even though the pair had famously fallen out after ­Higgins threatened to have Taylor shot when they were teammates during the World Team Cup in 1990. "He wasn't the best to go out for a drink with because you'd always get into some kind of trouble.