Conal O’Sullivan, better known to his friends as Freddie, is a 30-year-old truck mechanic from Dunshaughlin, County Meath in the Republic of Ireland. He was preparing to leave the Retro Truck Show in Gaydon, Warwickshire, England, when Paul O’Callaghan suggested a photograph.

After serving his apprenticeship, Freddie spent a few years fulfilling his lifelong dream of driving on the continent before settling down at home and working in the family business, Commercial Repair Services, alongside his brother Garrett and father Donal. He admits that he misses the long-distance driving, but working in the garage allows him to indulge in his other hobbies, such as playing Gaelic hurling for his local club Drumree and shooting during the season.

Trucks are his main source of interest, and the white Scania 143H 420 behind him is his pride and joy, mainly used for shows and bringing trailers to the test centre. The left-hand-drive truck was first registered in Belgium in 1995 before it was sold to a collector in Ireland.

Freddie’s favourite aspect of driving is at night when the roads are quiet, allowing him time to think. However, he dislikes the ‘digi card’ [digital tachograph] drivers’ hours’ monitoring system in modern European trucks.