67 replies to this topic

[David McKinney]

...see Post 23

[Mal9444]

Thanks for the Craigantlet pictures - or do I say 'thanks for the picture of Campbell, with the car in the foreground'?

Here's an amusing facility that probably everybody else knows about:

http://wikimapia.org...illclimb-course

[Squire Straker]

Mal
Great to see this. Also shown is part of the Ards TT circuit from Ballystockart, around Dundonald Hairpin and the run to the start/finish area.
SS

[Mal9444]

Originally posted by Squire Straker
Mal
Great to see this. Also shown is part of the Ards TT circuit from Ballystockart, around Dundonald Hairpin and the run to the start/finish area.
SS

Yes. I looked to see if the same system highlighted Dundrod, but nothing came up. Then I had to revert to the day job which, odd as it may seem, does not include browsing the internet for maps of motor racing circuits. I shall look again: presumably Wikimapia works a bit like Wikipedia and one can generate one's own entries and log them for the greater good of humankind. If that be the case, I see hours of endless fun for a number of members of this forum (are you there, Barry?) and I for one will certainly be up for mapping my own favourite circuit.

Anyone used Wikimapia in this way?

[fuzzi]

The Ordnance Survey of Ireland (OSI) website is worth a look for sites in the Republic. Quite reasonably it offers some coverage in Northern Ireland, but does not go down to the detail it offers in the south. The clarity is first class and the scale of coverage online beats that available from the Ordnance Survey in Southampton. Try looking at the Carrigrohane Straight at 1:5000 it goes on and on.

I will raise a nostalgic glass to the lovely OSI cartographers I met at the Cartographic Society St Andrews Conference nearly thirty years ago.

[fuzzi]

It's now March 2011 and since February 2009 I've been researching Irish Motor Race and Speed Events for a book I have to deliver in October this year. I have found 99 events in the Republic - not including Northern Ireland, motorcycle only events, off-road including autocross and rallycross or Kart circuits unless they hosted sprints.

I have of course made use of the earlier postings on this thread to try and track down the sites, but I have some gaps which some well-informed person may be able to fill. At this stage I can't keep adding new venues to the book - I am now at 819 for the British Isles and if a put another in then I will have to trim the content of other entries to squeeze it in.

If you can answer any of the questions then that would be great, hopefully the names will jog some memories.

IRISH EVENTS WITH INFORMATION MISSING

Altidore hc Wicklow (Mid East) no info on the course

Athboy Kart Circuit used for a sprint. In Co. Meath (Mid-East) mentioned in TNF. Who organised, dates used?

Bagenalstown Sp Co.Carlow (South-East) In use 2007-2010. When was it first used, is it still used and who organised?

Ballybunion Co. Kerry (South-West) no information apart from a mention on TNF

Ballylaneen hc Co. Waterford (South-East) I need the end date confirmed, have July 1971 so far

Ballyryan hc (Mid West) Galway MC. When was it first used?

Ballystraw hc Wexford MC (South-East). When was it first used?

Ben Hill, Loughrea. Need the location & a description. Was last date July 63?

Berry’s Brae hc near Monaghan (Border) One-off 1967. TNF information. What was the date and was this aka as “Monaghan”?

Bray Promenade used for half mile Speed Trials post WWII. I need details.

Broadford hc Co. Limerick (Mid-West). When was it first used?

Cavan SP Cavan MC (Mid East) 1980. I have no details beyond the year.

Carrigrohane Speed Trials organised by Munster MC (South-West). Was the last date May 85?

Clonmel (Kilsheelan) Sprint. Tipperary LC & MC Believe used once in Aug 63, is that correct?

Cornelscourt hc 1925 Green Dust p158 Co Dublin. No information beyond the table in the book.

Curlew Hill, Connacht MC hillclimb. Was it in County Roscommon or County Sligo? I need the location & a description.

Deansgrange STs 2 meetings 1925 Green Dust p158 (Dublin). No information beyond the table in the book

De Selby Hill, County Dublin. I can’t pin down the location.

Duncannon Sands July 1934 Co. Wexford (South-East). Who organised the meetings?

Dundrum STs Tipperary LC&MC (South-East). Used only twice Aug 64+65. Is that right?

Farnanes hc Munster MC Co. Cork (South-West). Was the last date May 85?

Fern Hill hc Dublin Uni MC Co Dublin. Need location and description

Fort Mountain hc TNF - no further information.

Fota Estate Co. Cork Sprint (South-West). TNF- No further information.

Glenasmole hc N of Co Wicklow (Mid East) mentioned in TNF one-off event?

Glengesh hc 1924 Green Dust p158 Co. Donegal (Border). No information beyond the table.

Healy Pass hc Co. Kerry (South-West) Did the 1967 event happen?

Inch Strand Races Dingle Co. Kerry (South-West) 1924, Green Dust p158. No information beyond the table.

Kilmacanogue hc (Mid East) June 1978 have no other details

Kilmoganny hc Carrick on Suir MC need description & to confirm date last used - have July 71 so far

Laragh hc (Mid East) have few details need start date 1990s, location + description

Long Woman’s Grave MGCC held one-off event near Dundalk Co. Louth (Border). Need a firm location and description.

Lusk Sp Course (Mid-East) need start date

Mitchellstown hc Co. Donegal (Border) No other information beyond TNF

Moat of Ardscull Sp Athy, Co. Kildare ((Mid-East) in use 2007-2010 may have been used before. Is it still used?

Mullaghmore Sp Late 70s Co. Sligo (Border). No information beyond TNF

Naul hc (Mid-East) Need start date

Old Mill hc Co. Limerick (Mid-West) need start date

Pallas Karting Tynagh Co. Galway Carlow and Galway MCs First used for Sprints 1998?

Patrickstown hc Co. Meath Aug 1980 (Mid East) Cavan MC Have no other details. Need location and description, was it used only once?

Poulfor hc Wexford MC (South-East) need the start date

Punchbowl hc (South-East) Co. Waterford Tipperary LC&MC. Need the end date – was it Sept 78?

Rathdrum, County Wicklow (Mid-East) need end date I believe sometime in the 1980s

Rathoath (Ratoath) Sp Co. Meath (Mid-East) 1970s No information beyond TNF

Rathmoylan hc June 1963 Waterford MC (South-East) need description and location.

St Patrick’s Trian hc Donegal No information beyond TNF. Need dates location and description.

Speenogue hc 1909 Green Dust p158 (Border). Can’t find this in Motor News will check Automotor Journal.

Tramore Sand Races, County Waterford (South-East) I would like the date of the 1933 meeting

Having lobbed this rock into the pond, I'm going away tomorrow for a week but I will get back to anyone who has questions as soon as I can.

PS I promise I'll put the full 99 on when it is complete.

PPS I have identified 50 venues in Northern Ireland

Edited by fuzzi, 17 March 2011 - 15:44.

[Vitesse2]

Cornelscourt: possibly March 28th 1925. There's a report headed "motorcycling" in the Irish Times of March 31st which includes Cornelscourt in the text.

Glengesh: again an Irish Times reference headed "motorcycling". There's what may be a preview in the issue of Saturday May 31st 1924.

Tramore: date possibly included in a calendar list in the Irish Times of June 19th 1933. Can't find a report though.

[LittleChris]

Ballybunion was a motorcycle circuit used only once in 2005 when unfortunately Richard Britton lost his life during the 250 race. Despite searching, I've never found a circuit map.

[FredF1]

Carrigrohane Speed Trials organised by Munster MC (South-West). Was the last date May 85?


I think it might have been. I'll be seeing my brother on Sunday so I'll ask him as I *think* he attended an event there around that time.

[EDWARD FITZGERALD]

Carrigrohane Speed Trials organised by Munster MC (South-West). Was the last date May 85?


I think it might have been. I'll be seeing my brother on Sunday so I'll ask him as I *think* he attended an event there around that time.

pretty sue Sprint and hillclimb at Farnanes last ran in 85 , I was tge RIAC sreward ,

[fuzzi]

Thank you for those replies gentlemen.

Looks like I'm going to have to spend days looking at the Irish Times on Microfilm at the Newspaper Library.

I have come across mention of CarSport magazine - published in Belfast. Is it a good source for information on hillclimbs and speed events across Ireland? Sadly only restricted copies are available at the British Library and the publishers don't respond to e-mails about back copies.

[Vitesse2]

Looks like I'm going to have to spend days looking at the Irish Times on Microfilm at the Newspaper Library.

You do know that their archive is online, don't you? It can be searched for free and you can then buy a 24 hour pass for 10 euro and download as much as you like on PDFs. Same deal at the Irish News Archive, which has the Irish Independent and several regional papers.

http://www.irishtime...arch/index.html

http://www.irishnewsarchive.com/

[fuzzi]

What a good idea!

Better than spending a day struggling with microfilm, and cheaper than the train fare.

Thank you

[Charles Helps]

I am delighted to see, from an early post, that Craigantlet is still used. For cars? I recall it from the '50s and 60s, and would love to see any pix from then if anyone has one. Used to walk to it up over the hill from Holywood...

Mal, did you see this this old thread Irish Racing 1953/4 at the time? Graham Gauld's pictures of Chris Lindsay, Leslie Innes and Denis Wilkins in Lotus Mk VIs at Craigantlet

[Richard Young]

Glengesh, in Co. Donegal, was used a couple of times in the 90s and, indeed, hosted the final rounds of the Irish HC Championship a couple of times durting that period. The last was, I think, in 1996 but I could be wrong.....

[fuzzi]

Richard, thank you for that about Glengesh.

Are you by any chance the Richard Young who was multiple Hillclimb Champion in the 1980s and 90s?

[EDWARD FITZGERALD]

Richard, thank you for that about Glengesh.

Are you by any chance the Richard Young who was multiple Hillclimb Champion in the 1980s and 90s?

Richard is very modest , he is the same .

[Richard Young]

Well....I've a lot to be modest about - like my difficulties remembering dates ! I'm all at sea as far as Glengesh years are concerned. I'm pretty sure it was run in '89, but have a feeling that Knockalla may have reappeared after that.......Which would make '96 a bit wrong. Someone will know. It just isn't me, even though I was there....