Leinster Trophy Car Race 1935-1949
| Year | Leinster 100 (Car) |
| 1935 | J. Toohey (933cc Ford) |
| 1936 | J. Toohey (933cc Ford) |
| 1937 | D. McCracken (1.122cc Morgan) |
| 1938 | St. J. Horsfall (1.950cc Aston Martin) |
| 1939 | CE Robb (1.496cc Alvis Special) |
| 1948 | W. Leeper (972cc Sieger) |
| 1949 | Race Cancelled |
About
The Leinster Motorcycle & Car Club was founded in 1921. In 1923 they began organissing 100-mile Motor-Cycle Races, and in 1930 the Leinster Trophy moved to a new circuit around Skerries-Rush-Lusk. In 1934 they ran the first Leinster Trophy Car Race, which was won by Miss Fay Taylour, driving a car owned by Fianna Fail TD, Robert Briscoe.
In 1935 the circuit moved to Tallaght, as the Skerries circuit was not suited to 4-wheeled vehicles, and the race continued around the Tallaght Circuit until 1939, and the outbreak of World War II. It was restarted in 1948, and continued for two years.
Two sons of Arthur Conan-Doyle, who wrote The Sherlock-Holmes books, took part in one of the races.
The race ran from Main St, Tallaght, along to Templeogue Bridge, then down Firhouse Road to Old Bawn, and back up to Main St, Tallaght.
The races were Major events on the Irish Motor Racing Calendar. [Reference: 1]
References
Websites
[1] South Dublin County Council Library (2018) The Tallaght Motor Racing Circuit 1935-1948 [Internet] Available from: https://localstudies.wordpress.com/2018/08/23/the-tallaght-motor-racing-circuit-1935-1948/ [Accessed 21 January 2020]
[2] South Dublin County Council Library (2018) Motor Race Posters 5 [Internet] Available from: https://localstudies.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/motor-races-poster-5.png [Accessed 21 January 2020]
Social Media
[3] The Old Neighborhood of Tallaght (2020) Photo by Gerard Byrne January 16, 2020 [Internet] Available from: https://scontent-dub4-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/82831633_2841136469308052_8550734644532740096_o.jpg?_nc_cat=100&_nc_ohc=LgqZziLm1rEAX-d9ty6&_nc_ht=scontent-dub4-1.xx&oh=273a80ebca45486f28c0d39fd4bebc18&oe=5ED8022B [Accessed 21 January 2020]
[4] The Old Neighborhood of Tallaght (2020) Photo by Gerard Byrne January 16, 2020 “Tallaght 1938 a very rural place” [Internet] Available from:https://scontent-dub4-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/82451742_2845370152218017_9178026459338375168_o.jpg?_nc_cat=106&_nc_ohc=EtfknZ95SdMAX8oSdep&_nc_ht=scontent-dub4-1.xx&oh=e8e76b2681b2feba22df578c9c98eea9&oe=5E9AADA3 [Accessed 21 January 2020]
Further Reading
McCullagh, Robin, The Tallaght Motor Races 1935-1948 (Dublin, 2011).
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Richard Declan Mulcahy
About this document
Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the
Eirball | Irish North American & World Sports Archive
Last Updated: 14 May 2020
(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2020
You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Reserved.
Hi Enda, My name is Michael Keyes, Local Studies Librarian with South Dublin Libraries and I put together the exhibition and the blog post that you kindly acknowledged in your own post. I love the two photos you got from Gerard Byrne, I must get in contact and add them to our collection. One small point Arthur Conan-Doyle wrote The Sherlock Holmes books.
Regards, Michael
Hi Michael, thanks for replying and the correction. The Photographs can be found (and more) at The Old Neighbourhood of Tallaght Facebook Page. People have been putting up Photos of the Old Car and Motorcycle Races there recently. See https://www.facebook.com/groups/954921734907504/ for the Group Facebook Page. The Exhibition looks great. Do you still have a copy of the book. I think my dad would love it!
Hi Enda, Very nice entry. The results you have for the Leinster 100 are actually for the Leinster Trophy. The 100 was always a bike race while the Leinster Trophy was a handicap race for cars.
I’m the admin for the Leinster Trophy Facebook group.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/717282088619439/
I’d like to use these photos with permission.
Thanks,
Brian
Hi Brian, thanks for your comment. And for the correction. The Photos I took off the Old Neighborhood of Tallaght Facebook Page. You would need to go to that page to find the originals and the Photographer. See here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/954921734907504/
Hi, I have just applied to join your Facebook Group for the Leinster Trophy History.
It’s an interesting bit of Tallaght-Templeogue History that I had no idea about until very recently!