From the archives of Bob Montgomery, motoring historian
THE FAMOUS AND THEIR CARS: For a country in which it has often seemed down the years that the motor car is tolerated rather than embraced, a long line of the famous - and infamous - of Irish society have, nevertheless, been enthusiasts for motoring.
Perhaps the earliest Irish motorist of note was the First Earl of Iveagh, of brewing fame, who used his car in 1899 to tour around Ireland. This was almost certainly the first car journey around Ireland but sadly no written or photographic record seems to have survived as the Earl ordered that all his personal papers be destroyed upon his death.
Alfred Harmsworth, later Lord Northcliffe and founder of the newspaper empire, was born at Chapelizod and never lost his love of Ireland. In 1901, he too used a car to tour in Ireland from what was to become a very extensive stable of fine motors. Sir Horace Plunkett, the founder of the Irish Agricultural Organistion Society owned one of the first cars in Leinster (though not the first as claimed incorrectly by Elizabeth, Countess of Fingall in her autobiography Seventy Years Young). He was a genuine enthusiast for motoring and was deeply involved in the early days of the Irish Automobile Club, of which he became president.
Percy French was first an enthusiast for cycling and later for motoring, and of course his writings appeared regularly in the pages of Mecredy's two journals, The Irish Cyclist and The Motor News. Amongst his colleagues at the publications was Harry Harper, later to become the most famous of aviation writers, while another Irishman, CG Grey, was the local secretary of the southern branch of the Motor Cycle Union of Ireland. Grey would become the famous editor of The Aeroplane magazine and one of the most influential voices in aviation. His early motoring had been conducted in Ireland on an MMC motor-tricycle, then a Singer with its engine inside its back wheel followed by an Aerial trike and trailer.
The surgeon, senator, playwright, poet and wit Oliver St John Gogarty was a fanatic for all things Rolls-Royce and could apparently wax lyrical to the subject long after his listeners had lost all interest! Michael Collins was very taken with the Leyland Straight Six and one was given to him for his use. It was in this car that he was traveling when he met with his death at the ambush at Beal na Blath on August 22nd 1922. As recounted already in previous columns, The O'Rahilly was another patriot who was an enthusiast for motoring and of course, Eamon De Valera's Rolls-Royce is probably the most famous car in the history of the State.
The man who 're-invented' the pneumatic tyre, John Boyd Dunlop, was another who involved himself and his son, Johnny Dunlop, (for whose tricycle the first pneumatic tyres had been made) with all forms of early motoring. He and Johnny were active members of the Irish Automobile Club and were officials at many of their early sporting events as well as having a series of fine motor cars. The infamous 'Boss Croker' of Tammany Hall infamy was another who enjoyed his motoring and his white Daimler was conspicuous on the streets of Dublin in the first decade of the last century.
But perhaps one of the most unexpected motoring enthusiasts for motoring was Lord Craigavon, the prime minister of Northern Ireland. While in Northern Ireland for the TT Races at Ards, Prince 'Bira' and his cousin Prince Chula, were invited to lunch at Stormont by Craigavon. Impressed by the long avenue leading up to Stormont, they were overheard by Craigavon wondering what speed their Bentley could attain along it. Nothing would do Craigavon but for Bira to find out - with him as passenger! This was duly done to the great enjoyment of Craigavon and the bemusement of the two Siamese Princes.