This weekend was the 75th anniversary of the first ever
Limerick Grand Prix. First held in 1935 this was a city street race held over 150 laps with two classes of cars, quaintly known as the
baby cars and the
big cars. Limerick is the third city in Ireland and noted for its links with sporting achievement.
The organisers of a commemorative event this weekend claim that the Limerick Grand Prix circuit is one of only two street circuits in the world unchanged since inception - The other circuit being the almost as famous street race in Monte Carlo.
The Limerick GP was held in 1935, '36 & '38 and I have a special interest in the race because my mother has regularly told of watching street racing in our home city in the thirties as a child, but until now I had no mental image of what this must have been like. She used to watch the races from a first floor window thrilling to the sights and sounds of racing cars at full pelt around the streets people normally ambled along to engage in shopping or social events. Almost as vivid a memory for her is the smell of rubber and petrol from this bygone time.
The
Limerick Classic and Vintage Car Club organised this event to celebrate the status of the race and venue 75 years on from the first competition. An invitation went out to owners of pre-war classics to attend with a special interest in race cars. Amazingly 8 cars that actually took part in the racing attended among them 3 Alfa Romeos and 1 Fiat. Also some English cars I believe. A Bentley apparently worth ?5 million turned up, in all a value of ?15 million in cars was estimated to be on display.
The roads were closed for three laps of the city at generally modest speeds but by the time the third lap had come around speeds and exhaust noises rose along with the interest and appreciation of the onlookers.
Back in the 30's and according to my mother, a Prince was killed in one accident and I can recall hearing one of the organisers speaking with a reporter and discussing a Bugatti that crashed and burned at one corner. Possibly connected...
Here are pictures of some of the race cars in "parc ferme" along with video of the cars this morning ...retracing their tracks from all that time ago. Unfortunately the yellow Renault that can be seen taking up the rear was involved in a road traffic accident later in the day. All the traffic lights on the route to a hotel for lunch were flashing amber in all directions and a modern car apparently mis-judged the braking performance of the vintage car and a collision with some injuries resulted.
My favourtite car was this small red one (I sound like my wife here as cars from this era are not my speciality). It's a Lea Francis but with a Turner badge on the bonnet. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the pictures. Oh, and by the way, the yellow Fiat Ballila came fourth in the 1935 race.....or the Limerick Grand Prix...!
Now...I wonder could we interest Mr Ecclestone to stage a round of the FI GP in mid west Ireland.
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