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County Kildare History and Heritage

Gordon Bennett Motor Race 1903

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Leinster Leader, Saturday 14 February 1903 – Page 5.

CARLOW UNION.
FRIDAY.

Present: Messrs John Kelly, J.P. (in the chair), P. Brennan, J.P., J. Haugh, J. Graham, Gaffney, M. Molloy, U.D.C. E. Hughes, J.P., C.D.C., P. Neill, Thomas Kelly, W. Kelly, D. Whelan, P. Hosey, A. Doyle, M. Dooley, P. Byrne, J. Fleming, T. Byrne, J. Kavanagh, J. M. Doyle and J. McLoughlin, J.P.

THE AUTOMOBILE RACE.
The petition to Parliament in connection with the necessary legislation to permit the carrying out of the Gordon-Bennett Cup Race in Ireland was singed by the Chairman on behalf of the Board.

Leinster Leader, Saturday 14 February 1903 – Page 5.

District Doings.
In Naas and North Kildare.

The proceedings at the meeting of the Kildare County Council on Monday were unusually protracted, but, at the same time, they possess a compensating interest and importance. The chief subjects which came up for discussion were the great motor race, proposed to be held in this vicinity, and the suggested removal of the meetings of the Agriculture and Technical Instruction Committee from Naas to Kildare.
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The Secretary of the Automobile Club, who are promoting the motor race, attended and made a lucid statement as to their desires and intentions. The co-operation of Irish public bodies is essential, in order to induce the Government to introduce the measure enabling the race to be held. Of that co-operation the club may be assured. Every public body and every prominent man in the country, seeing the great importance of the project from every point of view financial and industrial, will give it their most cordial support.
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It will allay the fears, which may have been entertained by some councillors, to learn that the Automobile Club propose to give a sum of £1,000 or more towards the making of the necessary repairs and alterations in the roads. These repairs are fortunately only of a very minor character, but, however willing the Councils might have been to do the work themselves, the existing regulations would not permit them carrying their intentions into effect.
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We believe it may now be looked upon as certain that the race will be held here on or about the 9th July. There will undoubtedly be a tremendous crowd of visitors, not only from England, but from the Continent and from America, and as Mr. J. S. O’Grady said, they will receive a hearty cead mile failthe from the sport-loving people of Kildare