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Gordon Bennett Motor Race 1903
Leinster Leader, Saturday 23 May 1903, Last Edition – Page 5
District Doings.
…
In Athy and Carlow.
…
* * *
At the same meeting a motion by Mr. J. B. Deegan, V.C., asking
the Athy magistrates to re-consider their decision not to grant occasional
licenses for the day of the motor race, was declared lost.
* * *
Mr. Deegan argued that the people would require refreshments,
and broadly conveyed that Adam’s ale did not deserve to be dignified
as such.
* * *
Mr. St. John thought that the granting of those licenses would
be trifling with life. He gave notice to move at the next meeting that
they consider their responsibilities with regard to providing all the
necessary accommodation in view of the great influx of visitors on “motor
day”.
* * *
In Athy and Carlow a good deal of indignation has been caused
by the reports which are being circulated with regard to hotel charges
and other accommodations. Those reports, where not untrue, are grossly
exaggerated.
* * *
In the last number of the “Motor News” a lot of capital
is made out of the fact that “£6 for the night” was
asked for a single bedroom in the Post Office at Kilmeade, which is
adjacent to the Moate of Ardscull, whence a good view can be obtained.
* * *
The fact is not mentioned that Mr. Mecredy offered for the
bedroom the munificent sum of 10s., when Mr. J. Kelly, D.C., the proprietor,
or acting proprietor, replied that he wouldn’t break up his house
for £6.
* * *
It is not mentioned that Mr. Mecredy obtained for the modest
sum of £10 a site at Ardscull on which to erect his stand, and
that the Automobile Club had obtained at Ballyshannon Cross Roads, the
starting and finishing point, a site of about half an acre for a similar
sum.
* * *
On this site will be erected a stand, on which the Viceregal
party will be accommodated.
* * *
It would be interesting to know what exactly the Automobile
Club will net on this stand the site for which was procured for the
moderate sum of £10.
* * *
Then “a friend in Athy” told the writer in the “Motor
News” that at the local fairs, when, of course, the hotel accommodation
is nothing like sufficient, a charge is made of something like 10s.
a night for sleeping accommodation, although in many cases the best
that can be offered is a couch or shake-down on the floor.”
* * *
The “friend” argued from this that those with accommodation “for
the Gordon-Bennett” might reasonably expect “a very special
price.”
* * *
There is always abundant hotel accommodation in Athy on the
occasion of fairs, but no such charge as 10s. a night ever obtained
or was ever asked.
* * *
It would appear as if some motorists required hotel accommodation
for nothing, and that their chagrin is great because their expectations
have not been fulfilled.
* * *
Hotel proprietors and occupiers who have accommodation to offer
will certainly charge extra during motor week, but they have too much
prudence and foresight, we are sure, to injure their interests in the
future by exorbitance on the coming eventful occasion.
* * *
Mons. Boufflis has taken some grounds near Kilcullen on which
he will erect tents to provide accommodation for from two to three hundred
Frenchmen.
* * *
Mr. Goff, the well-known motorist has taken Fontstown House
for a French competitor. In the lawn, accommodation will be provided
for from 100 to 200 people.
* * *
I learn that £80 has been given for a field in Kilrush, in which
it is proposed to erect a stand.
* * *
On Thursday Mr. Singleton, assistant Inspector-General, visited
Athy accompanied by County Inspectors Crane and Babbage, and District
Inspector Heard, for the purpose of regulating police arrangements in
connection with the motor race.
* * *
On Wednesday Mr. James Talbot Power, Leopardstown Park; Mr.
Percy, and some officers of the Channel Squadron, accompanied by a number
of ladies, visited Athy for the purpose of seeing portion of the motor
course.
* * *
They started from the Hibernian Hotel at 11 o’clock in a four-in-hand
tandem and motor car, and proceeded to Newbridge via the Moate and Ballyshannon.
…
In Naas and North Kildare.
…
* * *
Mr. John S. O’Grady has a pretty wit. He compared Naas to another
Lazaraus[sic] on Wednesday, when he referred to the local efforts made
to secure a share of the patronage that will follow the motor race,
and said that it was a case of “picking up the crumbs that fall
from the rich man’s table.”
* * *
Really, we should describe it as legitimate enterprise. Mr.
O’Grady did not elaborate his simile, nor tell us what town occupies
the position of Dives. Naas must console itself for the reference by
the reflection that Lazarus came out on top in the long run, and was
not an undue length of time scraping himself with potsherds. All we
can hope is that Mr. O’Grady was more charitable than to assume
that Kildare was the local Dives, or to condemn it inferentially to
the fate which befel[sic] its historic prototype.
* * *
Much word-spinning has been indulged in latterly as to the
prices asked by proprietors of hotels and lodging houses for accommodation
on the occasion of the motor race. We are confident that business people
in this district have too intelligent a regard to their own future interests
to kill the goose, suck the golden egg and break up the bipeds nest
all at once.
* * *
They are disposed to give the bird a chance. We have heard
of high prices being asked and given, but that is only what would be
anticipated on an occasion when tens of thousands will swarm into the
district. Besides, the highest prices are asked by people who do not
as a rule accommodate “paying guests” at all, and, in their
case, no hard-and-fast line can be drawn as to what is moderate and
what is exorbitant.
* * *
For instance, we are reliably informed that Mrs. Bardon, of
Kilcullen, asked £50 for a five roomed house for two nights, and
not only was her offer accepted on the spot, but in addition she was
given £30 for the use of the out-offices.