County Kildare History and Heritage
Heritage Menu
Online Resources
Research Aids
Gordon Bennett Motor Race 1903
Intro and Menu | February Articles
Leinster Leader, Saturday 28 February 1903 -Page 3.
EDENDERRY UNION.
…
THE AUTOMOBILE RACE.
On the motion of Mr. O’Ferrall, seconded by Mr. Shiel a resolution
was passed expressing their earnest hope that the motor race for the
Gordon-Bennett Cup would be held in Ireland and on the course suggested.
……………………………………..
Carlow Petty Sessions.
MONDAY.
Before the Right Hon. H. Bruen (in the chair), Capt. Thomas
and R. R. Kennedy, R.M.
…
MOTOR CAR ON FOOTPATH.
Mr. Colman, Dublin Street, Carlow, was charged by Sergt. Frizelle
with have on Feb 13th driven a motor car on the footpath at Straw Hall.
Complainant said that during the time the defendant was on the footpath a girl with a perambulator had to leave the footpath. Witness with another man was returning off duty and had to stand up by the end of the ditch for the purpose of allowing the accused to pass.
Chairman: What was the description of the vehicle?
Defendant: It was four wheeled motor car.
Chairman: How was it driven or moved?
Defendant: By steam sir. The usual way that those motor cars
are driven.
Chairman: Then it was of very considerable size taking up the
breadth of the footpath? Witness: Yes, sir– a four wheeled motor
car.
Chairman: It wasn’t a bicycle or anything driven simply by the
foot?
Complainant: Oh, no, your worship, not at all.
Defendant: I admit being on the bicycle. I merely got up to
avoid some stones. It was not a car but a motor cycle. I wasn’t
on the footpath for more than thirty or forty yards and when he told
me it was not the place to be I immediately got off. When I got on the
footpath there was nobody on it. He added that he was not out for pleasure
and was merely endeavouring to escape the stones.
Chairman: You appear to have broken the law by going on the
footpath. Of course roads have to be repaired at this time
of the year and stones have to be put down, but that is not
a sufficient excuse for anyone to go on the footpath that is intended
for foot passengers. There have been several complaints, I observe,
latterly, about persons using those footpaths for riding horses going
along the road and otherwise making use or rather abuse of these footpaths,
which were intended for pedestrians. It is the first case we had to
deal with. We wish to give notice in the first place of the illegality
of this practice and you will have to pay 5s and costs or a week’s imprisonment.