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Gordon Bennett Motor Race 1903
Intro and Menu | July Articles
Leinster Leader, Saturday 11 July 1903, Last Edition - Page 5
District Doings,
In Naas and North Kildare
…
***
The proposal of “Motoring Illustrated” to provide a 250 guineas
challenge cup for the purpose of an annual International motor race over
the Gordon-Bennett course will be of considerable interest to the localities
immediately concerned.
***
So far as Naas opinion has expressed itself, we believe it
is not favourable to sanctioning the use of the local roads
for such contests again, unless the town is put in a position of deriving
more substantial benefit from them than it did on the recent historic occasion.
***
Naas, it seems, will expect that the original Gordon-Bennett
course, which ran through the town, will be reverted to, more
especially as the suggested contests will be a matter of endurance rather
than of speed.
***
Unless this concession is made to Naas sentiment, it is probable
that its representatives on the County Council will receive
a mandate to oppose the running of such races on any road in the vicinity.
***
Some of the English journals have been quite profuse in their
sneers at the accommodation offered by the Naas hotels. These
critics fail to remember that such establishments cannot, and do not, subsist
upon the customers whom a rare event like the Motor Race compels to spend
a few hours in the town.
***
The superior Briton evidently expects the Irish hotel proprietor
to embark all his capital in providing elaborate bar accommodation
for one day’s rush of motor tourists.
***
Our French exchanges to hand are, on the contrary, full of
complimentary references to all the local features of the Race.
They dwell without reserve on the thoroughly cordial and courteous manner
in which visitors have been received all along the course. The perfect
organisation which marked the patrolling of the road, and the restraint
preserved by the crowds, were such as our French observers did not previously
consider to be possible anywhere.
***
In the works of “Le Matin,” “tout etait impeccable” -
everything was irreproachable.
***
…
In Athy and Carlow.
…
***
Many Athy traders who had made elaborate arrangements to cater
for visitors on the day of the Motor Race were somewhat disappointed.
Before six o’clock in the morning many people had taken up their
positions along the course, and as the “specials” reached
Athy Station from Dublin the passengers flocked out into the country.
***
Athy was therefore not the seat of congestion that many, or
rather most, expected, and traders who had made elaborate arrangements
were certainly not recompensed for their trouble.
***
In Stradbally and district the attendance was very small, and
the prophecies of a large incursion of visitors indulged in by a certain
section of the Press were not fulfilled.
***
An amusing incident occurred in an Athy hotel on the night
of the Motor Race. A Kilkenny gentleman, a member of the teaching profession,
was mistaken for Jenatzy, to whom he bears a strong personal resemblance.
He was seized upon and feted as if he were a prince.
***
The object of all this hospitality was absolutely amazed at
the reception he received. When he ultimately discovered that he was
mistaken for the Gordon-Bennett Cup winner, and when his hosts were
apprised of the mistake ‘twas only then the fun commenced.’
***
By the way, Jenatzy was photographed in his winning car outside
the Royal Arms Hotel, Athy, on the 3rd inst. Seated beside him was Baron
de Caters, next to Edge and Winton the most popular of all the competitors.
For two nights in the Motor Week a party of Yankees paid the Hibernian Hotel, Athy, the handsome some of £61.
…