Well done to all who competed last week in Blackrock Over 60s Singing Competion. A great night was had by all. I took the pictures below. I misplaced my names list but it will turn up eventually! The semi-final of all the over 60s singing competitions is on Sunday 17 April 2011 in Cork City Hall.
Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,
Cork Independent, 31 March 2011
In the Footsteps of St. Finbarre (Part 253)
Landscapes of Dare-Devilry
The 1936 Cork Motor Races was a very positive project for Cork and as a spectacle the event was deemed a great success. Exploring the newspaper coverage in local and national press at the time reveals a project that was well supported locally and brought many people from around Ireland and Britain (to the extent that hotel accommodation became booked out).
On Saturday 16 May 1936, the race day, the entire 6 ¼ miles of the course was crowed on both sides while all the vantage points held crowds six or seven deep. This is shown in the British Pathé short film of the event, http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=6844. In this there are various shots of cars starting the race in groups, multiple shots of the race and the crowds of people watching from walls of houses and front gardens along the race route.
The entry list was by far one of the most attractive that has ever been secured for an Irish race, embracing as it did the names of many world famous drivers. The complete entry list was as follows. Representing the Irish Free State were F.H. Ffrench-Davis (Dublin), P.M. Dwyer (Cahir), D.C. MacLaughlan (Cork), G.H.W. Manders (Dublin), F. O’Boyle (Dublin), T.C. O’Shaughnessy (Dublin), J. Toohey (Dublin) and D. Yule (Dublin).
From Northern Ireland were L.R. Briggs (Whiteabbey), J. Carr (Belfast), H.W. Furey (Bangor), C.G. O’Neil (Belfast) and W. Sullivan (Belfast). Representing the United Kingdom were B. Bira (London and Prince of Siam), D.L. Briault (Pinner), C. Meryvn White (Bucks), G.F.A. Manby-Congrave (London), A. Dobson (Surrey), Sir A. MacRobert (Caherham), C.E.C. Martin (Surrey), I.O.F. Peters (Bristol), A. Powys-Fyffe (Bradfield), E.K. Rayson (London), R.E. Tongue (Manchester), The Duke of Grafton (London) and E.W.H. Dobson (Scotney). There was also one other whose name is not recorded. Out of the entry list all but three commenced the race.
The Irish Press in their press coverage (18 May 1936, p.12) noted that the course did not prove as fast as anticipated. Speeds of up to 130m.p.h were attained in the two mile Carrigrohane Straight Road but the back stretch, with its curving and undulating nature, was a severe test for cars and drivers. There was the Victoria Cross semi hairpin, the Poulavone hairpin, the wide right angled Dennehy’s Cross and the wide ‘s’ at the Gravel Pit bend, where the steep descent to a left hand turn called for as the Irish Press noted “extreme caution or dare devilry”.
Reginald Ellis Tongue of Manchester won the race in an English Racing Automobile or E.R.A. at an average speed of 85.53 m.p.h. in 2 hours, 12 minutes and 22 seconds. The E.R.A. was created in late 1933 by wealthy motor-racing enthusiast Humphrey Cook, successful racing driver Raymond Mays and designer Peter Berthon. The aim was to build British prestige abroad. The cars were to have purpose-built chassis using 1100 and 1500cc (and later 2-litre) engines based on a Riley block, modified to take a supercharger. E.R.A. was, arguably, the first small scale manufacturer of production racing cars in the UK.
For Reggie Tongue, it was the first time he succeeded in attaining first place. The highest place he got in the Free State had been third in the Phoenix Park races in 1931. Since that year to the Cork race, he had built up much experience in Europe. In the Cork race of 1936, his skill and luck prevailed as he had a trouble free run all the way. His car was ideally geared for the course and in clashes with rivals at any of the bends he always came out “seconds to the good”. He was, with one exception, fastest around Victoria Cross, Dennehy’s Cross and the Gravel Pits. His only main rival was B. Bira, the Prince of Siam. He had only started racing in 1935 and won the Prince Rainier Cup race at Monaco and the International Trophy race. After a couple of laps it was obvious that Bira and Tongue, barring accidents, would fight out the finish. They kept overtaking and getting away from those behind them. With ten laps to go, a broken fuel pipe brought an end to the Prince’s hope. Fifteen minutes later, he arrived on foot at the pits.
The winner and Prince Bira of Siam set such a hot pace from the start that only eight of the 24 starters finished in the time limit. Mechanical defects were responsible for practically all the retirements. The course proved its reputation for safety, there being only one accident with no serious consequences. On the back stretch C. Mervyn-White, when cornering at Inchigaggin at high speed, hit the fence, and his car turned a complete double broadside somersault, landing on its wheels before hitting the wall on the opposite side of the road. He recovered control, and with a damaged axle and injuries to his head and hand, drove back to the pits.
The winner’s margin over A. Powys-Lyybbe, who was second, was 3 minutes, 23 seconds. The first three finishers were English men and five of the eight starters who finished within the time limit were also visitors. The Saorstát entrants claimed the same proportion, three of its six starters completing the course.
To be continued…
Captions:
584a. Reginald Ellis Tongue winning the Cork Motor Race, 1936 (source: still from British Pathé)
584b. Crowd scene, Cork Motor Race, 1936 (source still from British Pathé)
UCC Philosophical Debate, Lord Mayor’s Gold Medal:
A Place for Democracy?
Lord Mayor’s Gold Medal, 21 March 2011
Speech, Cllr Kieran McCarthy
Ladies and gentlemen of UCC Philosoph, On behalf of the Lord Mayor, many thanks for the invitation here this evening. It’s a great privilege for me to be able to address you with my councillor hat on and my other hats. Leaving it open to what your guest wants to say presents challenges and opportunities.
Our four finalists this evening will speak about democracy – the west versus the Arab world and the place of democracy. That is no easy task trying to core to the depth of what democracy is and I have no doubt will create some oohs and ahs, nodding and shaking of heads, will expose truth and falsehoods and will incite anger in the bar afterwards. But perhaps what we will get to is how democracy is an ongoing process as society sets out to keep refining its values on ways of life.
For my part as an Independent Councillor I am happy that I was given a mandate by the people in the south east ward of Cork in June 2009 to represent them. But democracy to me is more than just politics and votes. It is a quest for a better city to live in.
I am a geographer by trade. I am currently pursuing a PhD in the Department of Geography. I am exploring how collective memory is created on the landscape and how this memory and associated heritage affects the human built environment through features such as ruins, memorials and acts of pilgrimage. Hence I have an interest in the importance of history, the heritage of the land, the psychology of people, the psychology of place and identity making, all of which affects in different ways the idea or ideas of democracy. My interests have informed my view of the world and hence my writing, my newspaper column I write in the Cork Independent, my publications, my walking tours of the city and the work I pursue in schools, primarily getting school children, both primary and secondary to complete local history projects on their localities.
But all of that is also my career – my interest in education and its power has also led me to huge interest in concepts of innovation, enterprise and citizenship, the idea of empowering people, the importance of community, identity, place building, community development and questioning and trying to define the importance of community
All of these threads may seem like a bundle of random ideas but they are all part of my life’s process – I work across these wide range of ideas. I stood in the local elections not from a political gene pool perspective but from a perspective that I am passionate about my city but also the idea that this place has always been an ambitious city and deserves to better recognised for its creativity and talent.
Cork City Imagined:
So democracy for me firstly is about the physicality of a place – in this case city and exploring what, who and when of its creation.
With that in mind, I have often marvelled in my research on how our city is built on a swamp – a fantastic piece of engineering in itself. I marvel at the city’s human built fabric – its higgely piggely architecture – how it sits in a basin crawling out as to grab its hilly suburbs as if to make sure it doesn’t completely sink. The concept of place-making in Cork also interests me and the multi dimensional perspectives that go with that and the effect on values, perceptions and beliefs on its people.
Cork City’s evolution can be narrated and conceived as an unfolding succession of stories; various people coming and going through the ages, leaving their own mark on the city and region. Cork’s urban landscape or textbook is throbbing with messages about the past, present and future. This throbbing or energy- with all its tensions, flows, complexities, even down to the look of the city’s architecture, cogwheels of traffic and people flows- all create the momentum to drive the city on –
The city’s poetic landscape of architectural monuments link to some form of celebration of the living past and present. Those links in turn combine to create a strong sense of place, emotional attachment and identity. That place-making can be sometimes located in space, and at other times in the mind.
Cork’s landscape is indeed something ancient, soulful and purposeful – something motivating and ambitious. It’s as if the human built world does provide the landscape with a voice. For the walker, explorer, geographer like me, the human built fabric creates a landscape of living encounters, experiences, connections, journeys, ideas and re-interpretations – perhaps all of which ideas of democracy weave through.
Cork Shows Us:
Putting on the hat of councillor one sees alot more. Through my ward work I marvel at the work of individuals and groups who continue to bring people on a journey in life – the idea of active citizenship and its importance, calls for taking ownership of one’s life and the country’s direction.
With such noble call the physical landscape is peopled with interesting debates on what type of people we need to be to move forward. The present debate on what this country needs to do economically and how we need to do that is very relevant.
Recently we have heard terms such as democratic mandates from our politicians and calls for building change as well at grass roots level, to restore some kind of pride in ourselves – to debate yes and call for answers in our political and economic landscapes but not to become bitter to the point that we remain negative in everything we personally do.
The country, yes, badly needs a plan but so do Irish communities. We need leaders in our communities to show us alternatives in our lives – to show part of our lives that perhaps we have never explored – to help us to connect to other people so perhaps each one of use at a minimum is illuminated by advice or a nugget of wisdom… and that we have the ability to be open minded to other people and other ideas. Ultimately, people do need direction, something to work toward. That perhaps democracy should not be a static term but is reworked over and over by each generation.
Happy productive life:
Ultimately, I reckon when you think about your life, to live a happy productive on a minimum basis and whether we deem a need for them or not-
We need to be listened to and to listen… we need to be inspired and to inspire… we need to be encouraged and to encourage… be empowered and to empower… be enabled by action and to enable action … we need to be cared for and to care.
All of us here have experience of those basic actions and their relevance in our own lives
Our communities need a plan to create a better society, something that is better that what we left during the now mythic Celtic Tiger days. We need to take responsibility for part of this plan
We need realistic steps to achieve that. All too often we hear about a general vision for Irish community life but ultimately we need engines..drivers like our community leaders to drive forward the country so that will not become stale and disillusioned.
Community leaders are like giant spotlights in the sky; they can and will continue to uphold human values for all to see and replicate, they can send out the message that we do need to care – care about something… to do something purposeful…to move yourself forward… to hone our personal talents, which we all have or even seek advice.
So for me at this moment is time, Democracy and its processes or all important ideas, some physical and many more community based and imagined.
Perhaps what is also important and that really shines across in the field of democracy is yes the need for a vision but also a real step by step plan for Irish Society.
But Cork as a place shows us much – talent, confidence, self pride, self belief and innovation. And ladies and gentlemen, in the Ireland of today, we need more of such confidence, pride and belief and innovation– we need to mass produce these qualities and step by step approaches to pursue them.
John Giles Foundation:
Launch of Charity Walk from CIT to Cork Greyhound Stadium:
http://johngilesfoundation.com/
The “Walk of Dreams” is a national fundraising campaign to help build stronger clubs, schools and communities throughout Ireland. At 3pm on Sunday 27th of March, 2011 the Cork Soccer Clubs walked the “Walk of Dreams” for the first time.
Over 60’s Singing Heat in Sarsfield’s, Glanmire:
On Board the French Naval Vessel:
Cllr Kieran McCarthy, Remarks on Investment by
City Council on E.100,000 into Fastnet Line
At the outset Lord Mayor I’m a big fan of the Fastnet Line and the company who re-engaged and re-energised the route between Cork and Swansea. I appreciate the need for investors to supplement their business finances. And I welcome the fact that local enterprise is crucial to the future of this region.
This is the second year, this Council has been approached with requests for funding from the Fastnet Line. At the Council meeting in January 2010, we agreed to give them E.200,000; this time around it’s 100,000; so in the space of 16 months, the Fastnet line will receive, if agreed this evening, the bones of E.300,000- nearly a third of a million euros.
What have the Council got for that investment? Well… that’s the problem I have – I don’t know – I have got no accounts or even an annual report before me or even the bones of a business plan before me–last year this Council invested over E200,000 in another company, a City institution and then it had to take the decision to close down a week later for three months during the summer because of its financial situation that the majority of the Council were unaware of.
So with no accounts, no annual report, I’m asked to give my approval to Fastnet Line project who I think, from media coverage, is doing well.
If you are a brass band in this city and you apply for an arts grant, you have to fill out acres of forms to get E.1000; it seems easier to get E.100,000, there seems to be no forms and no reports…. That’s my first issue and query – where are the reports or business plans by this company?
My second query is where does this investment fit into the new tourism sub directorate and the Council’s role in promoting the city. I wandered down to the ferry terminal this morning and there was not an ounce of paper in the ferry terminal on Cork City. Indeed, there is not even a welcome to Cork sign or anything to engage the visitor to think about their stay. Indeed for all the money Cork spends on its 100 days of festivals, one would like to see a sign saying something like “welcome to Cork: expect culture”.
Then there is the signage on the main roads. I was intriqued this morning to see the carboard signpost indicating the direction to West Cork stuck into the Shannon Park roundabout.
Lord Mayor once the tourist get as far as the Carrigaline Roundabout, there is a decision to be made if it hasn’t been made already by the tourist. If they head towards Carrigaline, the city loses the visitor to West Cork, if we can get them to turn right and bring them into the city, then we’re promoting the city’s tourism outlook
So I wonder about how this proposed investment of E.100,000 is going to be maximised. Now I’m not insinuating that the E.100,000 will not be invested in the MV Julia but certainly Cork City needs to get more of a look in where the money is going.
Is there going to be literature on Cork City on the ship, at both Cork and Swansea Terminals?
The Council already funds a festival forum? Where do they fit in? Are there even banners on the ship? They certainly are not in the terminal.
Where does the Cork-Swansea twinning link fit in?
These are all issues I would like to call on the manager to comment on. Indeed, I would like a vote on the granting of this matter be deferred to the next Council meeting until at least this Council is given by Fastnet Line at least an annual report in some shape or form to read; so that this Council can give an informed agreement to the granting of E.100,000 for 2011.
I had the pleasure of launching artist Tony O’Connor’s work last night at the 2020 gallery on the North Mall. Tony’s work can be seen in the pictures below and on his website, http://www.whitetreestudio.ie/
Kieran’s Launch Speech
Eye to the Soul
Tony O’Connor, Ladies and Gentlemen, many thanks for the invitation to come and chat to you this evening.
This is my second time launching one of Tony’s exhibition – the last time being in September 2009. Since then Tony has been busy getting his work more national exposure through commissions and national critiques.
Walking around one can see the amount of work that has been put into the artwork on display. What is very evident is the passion that Tony has for his work, the amount of planning, design work, thought, emotion and building work that has gone into these artworks. While these images speak volumes to the horse lover, the quality, detail and narrative work gives Tony’s a much broader appeal. Anyone who appreciates the processes of drawing, the freeze framing of a piece of life, the horse and now cows cannot but be drawn in – taken on a journey looking at Tony’s work
They say that art has the power to stop, impress, make one question, wonder, dream, remember, be disturbed, explore and not forget – a whole series of emotions – all of which echo throughout Tony’s photographs.
Contested Views:
As a student geographer in the Department of Geography near here my own interests have been for some many years exploring Irish culture, history, landscape and identity making. I have a passion for exploring Cork City and its region’s rich historical tapestry which to me is an enormous and complex artwork, which has its own lines, contours and outward expression, meanings and memories.
Tony’s work before us also zooms in on what could be described a piece of life – his works create new ways of seeing aspects of the Irish countryside, create ways of expressing ideas about life in the Irish countryside.
Each of Tony’s work presents a different view but of course are all connected through the overall theme of the exhibition; each work has its own meanings and memories to him and of course one can say all of that for all those who come to view his works. Each viewer will take something different away from their visit to view his work.
Mesmorisation:
Perhaps one of the central threads to Tony’s work is the power of the contours of his subjects – his works on display fluctuate between views of bits of animals and full views. Tony is mesmorised and empowered to react to the narratives he encounters – memories and life within landscapes and this draws him closer to his subjects of study. It is clear that his subjects have affected him in different ways. It has slowed him down to observe, ponder and react to its details.
He seems to be continually learning how to see, read, understand and to appreciate his subjects.
For Tony, his subjects with all their strengths and weakness perhaps is a genius which he continues to chat to. It engages, inspires, pushes him on and moulds him.
His work as memories light up his canvasses – every story presented is charged with that emotional sense of nostalgia –the past shaping his present thoughts, ideas and actions.
It is said that a place owes its character not only to the experiences it affords –sights and sounds – but also to what is done there – looking, listening and moving. Tony explores the richness in the ordinary if one looks, listens and observes.
Hauntings:
All of what I have noted are ideas. They plus many more ideas certainly haunt Tony’s own journey in his work in the Irish landscape, where he meets his subjects,
But what is quite clear is that Tony has explored, explores and will continue to explore different ways of looking at what’s in front of us. Perhaps for us the viewer, he presents a set of lenses or tools perhaps to decode, discover, recognise, reveal, synthesise, communicate, move forward and explore Ireland’s cultural heritage, its environment and the very essence of Irish identity
Ladies and gentlemen, in this world, we need more of those traits; of thinking outside of the box – more confidence, strength of imagination, freedom to express oneself, determination, force of life – and we need to mass produce these qualities.
Tony, may you always have an open mind to ideas, and that your talent will grow with each work. I wish you all the best of luck with this exhibition and moving forward into the future as you cross boundaries and beyond with your work.
It is my great pleasure to launch your art exhibition.
Kieran’s Our City, Our Town, Cork Independent,
24 March 2011
In the Footsteps of St. Finbarre (Part 252)
Car Race Fever, 1936
“For the first time in its chequered history, Cork is in the grip of car race fever and the fact that the vast majority of its citizens have never seen such a thing as a high speed car race abates not one jot or tittle the absorbing interest of next Saturday’s big event. Business concerns and representative citizens have subscribed generously to the financial side of the project; the men who volunteered to do the prolonged spade work of the preparations have spared no effort to achieve success and now, at the culminating point of the great endeavour, the general body of the public have entered into the spirit of hope of a great success for one of the most ambitious staged in the Southern Capital” (Journalist, Cork Examiner, 14 May, 1936, p.12)”.
In the years 1929-1931 Phoenix Park was the key venue for the Irish Grand Prix in motor car racing and was very well supported. Similarly thousands of people came out on 5 August 1935 to see the first Grand Prix race in Limerick. Inspired by the Limerick races, the people of Cork were spurred to host a similar event. The viability of organising a motor race in Cork was initially mooted by the Lord Mayor, Alderman Sean French. A committee was set up under the chairmanship of R H Tilson. They sought to develop further the populace interest in automobile sport south of the River Shannon and to investigate the benefit it would have to the City of Cork and the surrounding area. The Royal Irish Automobile Association (IMRC) were written to. Formed in 1901, they are now one of the oldest motor clubs in the world. They were asked them to be promoters of the planned Cork race. The Government Roads Department and Cork County Council invested in bringing the chosen circuit in the Carrigrohane Straight Road area up to the required standard for the running of such an event. The Cork business community also invested in getting the project up and running.
The Cork Examiner on the Thursday before the race day (which was Saturday, 16 May 1936), had an extensive written spread on the event. The distance of the track was 201 miles or 33 laps of the circuit. The starting time was 3.30pm and the estimated time of the race was two hours and twenty minutes. Practice was held over the two days previous to the race. The race was a handicap one, the handicap consisting of credit laps and time penalties. The cars started in four groups, one with the fall of the flag and the other three at one minute intervals. The prize fund totalled £650. The direction of the race was citywards as far as Victoria Cross, then to Dennehy’s Cross and the Model Farm Road. The back stretch finished at the Poulavone hairpin bend, on the main Ballincollig Road; for this point the cars proceeded citywards, passing the old Carrigrohane railway station and so into the straight. In anticipation of the high speeds on the concrete stretch, a white line was drawn ten feet from the right hand kerb. The slower cars had to keep inside this line, except when passing out.
Being the first time, the venture was run in Cork, the race was not granted international status. An entry of twenty-seven was received. The most famous of the drivers was Austin Dobson, of Surrey, who piloted the Alfa-Romeo, in which the Italian ace Nuvolari won the German Gran Prix in July 1935. This car was reputed to be the fastest ever seen in Britain and Ireland, being capable of speeds up to 180 miles per hour, and in it Dobson was hopeful to set a new record. He already held the Phoenix Park record with 99.6 m.p.h.
Austin Dobson was partnered by two other well known drivers from Brooklands, motor racing circuit in Surrey, England Charles Edward Capel Martin and A Powess-Fyffe. At Donnington Charles Martin broke the lap record three times and set up new figures for ten laps. Powess, who was a newcomer to Free State Racing, had many Brooklands successes to his credit. Brooklands was a 2.75-mile (4.43 km) motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England. It opened in 1907, and was the world’s first purpose-built motorsport venue, as well as one of Britain’s first airfields. The circuit hosted its last race in 1939, and is today home for the Brooklands Museum, a major aviation and motoring museum, as well as a venue for vintage car, motorcycle and other transport-related events.
The majority of the English drivers who came for the Cork race arrived from Fishguard on the MV Innisfallen. They were greeted by Major Neill McNeill, President of the Irish Motor Racing Club, Mr. D J Scannell, secretary, Mr R H Tilson, Chairman of the organising committee of the race and many members of the committee. The drivers’ cars and racing kit were taken ashore. All the racing cars were subsequently conveyed to the Fordson factory on The Marina, where their official scrutiny was conducted by the officials of the Irish Motor Racing Club. Whilst waiting, the visitors got a tour of the Fordson Plant.
To be continued…
Captions:
583a. Motor Car Racing on the Carrigrohane Straight, 14 May 1936 (source: Wilford J. Fitzsimmons book The Cork Motor Races, 1936-1938)
583b. Rough sketch map of the 1936 Motor Car Race in the Carrigrohane Straight Road area by The Cork Examiner, 14 May 1932, p.12 (source: Cork City Library)
I’m delighted to have been shortlisted for the “Best Blog of a Politician” by the Irish Blog Awards, yeah!!!! well done to the winner Dylan Haskins
see http://awards.ie/blogawards/ for more…
Kieran’s Our City, Our Town,
Cork Independent, 17 March 2011
In the Footsteps of St. Finbarre (Part 251)
The Wright Record
“A new world’s motor cycle speed record of 150.74 m.p.h was set up by J.S. Wright, the British Rider, on the Cork Carrigrohane Road yesterday. This speed beats the record of 137.61 miles per hour made in September by the German rider, Henne. The road has been pronounced the fastest road in Great Britain or Ireland” (Journalist, Irish Independent, 7 November 1930, p.9).
In a historical sense the Carrigrohane Straight Road, since its creation in the nineteenth century, has always played a key part in the life of the city. In the 1930s, it was well known for its motor cycle speed records and the Cork Motor Car Races of 1936-1938. The first major attempt to harness the two and a half mile concrete road for creating speed records was for a motor cycle speed meeting in 1929 at which speeds of a hundred miles per hour were attained. The first fastest motorcycle record was set unofficially by Glenn Curtiss in 1903. The first officially-sanctioned Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme record was not set until 1920. In mid 1930, Joseph Wright of Britain lost the motor cycle speed record to Jacob Ernst Henne (BMW) of Germany. Later that year, plans were made to retake the record. The 1930 Motorcycle Exhibition at Olympia, London was coming up in the second week of November 1930 and it was generally felt it would be good for business if a British machine could regain the record.
English motor cycle manufacturers had held a monopoly of the world’s speed record for many years in the early twentieth century and there was consternation in English trade and sporting circles when the German rider Henne deprived England of the honour. J.A. Prestwich Industries was one such prominent English motor cycle manufacturer, which wished to provide an engine for the new record. Named after its founder John Alfred Prestwich (from Tottenham), the company produced cinematographic equipment, internal combustion engines (for which the company was generally abbreviated to “J.A.P.”), and other examples of precision engineering. Their engines were used in many famous motorcycle brands and other devices, such as early aeroplanes, chainsaws, and cultivators such as those produced by Howard Rotovators, and light rail maintenance trucks. During the Second World War J. A. Prestwich produced around 240,000 industrial petrol engines in support of the war effort, together with millions of aircraft parts, fuses, etc. Their motorcycle engines were associated with racing success and were still used in speedway bikes well into the 1960s.
A few days before the London Motorcycle Exhibition in early November 1930, the Cork and District Motor Club directed the organising bodies of the new record attempt by British interests to the Carrigrohane Straight Road. The road had a fine surface because of receiving an excellent cement surface in 1927. Joseph S Wright, one of Great Britain’s foremost motor cycle racers came to Cork to attempt a new record. French officials arrived in Cork with special electric timing apparatus. Lieutenant-Colonel Crerar was director of the test. The first attempt was on 5 November 1930 but was postponed owing to continuous rain and greasy conditions on the road. The trial took place the following day.
Joseph Wright rode a 1,000 cc Q.E.C. Temple J.A.P-engined machine and regained the record by clocking up at just over 150 miles per hour. Appearing in a British Pathé movie (http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=4434), his clothing was strapped down to cut back on wind resistance. He even had tape put around his throat. He wore a streamlined motorcycle helmet. The film shows shots of the bike being towed behind a car to get up to starting speed.
The West Cork Motorcycle Club in their historical research notes that the bike was built by Claude Temple who had himself already broken the speed record for motorcycles in about 1927. It featured a supercharged 998cc V Twin JAP engine and front forks to the OEC patented design. They argue that there was a controversy at the time in which it was claimed the bike had in fact broken its engine on the first run and the record run was actually made on the back up Zenith-JAP. No one seems to be sure. The manufacturing of the Claude Temple company ended due to the Second World War Allied bombings, which devastated the factory forcing them to cease production. With out the capital to get the factory fully re-opened, the manufacturing totally ceased in 1954.
The Lord Mayor Frank J. Daly hosted representatives of J.A Prestwich and Co. Ltd and Joseph Wright at a dinner on the night of the record feat. In his address, he noted that “the government of the Free State was most anxious to foster and cater for anything that would help the Saorstát to keep its place amongst the nations of the earth”.
As for the record, it was retaken by the German Jacob Ernst Henne two years later in Hungary. Between 1928 to 1937, he achieved a total of 76 land speed world records, the last on November 28, 1937 with 279.5 km/h (173.7 mph) on a fully-faired 500cc supercharged BMW. This record stood for 14 years.
To be continued…
Captions:
582a. Joseph S. Wright, 1933 in Lancastershire (source: Boole Library, UCC)
582b. Preparing at the Carrigrohane Straight Road on 6 November 1930 (source: T.W. Murphy)
I welcome the Resident Participation Report and complement the Housing Directorate on this programme and Donal Guerin on his work. Civic participation is highly important in creating a sense of place, pride and identity in the city. The Resident Participation programme has hit a number of issues, which need to be looked at –
(1) difficulties in getting residents to overcome concerns such as victimisation, lack of time and a perception that other residents will let committee members do all the work
(2) difficulties with racism toward tenants
(3) difficulties with anti-social behaviour by young people
and (4) and a need for developing opportunities for resident groups to take more responsibility for their environment.
These are issues that the Council need to continue to look at and the new central government needs to look at seriously.
I would like to see a proper civic engagement inititaive like the Green Flag environment programmes in our schools. We expect people to go on committees where they have no background or exposure during their education at all to committee or even community work.
I agree with the directors report that we have to build upon the success of the community events on Bonfire night. But we ultimately need to do more with regard to protecting our green spaces in the city on this night.
We have approx 101 festival days in Cork City; one of those days unravels all the good work associated with the other 100 positive festival days. It’s not good enough that Cork makes national television news for this annual terrorism festival and gets no major coverage for the other 100 days.