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2009
MERCEDES BENZ GORDON BENNETT INTERNATIONAL RALLY
This annual event has been organised
by the Irish Veteran and Vintage Car Club since 1974 to commemorate
the 1903 Gordon Bennett Rally that was held in Ireland.
| It has been my
pleasure to attend six of these annual events and over the
years I have managed to introduce other Standard owners to the
event and get them hooked as well. This year over 230 cars
from as far a field as Australia had entered the event, all of
them manufactured prior to December 1930.
This year I took my 1913 Rhyl
and invited Steve O’Hara to accompany me in the navigator
seat. Steve Smeltzer took his 1927 Australian bodied V4 model
with Bob and Val Richardson as passengers and Dennis and
Sheila Brown in the 1930 Selby also joined the party sailing
from Fishguard to Rosslare.
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Meanwhile, in a
two frontal attack on the Irish coastline, David and Harry
Groom were sailing from Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire in the 1928
Gordon England bodied Standard Nine.
I had booked the same
accommodation in Tullow, County Carlow as last year. Enough
words of praise were written on this establishment last year,
suffice to say, that the breakfast menu was as excellent as
ever and could be the subject of a separate article. Porridge
served with cream and whiskey liqueur, homemade Strawberry and
Rhubarb compote and smoked salmon with scrambled eggs all
feature on the extensive menu!
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| The traditional
start of Rally lunch at Naas was provided courtesy of the
sponsors. Plenty of good food and wine on offer. After the
customary welcome speech, we were off on the short run to
Mondello Park, the International
Motor Racing circuit.
Steve Smeltzer took me on a
couple of laps of the circuit in his V4 – obviously
practicing for a change of career to formula one racing! He
then pulled into the pit lanes and asked me if I would like to
take the wheel and take Bob and Val Richardson around the
circuit. That was an invitation that didn’t require much
thinking about the answer!
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Saturday is the
main Rally day and this year proved to be one of the wettest
in its history. Yours truly and Steve O’Hara ventured onto
the short route of 70 km along with other Veteran and
Edwardian cars. Meanwhile the three younger Vintage Standards
set off on the longer 140 Km route for Vintage Cars. Lunch,
for all routes, was taken in the town of Leighlinbridge.
Whilst here, I was able to meet up with one of one of our
Irish entrants, Jim O’Farrell in his 1915 model S.
Saturday night was the Gala
banquet back at Tullow. Speeches and prize giving until late
into the night. All had a good time, the Standard owners from
the UK could sit together on our own table, and a mini bus to
take us back to our accommodation afterwards, ensured that we
could all enjoy a drink or two.
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| Sunday was a lot
drier that the Saturday. Steve O’Hara arranged all the
Standards and their owners in front of Sherwood Park House,
for a group photograph. There then followed a short run to
Altamount Gardens for the final visit of the event. Tea and
Coffee, homemade cakes and strawberries were provided courtesy
of Carlow Tourism authority.
All to soon it was time to
say our goodbyes. Steve O’Hara and myself pointed the Rhyl
south towards Rosslare. David and Harry pointed the Gordon
England in a northeast direction towards Dun Laoghaire in a
journey that took them over the Wicklow Mountains. The whole
of their return journey was driven by Harry Groom, good to see
the younger generation taking an interest in Vintage Cars.
Meanwhile the V4 and the Selby stayed on in Ireland for a
further three days holiday.
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So another Gordon Bennett Rally draws
to a close with next year to look forward to. I hope some more pre
1930 Standards will join my party for next year’s event. It is my
ambition to have such a number of Standards taking part that Stena
Line has to lay on a special ferry!
Report
by Leonard Barr
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