International Gordon Bennett Rally Ireland

The Irish Veteran and Vintage Car Club (IVVCC) was founded in 1963, sixty years after the Gordon Bennett Race was run in July 1903. The club looks after the interests of Irish owners of old cars and represents FIVA (Federation International de Voitures Anciens), the world body set up to cater for the old car movement in countries throughout the world.

Knolly Stokes, a Cork man who was a collector of old cars, got together with other Irish clubs who ran occasional events for early cars and in 1963 set up the IVVCC. In the years 1933 and 1953 the Leinster Club ran rallies to commemorate the 35th and 50th anniversaries of the great 1903 Gordon Bennett Race that was run over a course in counties Kildare, Carlow and Laois, shaped like a figure eight covering a total distance of 368 miles.

There were no further Gordon Bennett anniversaries until 1974 when Frank Cassidy, the then IVVCC President, and the board of the club decided that an annual commemoration rally would be run by the club using as much of the 1903 course as possible. This would keep alive the memory of the Gordon Bennett Race of 1903 when Jenatzy, a Belgian driving a Mercedes car, won at an average speed of 49.5 mph in 10 hours and 18 minutes. The total distance was 368 miles on rough and dusty roads.

The 1974 Gordon Bennett Rally committee, lead by Frank Cassidy, attracted much interest from locals from Carlow, Portlaoise and Kildare. Leslie Bradshaw from Portlaoise was the Rally Secretary, Tom James from Carlow was Clerk of the Course and Denis Lucey, Ronnie Matthews and Jim Cullen were also involved. The rally took place on the 12th & 13th July 1974 from the Killeshin Hotel in Portlaoise which was the headquarters of the event and most of the old Gordon Bennett course was used in those quiet roads of the time. The main competition was on the road section and the winner was Maurice Cassidy, driving a 1913 Renault 2.5 litre navigated by Bill Harney. Cars built prior to 1931 were eligible, with classes for antique, veteran and vintage cars. Appropriately the oldest car entered was the 1901 De Dion, registration number MI 1, owned by Osmond Bennett, a founder member of the IVVCC. Osmond was a regular entrant in the event up to last year but who sadly passed away in early 2009 – may he rest in peace. Car no. 2 was a 60 hp Mercedes, identical to the race winner of 1903, driven by Frank Smith who became a great enthusiast of the Gordon Bennett Rally. Frank cast a bronze replica of the Gordon Bennett Trophy and presented it to the IVVCC. Ever since it has been the prize presented to the rally winner each year – however because of its value the winner is only allowed to keep it for the duration of the presentation – it is a most cherished trophy.

Considerable changes have been made to the rally routes over the years due to road realignments and changes in the location of hotels capable of providing enough rooms and banqueting capacities.

Motor Distributors Ltd (MDL), the Mercedes distributors in Ireland, have been the main sponsors almost from the start of the Gordon Bennett Rally. In the mid seventies entries tended to fall off somewhat so Theo Ryan, Secretary of the event for many years and Denis Dowdall, Chairman of the Rally, decided to “sell” the rally in the UK by attending the annual VCC Brighton Run to canvass for entries in our Gordon Bennett event. This worked very well, so well that some years the number of entries from overseas exceeded the number of Irish entries. Indeed we now receive continental entries, American and an odd Australian car turns up – such is the reputation of our Gordon Bennett Rally.

As most of the overseas entrants come here on the Friday of the rally weekend it struck Matt Fagan (CEO of MDL) that if these people could start from MDL on the Naas Road a Friday start could be made from there. Then he thought it would be appropriate to put on a buffet lunch for them prior to the start. For many years this lunch became a meeting place for the overseas and Northern Ireland people. However due to difficulties with Naas Road traffic and crossing to the M50 the Friday start was changed to Sheehy Brothers’ new Mercedes outlet in Naas for the past two years, with great success.    The cars are there given a route to rally headquarters.

The Gordon Bennett Rally starts from rally headquarters with a number of difficult routes for each class of cars. All cars meet at a central lunch area usually a small town or village that becomes engulfed with old cars, much to the delight of those living in the area.   The cars then return to their various routes and then back to rally headquarters.   Dinner and prizegiving is held on Saturday evening.

On Sunday morning an Ecumenical Service is held before the cars drive to a place of interest.   The event ends after lunch.   This format has evolved over many years and appears to be the most successful. The owners of eligible cars are now caretakers of the cars and hopefully the IVVCC will continue to give these caretakers an opportunity to show and use their cars every year and preserve the memories of the great 1903 Gordon Bennett Race.

Jim Cullen
IVVCC

A painting by Jim Cullen of the Peerless car in the 1903 race from America driven by L. Moers