Leinster Trophy Car Race 1935-1949
| Year | Winners | Car |
| Skerries Circuit | Handicap Libre | |
| 1934 | Jack Toohey | 1645cc Adler Trumpf |
| Tallaght Circuit | Handicap Libre | |
| 1935 | Jack Toohey | 933cc Ford |
| 1936 | Jack Toohey | 933cc Ford |
| 1937 | Desmond McCracken | 1.122cc Morgan |
| 1938 | “Jock” St. John Horsfall | 1.950cc Aston Martin |
| 1939 | C. Ernie Robb | 1.496cc Alvis Special |
| 1948 | William Leeper | 972cc Sieger |
| 1949 | Race Cancelled | |
| Wicklow Circuit | Handicap Libre | |
| 1950 | M. Pearse Cahill | 1287cc Iona Special |
| 1951 | Mike Hawthorn | 1496cc TT Riley BWK324 |
| 1952 | J. Desmond Titterington | Allard J2 |
| 1953 | Freddie Smith | Ford Special |
| 1954 | Bill Lacey | 1250cc MG TD |
| 1955 | David Piper | 746cc Empire Lotus IV |
| 1956 | J. Brian Naylor | 1484 cc Lotus Eleven Maserati |
| 1957 | J. Brian Emerson | 948cc Buckler |
| Dunboyne Circuit | Handicap Libre | |
| 1958 | John W. Anstice-Brown | 948cc Austin Healey Sprite |
| 1959 | R. Alec Jameson | 692cc Berkeley |
| 1960 | Gerry Ashmore | 1475cc Cooper Climax F2 |
| 1961 | Tommy Hayden | 1098CC Lola Climax |
| 1962 | Bob Olthoff | 3000cc Austin Healey |
| 1963 | Sidney J. Taylor | 1216cc Lotus Elite |
| 1964 | Jack Pearse | 1594cc Lotus Kincraft Ford 4.7 |
| 1965 | Chris Summers | 5308cc Lotus 24 Chevrolet V8 |
| 1966 | cancelled- ferry strike | |
| Bishops Court | Handicap Libre | |
| 1967 | Dave Furlong | 1498cc Lotus 7 Ford |
| Mondello Park Club Circuit | Formula Libre | |
| 1968 | John Pollock | 1.6L Crossle 12F Ford |
| Mondello Park National Circuit | Formula Libre | |
| 1969 | John Pollock | 1.6L F2 Lotus 48 Ford |
| 1970 | Brian Nelson | 1.6L Crossle 18F Ford |
| 1971 | John Watson | 1.6L Brabham BT30 Ford |
| 1972 | Ken Fildes | 1.8L Crossle 22F |
| Mondello Park National Circuit | Formula Atlantic | |
| 1973 | Tommy Reid | Brabham BT38/40 Chevrolet |
| 1974 | Patsy McGarrity | Chevron B25 Ford BDA |
| 1975 | Jay Pollock | Crossle 28F Ford DBA |
| 1976 | Patsy McGarrity | Chevron B29 Ford DBA |
| 1977 | Patsy McGarrity | Chevron B29 Ford DBA |
| Mondello Park National Circuit | British Formula 3 | |
| 1978 | Eddie Jordan | Chevron B29 DBA |
| 1979 | Trevor Templeton | Rait RT1/78 Toyota |
| 1980 | Trevor Templeton | Rait RT1/78 Toyota |
| 1981 | Ray Mallock | Rait RT4-218 Ford |
| Mondello Park National Circuit | EFDA FF 2000 | |
| 1982 | Ayrton Senna | Van Diemen RF82 Ford |
| 1983 | Cor Euser | Van Diemen RF83 Ford |
| 1984 | Mauricio Gugelmin | Reynard SF84 Ford |
| 1985 | Bertrand Fabi | Reynard SF84 Ford |
| 1986 | Henrik Larsen | Reynard SF86 Ford |
| 1987 | J.J. Lehto | Reynard SF87 Ford |
| Mondello Park National Circuit | EFDA GM Opel Lotus Euroseries | |
| 1988 | Mika Hakkinen | Reynard FVL Mk.1 Opel 2.0L |
| 1989 | Paolo de Cristofaro | Reynard FVL Mk.1 Opel 2.0L |
| 1990 | Vincenzo Sospiri | Reynard FVL Mk.1 Opel 2.0L |
| Mondello Park National Circuit | UK Vauxhall Lotus | |
| 1991 | Jason Elliott | Reynard FVL Mk.1 Opel 2.0L |
| Mondello Park National Circuit | Formula Lotus Opel Irelande | |
| 1992 | Wym Eckmans | Reynard FVL Mk.2 Opel 2.0L |
| 1993 | David L.Wright | Reynard FVL Mk.2 Opel 2.0L |
| 1994 | Vivion Daly | Reynard FVL Mk.2 Opel 2.0L |
| Mondello Park National Circuit | EFDA GM Opel Lotus Euroseries | |
| 1995 | Jason Watt | Reynard FVL Mk.2 Opel 2.0L |
| 1996 | Derek Cunneely | Reynard FVL Mk.2 Opel 2.0L |
| 1997 | Marcello Battistuzzi | Reynard FVL Mk.2 Opel 2.0L |
| Mondello Park International Circuit | EFDA GM Opel Lotus Euroseries | |
| 1998 | Etienne van der Linde | Reynard FVL Mk.2 Opel 2.0L |
| 1999 | Tomas Schekter | Reynard FVL Mk.2 Opel 2.0L |
| Mondello Park International Circuit | Formula Europa Cup Ireland | |
| 2000 | Paul Dagg | Reynard FVL Mk.2 Opel 2.0L |
| 2001 | John O’Hara | Reynard FVL Mk.2 Opel 2.0L |
| Mondello Park International Circuit | Formula Ireland | |
| 2002 | Robby Coleman | Van Diemen FR02 Ford 2.0L |
| 2003 | Emmett Queenan | Van Diemen FR02 Ford 2.0L |
| Mondello Park International Circuit | Formula BMW UK | |
| 2004 | Simon Walker-Hansell | Mygale Formula BMW FB02 1.2L |
| Mondello Park International Circuit | Formula Ford 1600 | |
| 2005 | Neville Smyth | Ray GRS05 Ford |
| 2006 | Kris Loane | Van Diemen RF92 Ford |
| 2007 | Peter Dempsey | Ray GRS07 Ford |
| 2008 | Robert Barrable | Swift Ford |
| Mondello Park International Circuit | Formula Vee | |
| 2009 | Garry Newsome | Sheane VW |
| 2010 | Daniel Pollery | Sheane VW |
| 2011 | Ray Moore | Leastone 004 VW |
| Mondello Park International Circuit | Formula Sheane | |
| 2012 | Kevin Sheane | Sheane VW |
| 2013 | Barry Rabbitt | Sheane VW |
| Mondello Park International Circuit | Formula Ford 1600 | |
| 2014 | Stephen Daly | Ray GR11 Ford |
| 2015 | Stephen Daly | Ray GR11 Ford |
| Mondello Park International Circuit | Boss Ireland | |
| 2016 | Hywel Lloyd | Dallara F3/08 Mercedes |
| 2017 | Cian Cleary | Dallara F3/11 VW |
| 2018 | Stephen Daly | Dallara F308/11 |
| 2019 | Barry Rabbitt | Tatuus F Renault |
Report
The Leinster Trophy Car Race is the Highlight of the Motorsport Ireland Calendar. It has a long history dating back to 1934, and is currently run over the International Circuit at Mondello Park, Co. Kildare, but was also run at the Skerries Circuit in 1934 before moving to Tallaght (1935-1949), Wicklow (1950-1957), Dunboyne, Co. Meath (1958-1966) and Bishops Court in 1967 before moving to the Mondello Park Circuit.
The Leinster Motorcycle & Car Club was founded in 1921. In 1923 they began organissing 100-mile Motor-Cycle Races, and in 1930 the Leinster Trophy moved to a new circuit around Skerries-Rush-Lusk. In 1934 they ran the first Leinster Trophy Car Race, which was won by Miss Fay Taylour, driving a car owned by Fianna Fail TD, Robert Briscoe.
In 1935 the circuit moved to Tallaght, as the Skerries circuit was not suited to 4-wheeled vehicles, and the race continued around the Tallaght Circuit until 1939, and the outbreak of World War II. It was restarted in 1948, and continued for two years.
Two sons of Arthur Conan-Doyle, who wrote The Sherlock-Holmes books, took part in one of the races.
The race ran from Main St, Tallaght, along to Templeogue Bridge, then down Firhouse Road to Old Bawn, and back up to Main St, Tallaght.
The Circuit moved to Wicklow in 1950 and the Dunboyne, Co. Meath in 1958, before finding a permanent home in Mondello Park, Co. Kildare in 1968. The race became part of Formula Atlantic in 1973 and then in 1978, British Formula 3, with Eddie Jordan, later to own a Formula 1 team, winning the race that year driving a Chevron B29 DBA
Other famous winners have included Formula 1 Champions, Ayrton Senna, in 1982, driving a Van Diemen RF82 Ford, and Mika Hakkinen, in 1988, driving a Reynard FVL Mk.1 Opel 2.0L. it was during this period, 1982 to 1999, that the Leinster Trophy became part of the European Formula Drivers Association. Most winners during this time drove Reynards, either Reynard FVL Mk.1 or Mk.2 Opel 2.0L or Reynard SF84 Ford
In 2000, the race became part of Formula Ford 1600, most years, with Stephen Daly winning twice in 2014-2015, and again in 2018.
References
Websites
[1] South Dublin County Council Library (2018) The Tallaght Motor Racing Circuit 1935-1948 [Internet] Available from: https://localstudies.wordpress.com/2018/08/23/the-tallaght-motor-racing-circuit-1935-1948/ [Accessed 21 January 2020]
[2] South Dublin County Council Library (2018) Motor Race Posters 5 [Internet] Available from: https://localstudies.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/motor-races-poster-5.png [Accessed 21 January 2020]
[3] Manning Brian, Motorsport.ie (2018) Leinster Trophy 75th Anniversary Facts & Figures [Internet] Available from: https://motorsport.ie/2018/09/12/leinster-trophy-75th-anniversary-facts-figures-by-brian-manning/?fbclid=IwAR13bM9MtqJPx6BJL7O09ad90cmzbP_1JrvcFT1it1nEZoF7pik9gLgDWwA [Accessed 14 May 2020]
[4] Motorsport Ireland (2018) Results for 15/16 September 2018 [Internet] Available from: http://www.motorsportireland.com/results/18-09-16/Results_for_15_16_September_2018.aspx [Accessed 14 May 2020]
[5] Motorsport Ireland (2019) Results for 14/15 September 2019 [Internet] Available from: http://www.motorsportireland.com/results/19-09-15/Results_for_14_15_September_2019.aspx [Accessed 14 May 2020]
Images
[6] The Old Neighborhood of Tallaght (2020) Photo by Gerard Byrne January 16, 2020 [Internet] Available from: https://scontent-dub4-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/82831633_2841136469308052_8550734644532740096_o.jpg?_nc_cat=100&_nc_ohc=LgqZziLm1rEAX-d9ty6&_nc_ht=scontent-dub4-1.xx&oh=273a80ebca45486f28c0d39fd4bebc18&oe=5ED8022B [Accessed 21 January 2020]
[7] The Old Neighborhood of Tallaght (2020) Photo by Gerard Byrne January 16, 2020 “Tallaght 1938 a very rural place” [Internet] Available from:https://scontent-dub4-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/82451742_2845370152218017_9178026459338375168_o.jpg?_nc_cat=106&_nc_ohc=EtfknZ95SdMAX8oSdep&_nc_ht=scontent-dub4-1.xx&oh=e8e76b2681b2feba22df578c9c98eea9&oe=5E9AADA3 [Accessed 21 January 2020]
[8] Top Gear (2019) Car Race Season Closes with Annual Leinster Trophy [Internet] Available from: https://i2.wp.com/www.topgear.ie/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/fullsizeoutput_5b42.jpeg?zoom=1.25&fit=1024%2C683 [Accessed 14 May 2020]
Further Reading
McCullagh, Robin, The Tallaght Motor Races 1935-1948 (Dublin, 2011).
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Richard Declan Mulcahy
About this document
Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the
Eirball | Irish North American & World Sports Archive
Last Updated: 14 May 2020
(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2020
You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Reserved.