200 miles Belfast-Londonderry-Glengormley
I am grateful to Joan Crawford who kindly supplied all the information used to produce this blog article, from her reports and collection of records.
Contemporary records of this landmark event have been lost. There are only short paragraph reports in the Belfast Newsletter, and in the Irish News And Belfast Morning News, next-day on Wednesday, 20 July 1904.
29 June 1904
The Ulster Notes of the Irish Cyclist & Motor Cyclist, June 29th 1904 briefly mentioned an event: ‘The 200 mile course selected is to be via the Coast Road to Londonderry, returning via Claudy, Limavady, Coleraine and Ballymena and finishing about six miles from Belfast. Start will be made at 6.30am, finish is timed to take place not later than 4.30pm. There will be no restrictions as to how may stops any competitor may have this is left to his own discretion. The run will be a very severe test for both man and machine, and should be a grand criterion by which to judge the capabilities of the various machines entered.’
20 July 1904
The Irish News And Belfast Morning News on July 20th 1904, the next day after the race, gave the route for the run as, ‘via Carrickfergus, Larne, Cushendall, Ballycastle, Portrush, Coleraine, Downhill, Limavady, Londonderry, and back to Coleraine by the same route, thence to Ballymoney, Ballymena, Antrim and finish at The Crown and Shamrock Inn, Carnmoney, exactly 208.75 miles over a course calculated to test to the utmost the reliability of the machines. It abounds in almost every variety of surfaces, and the grind uphill from Cushendall for eight miles is succeeded by a similar length of run downhill to Ballycastle.’
26 October 1927
The text content of this blog is copied and adapted mostly from an article printed in the Irish Cyclist & Motor Cyclist, October 26, 1927. That account was compiled from a write-up by P.S. Brady in the Belfast and District’s programme for the Carrowdore race and other memories, supplemented by race winner, J.P. Burney.
1948
The Royal Enfield Club Magazine, Winter 1948-49, contained an article on Enfield in Eire and the Burney family. John P Burney was born in 1875 in Hightown near Belfast. In the 1890s he was a well-known cycle racer and in 1902 the champion cyclist joined the Enfield Cycle Company as Irish Representative. The magazine article includes a short paragraph on the 1904 motorcycle race: ‘In 1904 [JP Burney] entered a belt-driven Royal Enfield in a reliability trial from Belfast to Londonderry and back. At the start competitors were informed that the first rider to finish would be the winner. John Burney brought the Enfield home 45 minutes before the next man and thus can claim to have won the first Motor Cycle Road Race ever to have been held in Ireland.’
July 2004
David Crawford, being a motorcycling historian, realised the significance of 2004 as the 100-year anniversary of the road race and decided that he and Joan should do something to mark the special event. They organised an anniversary rally over the same route, on the very date, 100 years on. They invited JP Burney’s grandchildren, who attended – and the great grandchildren rode the course: they were on the only modern machines, as that event was for pre-1939 bikes. Late last year, Burney’s great granddaughter asked David and Joan to organise another anniversary event… which brings us to the July 2024 120th Anniversary Rally! (This time open to bikes of any age.)
For 2004’s special event, Joan Crawford wrote a report derived from the earlier press and articles. Joan’s work has been the reference for this blog – all the information here is derived from her research.
The Irish Motor Cycle Union 200 Miles Reliability Trial – or in straight talk: 200 Miles Race
19th July 1904
Belfast – Londonderry – Glengormley
In 1921 the Temple Motor Cycle Club claimed the honour of having organised the first road race ever held in Ireland, as road races are understood nowadays they are entitled to that honour. To the Motor Cycle Union of Ireland, Ulster Centre however belongs the credit of having held the first road race of any description.
The Centre, founded in 1902 had experienced some racing at the Glentoran track as well as hill climbs but a road race was what was wanted. The famous run of 1904 was for diplomacy sake, styled as a reliability trial, but the riders were under no misapprehension – as Mr Brady remarked, “A rose by any other name would smell so sweet.”
The Committee of the Ulster Centre of the Motor Cycle Union of Ireland decided to organise and run Ireland’s first motor cycle road race in July 1904. The race was approx. 200 miles: Belfast to Londonderry via Larne and the Antrim Coast, returning by inland route and finishing at the Crown and Shamrock Inn, Glengormley, a suberb of North Belfast. But how to run a race on public roads? It would be illegal, surely, especially over 200 miles? The solution was that it would be arranged as a ‘trial’ event, for which the help of the police would not be required. The riders of the day knew what the ‘trial’ required of them – first man home was the winner.
Race Entries
There may have been 17 entries, though there is also mention of “about 30 competitors” and the Newsletter said “exactly 15 riders assembled at 6 o’clock yesterday morning – and an hour later they were dispatched”. Apparently there were three were non-starters.
Recorded entries:
A Parker Minerva
H Cooke Raleigh
J Stewart Humber Centaur
AW Hamilton F.N.
RW Ireton Riley
JP Burney Royal Enfield
JB Ferguson Excelsior
B Robb Rex
RG Wilkinson
R McGahey
John McFerran
James McFerran
W McStay
T Ireland
T Mallon
Other machines: Bat, Ormonde
The Race
At 6am on 19th July 1904, competitors gathered and started together from the Belfast Banking Company’s premises, the Stock Exchange, Donegall Street. The course was from Belfast to Derry, via Cushendall, Ballycastle and Coleraine. Before Carrickfergus was reached, tool bags, spares, inflators, silencers were rattled off the machines over roads that many today would regard as ‘trials going’ and covered with dust instead of tar. Nobody fully realised that reliability is the first essential in touring or racing. The race showed that the early machines – engines under-powered and over-geared, with rigid forks and a poor standard of reliability – were far too flimsy. Alexander Parker, on a fast continental Minerva, used for track racing and pace-making on the cycle tracks, led the field for the first 50 miles at a cracking pace, but was obliged to retire beyond Cushendall having lost all his petrol with a split tank. Petrol stockists were few and far between at that time. This let Larry Crooks, of Ballymena, on a Raleigh, into the lead, but he also retired off Portrush with trouble in the sparks department. Jimmy Stewart, on a Humber Centaur, retired with a broken steering post. A.W. Hamilton on a four-cylinder F.N. ran off the road at a corner near Coleraine and went over a fence, making some ‘alterations to his machine’.
John Burney on a Royal Enfield was content to allow others to pass him in the early stages, then began to unleash the horses from Ballycastle onwards and was first to reach Derry, 20 minutes in the lead. Next to arrive was J.B. Ferguson on an Excelsior, followed later by Bertie Robb on a Rex. Despite Ferguson’s efforts on leaving Derry to cut down the lead by taking a circular route to Maghera, he was in difficulties near Toomebridge.
Finishers
Burney finished at the Crown and Shamrock Inn near Glengormley 30 minutes (or 45 minutes?) in front. Ferguson arrived second and Robb third, there were two other finishers. Places seem uncertain: It is also reported that ‘third was Harry Cooke’ and ‘Bertie Robb aboard a Rex, who had seven punctures on the day, came in fourth.’ Judging by the appearance of riders and machines at the finish it had been “an arduous day”, as a spectator commented.
1st J. P. Burney 3.5hp Royal Enfield
2nd J.B. Ferguson 2.75 hp Excelsior
3rd B. Robb Rex
3rd (in Irish News report) H.Cooke 3 hp Raleigh
Winner, JP Burney, at the Crown and Shamrock Inn finish:
Photograph (above) taken at the race end, after JP had removed his overalls. The Royal Enfield had rigid forks, belt drive, ordinary cycle saddle and single gear. Burney thinks that he averaged much more than 20mph. On the Saturday before the race he broke his crank axle and was deprived of pedalling gear. He and Bob Ireton made a repair at Ireton’s motorcycle shop in Bedford Street for the race day – though as it happens JP did not find it necessary to use the pedalling gear during the race. The 3½ HP machine was running beautifully at the finish. After the race the winning machine was on view in Messrs. Burney and Co.’s window at 104 Ann Street.
The premier award was a handsome trophy presented by Joseph the Marquis de Mouzilly St Mars, who was a friend of the president of the Ulster Centre. The Marquis was President of the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme in 1905-1906 and he donated the coveted winged Mercury trophy to the Isle of Man T.T. in 1907.
Burney moved to Dublin to represent the Enfield Cycle Co. for Ireland until his death in 1949. His son Gordon, also a very well-known competitor, married the only sister of Stanley Woods and afterwards the company was known as Stanley Woods and Burney, of Pearse Street, Dublin.
The First Motorcycle Road Race in Ireland, 120th Anniversary Event, 20 & 21 July 2024
On 20-21 July 2024
A two-day rally, following (almost) the original course of 200 miles
Itinerary:
Saturday 20th July
Start Donegall Street, Belfast
Carrickfergus Castle
Cushendun Carpark (soft drinks & biscuits)
Marine Hotel Ballycastle (lunch)
Coleraine
Londonderry
Drummond Hotel Limavady (overnight)
Sunday 21st July
Joey Dunlop Pub & Gardens (stop)
GS Motorcycles (refreshments)
The Crown & Shamrock Inn, Glengormley (food available)
See movie below of a 1904 3 1/2 hp Minerva R.E.
This event is open to all machines but older Royal Enfield, Raleigh, Excelsior, FN, Humber, Centaur, Riley or Minerva are specially welcome! The Royal Enfield Project Origin may make an appearance and possibly a 1904 R. E. (tbc). JP Burney’s great grandchildren, who rode in the 2004 event, will be on Royal Enfields. Special finishers awards will be presented.
This was the 2004, 100yr Anniversary Event award:
Booking Form
All bikes are eligible to participate
For more details and booking form, contact lario@btinternet.com
Copies of Entry Form below:
MOTO GUZZIs NI 