- This photo, showing one of the first cars in Ireland
and this image shows the car in Dublin Street, Carlow c.1907.
This was presented to the Carlow Museum by Mr. Tony Little,
formerly of Carlow. In the background is
Coleman's Garage and Dillon's Commercial Hotel and Tea Rooms.
Get a load of the two gents in bowler hats on the right.
- The registration is IK 52 would indicate it was first
registered in Dublin.
We can also identify most of the people in the
picture which was taken by Bride Mangan of Coalmarket House. The
two men on the right (in Bowler hats) are Martin Mangan and
Benny Coleman (wearing goggles), the boy with the bicycle is Pat
Murray. Among those named standing around the car are Ned Byrne,
John Hutton, Lewis the cobbler (3rd from left), Mr. Little, Jim
Dillon, Pat Brennan the Blacksmith , Jim Rice, Ned Walsh the
cart man..
- Picture source: The Nationalist Feb 22nd 1985
- Information supplied by Michael Purcell
and Bill Gawne
7.
Pictured here we see a bearded Sam Hunt with pipe in hand
standing to the left of the car. It is said that this was the
first motor vehicle to drive through the streets of Carlow. The
building behind the car is Ogle's Hotel, formerly the Victoria
Hotel.
In 1697 Thomas Spaight built an inn on this site, known
as 'Ye signe of ye Tea Kettle', 'Paul's New Bookshop' used to
occupy the premises. At the gable end we see a timber-frame with
electric cables attached. The electricity was generated by a
dynamo situated two hundred yards away at Burrin Bridge. In 1891
Carlow was the first inland town in Ireland or Great Britain to
have lighting generated by hydro-electricity.
The car is a 1897 Daimler Stirling, one of the
first "production" cars built in Britain.
Source: Image No. 7 from
"Carlow in old picture postcards" 1994 by Michael Purcell.
CARLOW 1908
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- The information contained in these
pages is provided solely for the purpose of sharing with others
researching their ancestors in Ireland.
- © 2001 Ireland Genealogy Projects,
IGP TM
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