Long before technology-led news became commonplace, the citizens of Dublin city depended for their latest news on newspapers like the Irish Press, Evening Press and the Evening Herald. To ensure rapid city-wide delivery of the latest editions each newspaper had its own bike fleet, including 2-stroke Lambretta mopeds with large open aluminium boxes built around the rear.
Although the mopeds were not particularly agile in traffic because of their wide aluminium bodywork, this didn’t appear to impede the riders who compensated with skilful riding. Indeed, this author was always in awe when seeing the Irish Press Lambretta “Lammy” coming to an abrupt stop at the newspaper seller outside Pennys on O’Connell Street, and in what seemed to be one fluid motion dismount, grab a stack of newspapers, set them on the ground, remount and accelerate away (from the centre stand) in a cloud of blue smoke.
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Just as soon as the distinctive sounding 2-stroke Lammy had dropped off copies of the The Irish Press, Evening Press and the Evening Herald and roared off to their next drop-off, the familiar cry of “Herald or Press”, often shortened to “Her-pes” rang out across O’Connell Street.
The first edition of the Irish Press came out on September 5th 1931. Founded by Éamon de Valera, the papers aim was “To give the truth in the news, that will be the chief aim of The Irish Press. The Irish Press will be a truthful journal and a good newspaper”. At its height, with the launch of a Sunday edition the paper reached a weekly circulation of 200,000
The Evening Press newspaper, ran from 1954 to 1995, edited by Douglas Gageby. It outperformed its main rival, the Evening Herald, reaching a peak circulation of 175,000 copies daily. The final editions of the Irish Press and Evening Press were on Thursday, 25 May 1995. After its closure, the Evening Herald became the sole nationwide evening paper, later rebranding to The Herald.
The Irish Press had a significant rival in The Evening Herald, which began in Dublin on December 19th, 1891. In March 2013, it was rebranded as The Herald and shifted from an evening to a morning newspaper. The Herald is now a nationwide mid-market tabloid with its headquarters in Dublin.
The speed of the “Press and Herald” moped drivers was the stuff of legend across Dublin. However, it was not just the city moped drivers who travelled at high speeds as this author was told a story of someone in the early 1970s enjoying an overnight test-drive of a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing. The SL was no slouch on the open road and was powered by the 212 hp M198, 2,996cc making speeds of 163 mph easily achievable.
Late at night, the test driver was cruising out of Dublin, relishing the straight-six engine. However, they noticed in the rear-view mirror a set of headlights rapidly approaching from behind. Deciding that a speeding fine was to be avoided they quickly reduced speed to 60 mph and were thoroughly startled when an Evening Press delivery truck thundered past at what they estimated was well over 100 mph!
Many Dubliner’s will remember the distinctive noise of the 2-stroke Lambretta Series 2’s from the 1950s and series 3’s of the ‘60s as they roared across the city spreading out from the Irish Press depot on Prince’s Street, just off O’Connell Street.
In recent years the Herald has reinstated the Lambretta scooter for it’s newspaper deliveries. However, Dubliner’s may not have noticed as the new scooters have much quieter 4-stroke engines and smooth automatic gearboxes, no more 2-stroke rattle across Dublin city.
Information sources and photo credits:
Bluefoam
EndaStories
Fortypence
Getty Images
John Furlong
Modern Vespa
National Library of Ireland
Old Dublin Town
Rashers
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