Ireland Made Celebrates Heritage Week 2024 | Season 4 – Episode 62

Heritage Week (Irish: Seachtain na hOidhreachta) 17^th – 25^th August 2024 is an annual nationwide series of events organised by the Heritage Council celebrating Ireland’s rich culture and history.

The island of Ireland is home to a rich social history, and preserving the stories of our people, particularly those related to our vibrant transport heritage, is a mission Kevin Reid and the Ireland Made team have embraced. Since 2018, our team has travelled across Ireland doing our part to preserve our heritage by collecting and preserving stories of Irish transport, both past and present. Through our twice-weekly videos, 104 each year, and well-researched articles published every Tuesday and Friday, and a Sunday night preview post, we have published over 350 transport stories on our website and social media platforms.

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Please support our work in preserving Irish transport heritage with a €2 monthly subscription (its less than the price of a cup of coffee) via www.irelandmade.ie

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Now in our fourth season our twice weekly transport stories feature vehicles and people in the air, on the road and on the water. Some highlights from Season 4 include:  

IN THE AIR

• Record breaking aeronaut Violet Dunville flying her hot air balloon ‘Banshee II’ in the 1900s.

• Aviatrix sisters Mabel and Sheila Glass from County Down who were renowned endurance, racing and acrobatic pilots in the 1930s.

• Former Aer Corps fitter Bernard Lynch from Dunshaughlin, County Meath who in 1946 began his career with the Martin Baker company as an ejection seat tester.

• Portmarnock Beach also known as the Velvet Strand, just north of Dublin that for three short years in the 1930s the world epicentre for aviation endurance attempts.

ON THE ROAD

• The heyday of electric powered deliveries in Dublin when from 1946 to 1992 over 1,600 electric vehicles plied their trade on the roads of the capital.

• Dublin’s infamous newspaper delivery scooters, the scream of the Lambrettas and the familiar cry of “Herald or Press”?

• Belfast native Ralph Bryans, who in 1965 riding a 50cc Honda, became Ireland’s Only Grand Prix World Champion.

• The Celtic Motorcycle built by the Lindsay family who boasted four generations of involvement in the motorcycle industry from the 1900s to 1990s.

• The coolest thing on two wheels in the 1970s and every child wanted one – the Dublin-built Raleigh Chopper.

• The 120^th anniversary and two-day reenactment of the world’s first motorcycle race between Belfast and Glengormley via Derry/ Londonderry and won by John Paul Burney.

• Travelling to County Leitrim and hearing at first hand from John Campbell about the history and ownership of his beloved Massy Ferguson 135.

• Our day-long interview with Tina Hand a volunteer with the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland (RPSI).

• Back to the 1870s in Ireland and what was big business from many Irish and British manufacturers, the supply of police bicycles to the Royal Irish Constabulary.

• The Lower Emissions 25.25m Sliding Bogie Trailer as built by Dennison Trailers in Naas, County Kildare.

• Our visit to Coolakay in County Wicklow and hearing at first hand from Robert Roe how his uncles operated their 80-year-old Hay-Bogie.

• The not widely known second career in motor racing of ten-times Isle of Man TT winner Stanley Woods.

• The Italian who moved Ireland from 1815 – 1875, Charles Bianconi and his nationwide public transport service, headquartered in Clonmel, County Tipperary.

• Visiting the Maria Edgeworth Centre in County Longford to hear about the transport inventions of Richard Lovell Edgeworth who gave us the sail powered carriage, roadmaking systems and bog vehicles.

• Our interview with Kevin Finger and his recollections of travelling with his sister and father on the second last tram to Howth on 31^st May 1959.

ON THE WATER

• The origins of the term ‘Panic Stations’ when the Queenstown (Cobh) Q-Ships Deployed Panic Station Tactics in 1917 Against U-Boats.

• The French Invasion Longboat Captured in Bantry Bay in 1796, now preserved and on display in Collins Barracks Museum.

• Our invitation from the Commissioners of Irish Lights to visit the ILV Granuaile and film the mighty 20-Ton Liebherr deck crane in action.

CAN WE HAVE YOUR ASSISTANCE

We need your support to travel, record and preserve our Irish transport heritage. By sponsoring us for just  €2 per month which is less than the price of one cup of coffee, you will be directly contributing to our travel costs and supporting our work in preserving stories of Irish transport past and present.

There are three ways of supporting us:

1. Subscribe via our website www.irelandmade.ie

2. Subscribe via Facebook https://www.facebook.com/IrlMade/subscribe/

3. Buy Facebook Stars fb.com/stars

Thank you for your support.

Best regards

Kevin

Our thanks to Dennison Trailers as the sponsors of our website, for working with us to preserve Irish transport heritage.

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