Ballybannon Hill Climb 1925 to 1933
Coming later this year - the story of the motorsport hill climbs at Ballybannon between 1925 and 1933. Ballybannon, near Castelwellan in County Down, Northern Ireland was first used as a hill climb in 1903 as part of the fortnight of events around the Gordon Bennett International Challenge Race. It was also used as the first event when the Ulster Automobile Sports Club was formed in 1925. Anybody who was anybody competed there including works drivers from Star and Alvis. Expected date of publication - December 2023
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: Robinson Books - Hill Climbs and car Road Races in Northern Ireland 1905 to 1947
My books are about motor sport in Northern Ireland in the first half of the 20th century.
It was a time of enormous wealth , especially around Belfast, and the emergence of the motor car as both a means of transport and for use in competition, for example reliability trials, hill climbs and road races.
In 1922 Northern Ireland became the only part of the United Kingdom where roads could be closed for motorsport. In 1925 the Ulster Automobile Club was formed to promote motorsport.
My books focus on events not previously published and include the Edwardian Cultra Hill Climbs, sand racing at Magilligan Strand and the road races at Donaghadee and Bangor.
The second edition of the Ulster TT badges will be available in May 2025 and I am currently working on a new book on Craigantlet Hill climb 1925 to 1947.