Motor memories revived at Ford centenary weekend
MOTOR enthusiasts revelled in the selection of vintage cars on show to Quay Street and along the quayfront of New Ross on Saturday as the centenary of arrival of the Ford car in Ireland was marked with a stylish motor show.
Organised by Wexford Sports and Classic Car Club, the event drew the admiring gaze of thousands of people, bringing a touch of Hollywood glamour to the town.
Quay Street was renamed Henry Ford Street for Saturday and the event brought a great atmosphere to the town.
Chairman of Wexford Sports and Classic Car Club Ger Kielthy said the car show was a great success, attracting motor enthusiasts from across the country.
He said: ‘On April 17, 1917, Ford’s of Cork opened and on Saturday, April 22, we renamed Quay Street in New Ross, Henry Ford Street, with the kind permission of the local council and traders.’
Since 2010 the car enthusiast’s association have been running a classic car show on the quays of New Ross on weekends in April.
Fords from the Model T onwards delighted people, along with other car models from Austins to Mercedes to Hondas and Porsches etc.
Numerous drivers took to the roads for the 100 mile Spring Challenge challenge on Sunday, heading north out of New Ross and into Bunclody skirting the Blackstairs mountains, on towards Tullow.
Following a lunch stop at Rathwood Garden Centre, they headed south into south west Wicklow and back to Bunclody where they climbed 2,700 ft up Mount Leinster and down the other side into County Carlow and back to a welcome finish in New Ross.
Over the weekend Wexford Sports and Classic Car Club joined forces with the boat club and RNLI and on Saturday the New Ross Branch of the RNLI launched the National Mayday Appeal, in conjunction with the Wexford Sports and Classic Car Club car show and there were river activities on Saturday for people to enjoy watching.