The Royal Irish Automobile Club is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year. Founded at the Metropole Hotel in Dublin in 1901, the club played a central role in organising the 1903 Irish Reliability Trial and hosting the Gordon Bennett Race the same year. It was the first international motor race to be held in Ireland. S.F Edge had won the 1902 race, which according to competition rules meant that Britain was to host the race the following year. As road racing was forbidden in England, the organisers selected Ireland as the venue.

Photo RIAC Archive

Now based in a classic Georgian listed building in Dawson Street, Dublin, the Club houses the Royal Irish Automobile Club Archive, Ireland’s only motoring and motorsport archive, comprising the Guinness Segrave Library together with an ever-growing collection of material related to all facets of motoring in Ireland. The Club will be celebrating its anniversary, with, amongst other activities, the 120th running of the Irish Reliability Trial, which will be held on 12-14 June.

Also this year, the Irish Veteran and Vintage Car Club are celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the IVVCC’s International Gordon Bennett Rally which is being held on 5-7 June. Based at the Mount Wolseley Hotel, Tullow, Co. Carlow, although the rally includes competitive regularity sections, it is designed as a very social occasion with wonderful scenery, lunches and dinners. The three-day event is open to cars registered before 31st December 1930. Special for the 50th anniversary, the Board of the IVVCC are offering complimentary entry to cars registered before December 31, 1904 for entries received by 8th May 2026. See www.ivvcc.ie.