The Race

CARLOW.
The Carlow control had for its Marshal Major Bowen. There was a small assemblage in the vicinity. The Right Hon. Henry Bruen had a commodious stand just outside the limits of his fine demesne, where he extended his hospitality to a numerous company.

ATHY.- EAST CONTROL.
Although the Athy East control did not attract a great array of visitors, it was a point of considerable interest during the day, and amongst motorists a good of attention as paid to it. The stranger who came there expecting to see a crowd would have been disappointed. The second of the American cars, driven by Mooers, took, roughly, three minutes more than Gabriel to complete the distance, while Baron de Caters, Farman, Winton and Foxhall Keene came in in fairly good time. Unfortunately for Mooers something went wrong with his gearing just after quitting the control, and for half an hour at least his car lay helpless on the roadside. The record round opened with the arrival of de Knyff at 11h. 3m. 36s. The crowd expected to see Edge, and as he gradually became half an hour overdue, grave anxiety was felt. A rumour that he had been killed was set in circulation, but soon afterwards Edge, to the relief of all, dashed in, and explained that he had been unlucky with his tyres.

ATHY.- THE WEST CONTROL.
The interest manifested in the Race at Athy was not less intense than that which was apparent at other points along the route. A large number of visitors reached the town on Tuesday night, and for some of these house accommodation was not available, and they were obliged to spend the night in tents in the neighbourhood or walk about the streets comforting each other as best they could. Beds, with supper and breakfast, were charged for in some of the hotels at the rate of thirty shillings each. It is doubtful, too, whether those who were fortunate in getting beds even at this figure enjoyed much quiet sleep, for the streets were in possession of small crowds, whose movements, far from being noiseless, must have had a disturbing and irritating effect in the case of many who required and anxiously sought repose. This disagreeable feature of the night was intensified by the occasional throbbing sounds of automobile cars as they ran to and fro until a late hour without, as far as one could judge, any definite purpose. On Thursday morning the numbers of the visitors considerably increased. Special trains were run on the Great Southern line from Dublin, Waterford, and other stations at intervals from 3 o'clock a.m., and these were crowded with passengers, who preferred travelling at unusually early hours to camping out with all its discomforts during the night. The police, of whom there were nearly two hundred and fifty, drawn from various counties, were located principally in a large building, where they were provided with straw for beds at the Maryboro' end of the town. Over one hundred of their number were employed in the town between the arrival and departure stations keeping the course clear of traffic. The rest had charge of portions of the roads stretching away from either end of the town into the country. In the west station the principal timekeeper was Mr. A. G. Rennie, and the duties of chief marshal devolved on Mr. Bernard Redwood. Close to the tents of these gentlemen were packed against the hedgerow numerous hampers of petroleum spirit and naphtha, which were handed to the cars as they arrived to renew their partially exhausted motive power. The morning was dull and threatening, but later on it cleared up, the sun shone brightly at intervals, and the threatening omens disappeared.

AT THE MOAT OF ARDSCULL.
A very large gathering assembled at the Moat of Ardscull, and on the adjacent stands. From the former remarkable eminence a clear view of the road to Athy - 3½ miles - was obtainable, and the place had also the advantage of commanding a view of a fairly sharp corner. Very many of the touring motor cars made the Moat their objective, and the gathering at this place was very typical of the motor car and cyclist community.
About midday there was a thunderstorm, and some rain fell. This, however, had only the effect of slaking the dust, and the weather was soon dry and sunny again. Interest in the later stages of the race flagged somewhat, but nevertheless a very large number of people remained until the whole race was concluded. A high wind was blowing at the close.