The Race

CASTLEDERMOTT.
Castledermot[sic],¹² being the first control station, naturally was an interesting point. From an early hour on Wednesday the town was astir with visitors on motor cars, bicycles, and every other kind of vehicle, and in the night-time the town brass band paraded the streets. The control area stretched from the Carlow Gate, just at the beginning of the village, to Doyle's Hotel, at the Bridge over the Lerr. No stands had been erected or enclosures set apart for accommodation of spectators, but the fields along the course for a couple of miles were lined with spectators. Some amusement was caused through an over-energetic constable ordering the Head Marshal of the Control to get off his bicycle. Shortly before 7.20 a cloud of dust rising on the hill 400 yards up the course signalled the arrival of what everyone expected was the pilot car, but on drawing up it was found that the car was a Napier, and marked No. 1, driven by Edge. Time, 5min. 20secs. The official departure time for this car was 7.25. At 7.28.40 Chevalier de Knyff arrived on his Panhard, his time being 1min. 40secs. worse than Edge's.
The first car to arrive on the second round was the French Panhard, driven by Chevalier de Knyff, which came into the control at a terrific speed, and on surmounting the big hill the car bounded several times in the air. The time of arrival was 10.28, which worked out at an average of 48 miles an hour. The next arrival was Jenatzy, at 10.41, which was a minute better than de Knyff's time for the same distance. Eight minutes later arrived Edge, who had 2 punctures, and was now five minutes behind Jenatzy.
The management of the control could not have been placed in better hands, all the stewards and officials showing a thorough knowledge of their duty. The course around the district was admirably kept by a contingent of 50 men of the R.I.C. from Clifden, Galway, under the control of Mr. Glasgow, D.I., Clifden.