Cyclists’ Touring Club – Irish Road Book Part 1 – Tipperary South 1899.

On January 29, 1886, Carl Benz applied for a patent for his vehicle, latter powered by a gas engine. The patent – number 37435 – may be thus regarded as the birth certificate of the auto-mobile industry.

The first car imported here into Ireland was a Benz Velo, which arrived in 1898. Cars were costly, and in 1904, only 38 motor vehicles were registered with in the Irish State. This figure currently equates to a private fleet of close to some 2.5 million vehicles

Back in 1879, the Irish Cyclist Touring Club was founded which resulted in the publication of the Irish Road Book of 1899. Subscribing Members were charged 3 shillings for this publication, while non-members were charged 10s-6d.

To the Irish peasantry, back then, this very costly publication would not have been readily available, but amongst the gentry of that period, same would have been the then ‘cyclists satellite navigation’, of the late 19th century.

Route 131 A – Killenaule To New Birmingham.

Places on the road.	Intermediate.	Comprehensive.	General description of the road.
Kilenaule.	—–	—–	Proceeding northward out of the village (Killenaule),keep to the left just after passing the R.C. Chapel (St. Mary’s Church Bailey Street, Killenaule, Thurles, Co. Tipperary), on the left and then straightforward on an almost level road, to New Birmingham. Good surface.
The Four Roads.	1.3⁄4 mls	—–	—–
Waterloo Lodge.	3⁄4 ml	—–	—–
Shelbourne Lodge.	3⁄4 ml	—–	—–
New Birmingham.	½ ml	3.3⁄4 mls	—–

Killenaule to New Birmingham (Reverse) – Proceed Southward out of New Birmingham and thence straight forward to Killenaule.

Now a question for our readers. Where was Waterloo Lodge & Shelbourne Lodge, back then, located?
Thurles.Info would love to know. Please contact us HERE