Athy

S.F. Edge’s victory in the 1902 Gordan Bennett Cup gave the Automobile Club of Great Britain and Ireland the right to stage the following year’s race. Racing was banned on public roads in Britain but a legislation was passed in Ireland to allow the race to be organised in Leinster. Two interlinked circuits of 52 and 40 miles shared the road from Athy to the start at the Ballyshannon crossroad. The British Napier team chose an emerald green livery as in deference to the host country, which henceforth became known as British Racing Green. 7,000 police officers ensured that the crowd did not encroach onto the circuit so that the fatalities of the Paris-Madrid race less than two months earlier were avoided. Camille Jenatzy won the race (and £8,000 first prize) for Mercedes and Germany.