Author Topic: Competitive Cycling in 1950s Ireland- access to records  (Read 2874 times)

Offline cad

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Competitive Cycling in 1950s Ireland- access to records
« on: Monday 04 March 19 22:35 GMT (UK) »
Sadly my father in law died a couple of weeks ago and we are preparing his funeral service which is happening on Friday.

He was a talented cyclist in his youth in Ireland, competing in and winning many races and my better half’s mother has just told us he won the Leinster Hill climb, either several times or holding the record for many years, or both.
Can any one throw some light on this?
I’m sure some of his achievements made the papers because we have a couple of press photos though no clippings.
The name to look for is Edward Dalton and he was probably racing in the 1950s. It would be nice to be able to include details of his wins in his eulogy.
Thank you.
Wiltshire,Somerset : Cainey, Summers, Payne, Wallis,
Wales: Pugh, Watkins, Williams, Edwards,
London: Binden, Sullivan, Tickner, Tilt
Ireland: Tracey, Sullivan, Dalton

Offline hallmark

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Re: Competitive Cycling in 1950s Ireland- access to records
« Reply #1 on: Monday 04 March 19 22:43 GMT (UK) »
http://www.cyclingireland.ie/   or similar might be worth asking....
Give a man a record and you feed him for a day.
Teach a man to research, and you feed him for a lifetime.

Offline Sinann

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Re: Competitive Cycling in 1950s Ireland- access to records
« Reply #2 on: Tuesday 05 March 19 00:17 GMT (UK) »
Was he known as Eddie?
Could he have cycled for Wicklow and Dublin?
An Eddie Dalton (Wicklow) was 4th over the line in the finish in Dublin of the Ras Tailteann in August 1956
The Wicklow team finished 6th.

1957 Eddie Dalton (Dublin) in the Ras Tailteann.
Earlier the same year.
The Clan Brugha CC will be represented by Steve Abbott, Eddie Dalton, Paddy Hillis and Jim Ludden in the forthcoming Ras Tailteann

1958 E Dalton was a reserve for the Dublin team in the upcoming Ras Tailteann

Fairly sure I have a book on the Ras Tailteann if I can find it I'll have a look through it tomorrow.

Offline cad

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Re: Competitive Cycling in 1950s Ireland- access to records
« Reply #3 on: Tuesday 05 March 19 01:22 GMT (UK) »
Thank you so much Sinann, he was indeed better known as Eddie and a Wicklow native so that is 99.9 % certain to be him.
If you find anything else I would be very grateful.
Thanks again
Wiltshire,Somerset : Cainey, Summers, Payne, Wallis,
Wales: Pugh, Watkins, Williams, Edwards,
London: Binden, Sullivan, Tickner, Tilt
Ireland: Tracey, Sullivan, Dalton


Offline Sinann

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Re: Competitive Cycling in 1950s Ireland- access to records
« Reply #4 on: Tuesday 05 March 19 07:41 GMT (UK) »
1955 Ras
He was a one man team for Wicklow
http://www.rastailteann.com/event/fbdras_477.shtml
 Just mentioned one in the text with wheel trouble

If you scroll to the bottom on that link there are other 1950s races you could look through.

That book wasn't were I expected, I'll look again later but it may have been a victim of the big clear out when we had the builders in.

Offline scotmum

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Re: Competitive Cycling in 1950s Ireland- access to records
« Reply #5 on: Tuesday 05 March 19 08:39 GMT (UK) »
An Eddie Dalton was mentioned in some 1950s  newspapers, as being a member of the St Laurence Cycling Club, Roundwood.
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Offline scotmum

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Re: Competitive Cycling in 1950s Ireland- access to records
« Reply #6 on: Tuesday 05 March 19 09:08 GMT (UK) »
Mentions in newspapers throughout the 50s are numerous, including various placings in races etc. They vary in description such as Dalton; E Dalton; Ed Dalton; Eddy Dalton; Eddie Dalton. If you don't have a subscription that allows access to these numerous newspaper entries, then the free search facility on either the British Newspaper Archives or FindMyPast sites, should at least return a 'snippet' from some of the mentions, that might help you in building up a basic picture of his cycling involvement over the years.
"Trees without roots fall over!"
 
""People who never look backward to their ancestors will never look forward to posterity." - Edmund Burke

Don't just wait for the storm to pass, learn to dance in the rain.

“Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Be curious and however difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at.”  Stephen Hawking

In a world where you can be anything, be kind .

Offline cad

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Re: Competitive Cycling in 1950s Ireland- access to records
« Reply #7 on: Tuesday 05 March 19 09:35 GMT (UK) »
Thank you all for looking this all up....
After Sinann mentioned the Ras Tailteann, we went straight to google and found that site. It is a fascinating site, Eddie had spoken about riding stages in the North where bottles and insults were thrown at them, a story which seems to be confirmed there.
It’s entirely possible that he did ride for Roundwood, he rode for many teams apparently.
His specialty was climbing, probably because he grew up in the Wicklow mountains.
Wiltshire,Somerset : Cainey, Summers, Payne, Wallis,
Wales: Pugh, Watkins, Williams, Edwards,
London: Binden, Sullivan, Tickner, Tilt
Ireland: Tracey, Sullivan, Dalton

Offline hallmark

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Re: Competitive Cycling in 1950s Ireland- access to records
« Reply #8 on: Tuesday 05 March 19 13:07 GMT (UK) »



http://www.cyclingireland.ie/   or similar might be worth asking....



Give a man a record and you feed him for a day.
Teach a man to research, and you feed him for a lifetime.