Most visitors to Dublin have Trinity College or perhaps the Guinness Storehouse at the top of their lists, but on a recent family trip my main aim was to cycle around the old Phoenix Park circuit, as used from 1929-ʼ31. So many of my heroes and favourite sports cars battled around this beautiful 4¼-mile road course, with its epic two-mile start/finish straight.
Alfa Romeo won the flagship Éireann event twice, starting with Boris Ivanowskiʼs 6C-1750 in 1929. Twelve months later, no-one could catch the dashing German ace Rudi Caracciola in his magnificent Mercedes-Benz SSK, but ʻTimʼ Birkin gave it his all in a Bentley 4½ Litre ʻBlowerʼ before the engine let go.
With a time machine, however, Iʼd dial up 1931 to witness the last and closest 300-mile contest. Only 10 cars lined up, Le Mans-style, for the 1931 Éireann, but the crowd was treated to a dramatic supercharged battle between Birkinʼs new Alfa 8C, and the works Maseratis of Giuseppe Campari and George Eyston. Frustrated by the hopeless handicap, Lord Howe nonetheless made an amazing start in his Mercedes S-type and broke Caracciolaʼs lap record in the first half hour, at 91.8mph.
The overcast sky eventually turned to heavy rain, and down the long straight the leaders could hardly be seen for spray. At the front, the Maseratis were led by Campari, with Birkin in pursuit. A stone then smashed the Italianʼs glass goggles, the splinters and blood leaving him with just one eyeʼs vision, which forced a pitstop for first aid. Mechanic Giulio Ramponi took over, but before long Campari, with an eye-patch bandage, was gesturing wildly from the trackside for his teammate to stop. Despite restricted sight, Campari was still quickest. Birkin was urged to speed up and both aces had dramatic slides braking at Mountjoy corner. Despite the ever-decreasing gap, there simply wasnʼt enough time left for Campari.
Ever the munificent victor, Birkin insisted that his loyal riding mechanic, Alessandro, be included in all the winnersʼ photos. Due to the slower pace of the senior race, the Phoenix Trophy was awarded to Norman Blackʼs MG Midget from the team managed by the Earl of March. En route home, Campari stopped in London where, on the advice of Birkin, he ordered a box of Triplex goggles.
The Irish Grand Prix
