PELOTOME

1874

Bicycling; Its Rise and Development.

“A text book for riders” aimed to cater for the rapidly developing bicycle movement by filling the void, after early books about the wooden wheeled machine had become valueless. With numerous illustrations to assist the beginner, the book is packed with informative chapters on routes in England, Ireland, Scotland, Switzerland, The Battlefields of 1870, Upper Rhine, Belgium, Germany, Holland, and France – each highlighting the points of interest, hotels, museums, mileage, gradients and road conditions along the way,

The four routes of Ireland take in all four corners of the country including the same tour “performed in the summer of 1872, by a Gentleman, riding by a no means a powerful machine” from Dublin to Enniskillen via Carrickmacross”.

• Published by Tinsley Bros., London.

1884.

A Bicycle Tour in Ireland.

This rare “Account by Arthur M. Gawith of a bicycle tour of Ireland with his fellow members of the Liverpool Gymnasium Bicycle Club” was presented to his future wife, Miss Annie G. Hyland, and follows their route through Derry, Donegal, Mayo, Galway and Kerry,

• by Arthur M. Gawith.
• (image of an 1884 Club Roadster not from book).

April 1886 – Published August 1886.

Two Trips to The Emerald Isle.

“I. – A racing trip to Dublin. II. A touring trip to Killarney.” is a humorous account, released under the pseudonym “Faed”, of a London tricycle racer’s trip to Dublin for a competition “one April”, (24th-26th April 1886) in which he managed to also take in a ride to Dundrum, Enniskerry and Powerscourt.

Returning for an August trip to Killarney with members of the Finsbury Park Cycling Club, he made a warm-up ride “from Dublin, via Kilakee and Featherbeds, to Glencree, situated high up in the mountains,” Lough Bray, and Powerscourt Demesne, while a further day ride took him from Dublin to Poulaphouca,

His route to Killarney took in much of the country, retracing his earlier ride from Dublin to Enniskerry, before heading “over the mountains to Roundwood”, Glendalough, Avoca, Arklow, and “the pleasant road through Enniscorthy” to Wexford, New Ross, and Waterford.

“Frequent stops were therefore made for buttermilk, and bitter, and Guinness,” on the way to Dungarven and Cappoquin, where a Blackwater River boat was caught to Youghal before the ride recommenced to Midleton, Cork and Macroom.

“The road wound upwards through Inchageela, higher and higher yet, the long climb culminating at the ancient monastery of Gougane Barra,” before descending to Bantry and a “delightful episode” sailing across the bay to Glengarriff.

After climbing to Kenmare and Killarney, an excursion to the Gap of Dunloe was made by wagonette with a “walk across it , down the Black Valley, and on to Gearhameen”, before returning to Killarney by row-boats “through the Upper, and the Middle, and the Lower Lakes.”

After a hike up Mangerton, the cycle ride resumed to Torc Waterfall and “a flying visit to Ross Castle, by moonlight,” before the party caught the train to Adare – via a stop at the cycling race track at Tralee – cycled on to Pallaskenry, Limerick, Castleconnell. Nenagh, Roscrea. and Ballybrophy, returning by train to Dublin.

An “Edition De Luxe” was also released of the book, which included twenty photographs taken by the author on cabinet-sized cards.

A well known cycling journalist and editor of Bicycling Times and Touring Gazette, “Faed” – an anagram of “deaf” – was the nom de plume of Arthur James Wilson, who had lost his hearing at the age of 12, after contracting scarlet fever. He joined Dunlop tyres in 1890, relocating to Ireland to work at their Dublin offices.

• by “Faed” (Arthur J. Wilson).
• Illustrated by George Moore.
• Published by A.J. Wilson, London.

August 1889 – Published 1890.

Round About The World on Bicycles.

“The pleasure tour of G.W. Burston and H.R. Stokes, Melbourne Bicycle Club, Australia,” follows George Burston and Harry Stokes on their 56-inch high-wheel bicycle journey around the world, setting off from Melbourne, on 1st November 1888, arriving back in Australia on the 14th December 1889.

The Irish section of their journey was chronicled in The Australasian, on 12th and 19th April 1890.

Arriving in Dublin on a ferry from Hollyhead, Wales, in August 1889, they “started northwards at daylight, bent on making a fortnight’s tour and completely circling the Emerald Isle.”

At Dundalk – “we dined at the Imperial Hotel, where the old wizened landlord charged us an exorbitant price, and threatened to call in the police because we objected,” – they cycled “up and down the Mourne Mountains and into the town of Newry,” and “through pretty country affording glimpses of loughs, while hills lined the road all the way” to Belfast.

After a “hilly but pretty ride” to Larne, they “rode along the sea road” to Ballycastle and “the celebrated” Giant’s Causeway, “Battling against wind, rain, and mud,” they headed to Coleraine, “and then faced severe hills towards Londonderry,” arriving two days after the 200 year anniversary celebrations and “general rejoicings” of the Relief of Derry, on 12th August, (commemorating Protestant William of Orange’s victory over Catholic King James II at the The Siege of Derry).

Arriving in Lifford on Assumption Day (15th August), “all the Catholic churches were filled to overflowing, and as many as 100 people were kneeling and praying outside,” although, as they experienced on their way to Ballybofey, “they all appeared to go to church, and then get drunk afterwards”, “on account of their superabundance of spirits (Mitchell’s).”

Across bog land they passed through Donegal, and Ballyshannon, “where the famous salmon fishing is conducted,” before “winding along Lough Erne and round under precipitous cliffs,” to Enniskillen, and onwards through Swanlinbar, Longford, and Keenagh, crossing the “the green banks of Shannon” at Ballina to Killaloe and Limerick, where they got new tyres for their back wheels. – “This makes four little tyres each since leaving Melbourne.”

Pushing on to Adare – “a truly pretty spot, and perhaps the finest we have seen in Ireland,” – they continued to Killarney and Muckross Abbey, where they hiked to Torc Waterfall.”rewarded by a magnificent view, overlooking all Killarney’s beauties.”

Cycling over the mountains to Kenmare and the Caha Pass to Glengarriff and Bantry Bay, “likened by many to a Norwegian fiord,” they “followed the coast round” to, Bantry, before making “an easy and pleasant spin” to Cork – “with grand ripe blackberries all along the road, and Guinness’s prime stout at 2d. a bottle, we certainly enjoyed ourselves immensely.”

“Winding close by the water’s edge” through “Queenstown” (renamed Cobh in 1920), – “Queenstown Harbour resembling that of Sydney.” – they passed through Midleton, Waterford, New Ross, Arklow, “the famous Vale of Avoca,” Shelton Abbey, and Rathdrum, before making another hike to St Kelvin’s Bed, a cliff-side cave at Glendalough.

Passing through Roundwood and Enniskerry, they finally reached Dublin once more, “having thus finished a complete circle of Ireland.” – “We did not forget to go over Guinness’s Brewery, where there are always—at certain hours—two guides ready to show visitors round. “

After riding round “the magnificent Phoenix Park,” they boarded the ship back for Wales.

• “by G.W. Burston and H.R. Stokes.
• Published by George Robertson and Company, Melbourne, Australia “for private circulation only”

August 1890 – Published in 1891.

A Summer’s Cycling Reminiscence.

“The story of a three months’ bicycling tour through Europe and an account of some of the impressions received” compiled a series of articles which first appeared in the Canadian “Cycling” journal in February 1891, following its editor F.F. Peard, “one of the party” of six members of The Torontos Bicycle Club, on their June 1890 trip of Europe (the author on a brand new 32″ Rudge Safety Bicycle).

Catching a steamer from “the coast”, of England after “a few hours’ of riding” from London (presumably Portsmouth), they arrived in Dublin “during which time the rain came down in torrents” forcing their quick departure for Belfast (possibly on train).

Very little is mentioned of their time on “Erin’s Isle”, and after “several very pleasant hours in Belfast”, they caught the afternoon ferry to Glasgow, from where they later caught a steamer back to New York, stopping briefly to pick up passengers from Belfast and explore Greencastle.

• by F.F. Peard, C. Langley & R.H. McBride.
• published by Press of “Cycling“, Toronto, Canada.
• (illustration, not from the book, of an 1890 32″ Rudge Safety Bicycle, as ridden by F.F. Peard).