Jim McGrath from Ballinasloe in County Galway is the proud owner of Ballymoss a bicycle he believes is the oldest Ireland.
When Jim McGrath from Ballinasloe in County Galway bought a 10 year old second hand bicycle for 30 schillings, he had no idea he would be cycling the same bike 50 years later. The bicycle dates to approximately 1911 and Jim's research leads him to conclude he is the owner of the oldest bicycle in Ireland.
That’s true, I couldn’t find another one older than it.
Jim McGrath has christened his bicycle Ballymoss in honour of the Irish thoroughbred racehorse of the same name.
Ballymoss was a very useful horse.
Ballymoss is a ladies bicycle, but this suits Jim McGrath, as he does not have to negotiate a cross bar. Although the it has no bell or brakes, he calculates over the years he has travelled 50,000 miles on the bike.
Jim McGrath once made a two day round trip to Dublin on Ballymoss. Nowadays he just uses the bicycle to get about the town, to bring him to work on the bog or to visit the nearby village of Aughrim.
Jim McGrath turned down an offer of £100 for Ballymoss because,
I didn’t think it was enough.
However he would sell Ballymoss for a minimum of £150 so that he could buy another bicycle.
Frank Hall’s amusing and satirical series began on 29 September 1971 with the full title 'Hall’s Pictorial Weekly Incorporating the Provincial Vindicator’ which became known as ’Hall’s Pictorial Weekly’.
The series allowed Frank Hall to follow his own interest in the lives of viewers throughout the country. Regarded as RTÉ’s flagship comedy show, it featured satirical sketches on current news stories and popular culture, as well as parody songs, comedy sketches, re-edited videos, cartoons and spoof television formats. The programme ran for 9 series until 1980.
This episode of ‘Hall’s Pictorial Weekly’ was broadcast on 10 November 1971. The reporter is George Devlin. he track accompanying this clip is ‘The Pushbike Song’ by The Mixtures.
