It was amidst great excitment and a media frenzy the race was staged in Ireland.

This was the third year that the race had happened and was run by James Gordon Bennett - the flamboyant playboy son of a New York media tycoon.

This year it was held in Ireland, because an Englishman, Selwyn F. Edge, had won the 1902 race and a location needed to be found in Great Britain.

However a 12 mile-an-hour speed limit was in place across the British Empire, so new legislation had to be passed in order to suspend the statutory speed limit for the day.

The County Councils agreed to the change in the law in return for great improvements to the roads and an influx of visitors to the local area.

Thousands of visitors came by boat to watch the race and a further 1,500 came with their cars to tour Ireland. The total number of cars in Ireland was only around 300 at the time so this had a huge impact on the country and was - for many Irish people - the first time people saw a motor car.

Four countries entered teams of three cars each for the contest: France, the United States, Germany and Britain.

The chosen route was a figure eight course centred on Athy and went through the roads and lanes of counties Laois, Kildare and Carlow.

In this documentary spectators recall the great Gordon Bennett race of 1903.

Produced by Kieran Sheedy

First broadcast 1st September, 1974

An Irish radio documentary from RTÉ Radio 1, Ireland - Documentary on One - the home of Irish radio documentaries