Clady Circuit situated in County Antrim

County Antrim

County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...

, Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...

 describes a motor-cycle road racing course used for the Ulster Grand Prix

Ulster Grand Prix

The Ulster Grand Prix is a motorcycle road race that takes place on the Dundrod Circuit near Belfast, Northern Ireland. The first races took place in 1922 and in 1935 and 1948 the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme gave it the title Grand Prix d'Europe...

. The Clady Circuit was used between 1922 and 1939 and an amended shorter circuit between 1947 and 1952.

History

The Clady Circuit, first used in 1922 for the Ulster Grand Prix was 20.5 miles (33 km) in length in County Antrim. The original course start line was situated near Loanends Primary School on the secondary B39 Antrim to Belfast

Belfast

Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...

 Road. The event held on public roads closed for racing including the secondary B39 Seven Mile Straight between Antrim

Antrim, County Antrim

Antrim is a town in County Antrim in the northeast of Northern Ireland, on the banks of the Six Mile Water, half a mile north-east of Lough Neagh. It had a population of 20,001 people in the 2001 Census. The town is the administrative centre of Antrim Borough Council...

 and Clady Corner including Christy's Brae, the primary A52 Belfast to Crumlin

Crumlin, County Antrim

Crumlin is a village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is at the head of a wooded glen on the Camlin River, near Lough Neagh, and west of Belfast city centre. It had a population of over 4,259 people in the 2001 Census...

 Road between Clady Corner and Thorn Cottage, a tertiary road north from Thorn Cottage to Greenmount near the town of Antrim (including a section of RAF Aldergrove

RAF Aldergrove

RAF Aldergrove was a Royal Air Force station situated northwest of Belfast. It adjoined Belfast International Airport, sometimes referred to simply as Aldergrove which is the name of the surrounding area...

) and from Greenmount to Muckamore Corner with the road junction of the B39 'Seven Mile Straight.'

The Clady Circuit was shortened in 1947 to a length of 16.647 miles (26.5 km) with the omission of the Aldergrove section from Thorn Cottage to Greenmore. The short Clady Circuit now ran from Clady Corner to Nutts Corner on the primary A52 Belfast to Crumlin Road and used a section of the primary A 26

A26 road (Northern Ireland)

The A26 is a road in Northern Ireland. It travels in a North-South direction from Coleraine, County Londonderry to Banbridge, County Down.The road is a primary route between Coleraine and its junction with the M1, and a secondary route between Lurgan and Banbridge...

 Banbridge

Banbridge

Banbridge is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies on the River Bann and the A1 road. It was named after a bridge built over the Bann in 1712. The town grew as a coaching stop on the road from Belfast to Dublin and thrived from Irish linen manufacturing...

 to Coleraine

Coleraine

Coleraine is a large town near the mouth of the River Bann in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is northwest of Belfast and east of Derry, both of which are linked by major roads and railway connections...

 Road from Nutts Corner to Muckamore House near Antrim. For the 1953

1953 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season

The 1953 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 5th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix season. The season consisted of nine Grand Prix races in five classes: 500cc, 350cc, 250cc, 125cc and Sidecars 500cc...

 racing season the Clady Circuit was abandoned for motor-cycle racing and the Ulster Grand Prix

Ulster Grand Prix

The Ulster Grand Prix is a motorcycle road race that takes place on the Dundrod Circuit near Belfast, Northern Ireland. The first races took place in 1922 and in 1935 and 1948 the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme gave it the title Grand Prix d'Europe...

 as part of the FIM

Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme

The Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme is the governing body of motorcycle racing. It represents 103 national motorcycle federations that are divided into six regional continental unions....

 Motorcycle Grand Prix World Championship

Grand Prix motorcycle racing

Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing currently divided into three distinct classes: 125cc, Moto2 and MotoGP. The 125cc class uses a two-stroke engine while Moto2 and MotoGP use four-stroke engines. In 2010 the 250cc two-stroke was replaced...

 was moved to the nearby Dundrod Circuit

Dundrod Circuit

Dundrod Circuit is a motorsport race track based on public roads used for the RAC Tourist Trophy for sports cars between 1950 and 1955 and for the motorcycle Ulster Grand Prix from 1953 onwards. It is situated in County Antrim, Northern Ireland...

 in Co Antrim.

Speed and Race Records

The lap record for the short Clady Circuit is 9 Minutes and 21 seconds at an average speed of 105.94 mph set by Les Graham

Leslie Graham

For the English footballer and manager see Leslie Graham Robert Leslie Graham DFC was a British motorcycle road racer who competed in the 1930s and 1940s...

 riding a 500cc MV Agusta

MV Agusta

MV Agusta is a motorcycle manufacturer founded in 1945 near Milan in Cascina Costa, Italy. The company began as an offshoot of the Agusta aviation company formed by Count Giovanni Agusta in 1923. The Count died in 1927, leaving the company in the hands of his wife and sons, Domenico, Vincenzo,...

 during the 1952 Ulster Grand Prix. The lap record for the 1922–1939 Clady Circuit is 12 minutes and 17.8 seconds at an average speed of 100.03 mph by Dorino Serafini

Dorino Serafini

Teodoro "Dorino" Serafini was a motorcycle road racer and racing driver from Italy.A native of Pesaro , he won the 1939 500cc European Championship on a Gilera...

 riding a 500cc Gilera

Gilera

Gilera is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer founded in Arcore in 1909 by Giuseppe Gilera. In 1969 the company was purchased by Piaggio, which now holds six marques and is the world's fourth largest motorcycle manufacturer.-History:...

 motor-cycle during the 1939 Ulster Grand Prix. The race record for the short Clady Circuit is an average speed of 99.79 mph set by Cromie McCandless

Cromie McCandless

Cromie McCandless was a Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. His best season was in 1951, when he finished in third place in the 125cc world championship behind Carlo Ubbiali and Gianni Leoni. McCandless won two Grand Prix races during his career...

riding a 500cc Gilera also during the 1952 Ulster Grand Prix.

Sources