Carrickfergus - Carrickfergus Recreation Society
Woodbury Road : BT38 8HQ In March 1896, Carrickfergus Cycling Club secured a 6 acre field suitable for laying a cycle track and set about fund raising. The Carrickfergus Recreation Society was set up to organise the project and a month later, tenders were invited for a cinder bicycle track. The new recreation ground at Woodbury Road was opened on June 18th 1896 and included a 440 yards trotting track and cycle track.

The first meeting at the new ground was on July 14th 1896 and there were driving, trotting, horse jumping, cycling and running races, which attracted a crowd of 1,400 spectators. The Ulster Football and Cycling News of July 17th 1896 reported that the track was ‘exceedingly satisfactory, though a little more banking at the corners would considerably improve it.' There was a further meeting on August 29th 1896 which featured a 15 miles handicap race for members of the City CC (Belfast), a 10 miles handicap race for Shore CC and a 10 miles handicap race for members of Carrickfergus CC.

On Easter Monday 1897, Carrickfergus CC held a meeting at the new ground. There were five bicycle events including a 1 and 2 miles club handicap races, 1 and 3 miles open handicap races and a 5 miles inter-club race with the Shore CC. Racing continued to be promoted by Carrickfergus CC for the next two years, but the last bicycle races at the Carrickfergus Recreation Society were in 1899, after which the grounds do not seem to have been used again.


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