Car racing at Long Kesh

Sports and vintage cars race at the Long Kesh track.

The old Long Kesh airfield was used by the RAF during World War II and became a venue for race meetings in 1957. The race was organised by the Ulster Automobile Club (UAC) and is part of the Circuit of Ireland Retrospective Trial. UAC president Robin McKinney raced on the circuit himself in 1960. This film details both the sports cars and vintage car races.

These colourful rushes are amongst a wealth of footage that was generated by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board. This government department had their own staff who documented the region through stills and moving images and the films they created capture various facets of life in Northern Ireland. The department was particularly busy in the mid-1950s to late 1960s, creating films that aimed to sell Northern Ireland as a holiday destination. This material captures Northern Ireland at an intriguing time, post-World War Two and pre-Troubles.