Ballagarraghyn Explained

Ballagarraghyn
Coordinates:54.2003°N -4.6231°W

Ballagarraghyn (in Manx baləˈɡɑɾəxən/, "farm of O'Dorchan's")[1] is a farm situated between the 7th milestone and 8th Milestone road-side markers on the primary A1 Douglas to Peel road in the parish of German in the Isle of Man.

Motor-sport heritage

The Ballagarraghyn section of the A1 Douglas to Peel road was part of the short Highland Course (40.38 miles) from 1906[2] and the also the 37.50 Mile Four Inch Course used for car racing including the RAC Tourist Trophy car races held between 1906 and 1922.[3]

A section of the Douglas to Peel road from Ballacraine to Quarterbridge, Douglas, including Ballagarraghyn was used for the 1905 International Motor-Cycle Cup Races.[4]

In 1911, the Four Inch Course was first used by the Auto-Cycling Union for the Isle of Man TT motorcycle races.[5] This included the Ballagarraghyn[6] and Gorse Lea section and the course later became known as the 37.73 mile Isle of Man TT Mountain Course which has been used since 1911 for the Isle of Man TT Races and from 1923 for the Manx Grand Prix races.[7]

Road improvements

The Greeba section on the primary A2 Douglas to Peel road was widened and reprofiled and the road jumps at the Highlander and also adjacent to Ballagarraghyn Cottages were removed for the 1954 Isle of Man TT races.[8] [9]

Notes and References

  1. Place Names of The Isle of Man – Da Ny Manninee Dooie Vol.1. Sheading of Glenfaba (Kirk Patrick, Kirk German, and Peel.) page 182 Kirk German by George Broderick (1999) Manx Place- Name Survey, © Max Niemeyer Verlag GmbH & Co. KG Tübingen 1994 (Gesamtwerk) 3-484-40129-x (band 1) Druck und Einband: Das Weihert-Druck GmbH Darmstadt.
  2. TT Pioneers – Early Car Racing in the Isle of Man page 22 Robert Kelly, Mercury Asset Management (1996)(1st Edition) The Manx Experience, The Alden Press ISBN No 1 873120 61 3
  3. Isle of Man Car Races 1904–1953 page 30 by Neil Hanson (2015) Lily Publications
  4. Manx Sun page 14 THE MOTOR CYCLES Saturday 3 June 1905
  5. The Manx Experience. A Souvenir Guide to the Isle of Man. page 66-67 Gordon N. Kniverton 8th edition The Manx Experience (1987) Mannin Publishing Ltd
  6. TT Special page 24 O-O ! LOOK WHAT THEY HAVE DONE TO THE COURSE edited by G.S. Davison Friday 4 June 1954
  7. The History of the Manx Grand Prix page 7, 8, 9 by Bill Snelling Amulree Publishing(1998) Manx Heritage Foundation
  8. Isle of Man Examiner page 1 A SAFER TT COURSE Saturday 17 April 1954
  9. Isle of Man Times page 6 Saturday 29 May 1954