Manliffe Barrington Explained

Manliffe Barrington
Nationality:Irish
Birth Date:19 November 1912
Gp Active Years:1949 - 1951
Gp Teams:AJS, Moto Guzzi, Norton, Vincent-HRD
Gp Race Wins:1
Gp Podiums:1
Gp Total Points:12
Gp Poles:0
Gp Fastest Laps:0
Tt Contested:9 (1935-1938, 1947-1951)
Tt Wins:2
Tt First Win:1947 Lightweight TT
Tt Last Win:1949 Lightweight TT
Tt Podiums:2

Manliffe[1] Barrington (19 November 1912  - 1999[2]) was an Irish professional motorcycle racer. He was a two-time winner at the Isle of Man TT races.

Motorcycle racing career

Barrington was born in Monkstown, County Dublin as the son of an official importer for CAV (a predecessor of Lucas) for tractors in Ireland. He first competed in the 1935 Isle of Man TT on an Excelsior, finishing the Senior TT in 11th place at an average race speed of 72.06 mph. Manliffe also occasionally raced cars including finishing 4th at Phoenix Park in 1937 driving a Rapier.

When motorsports activities resumed following the conclusion of the Second World War, Barrington was entered into the 1947 Isle of Man TT races riding a Moto Guzzi sponsored by former TT champion Stanley Woods. The 250 cc Lightweight TT race was won by Barrington in what proved highly controversial circumstances from teammate Maurice Cann. Despite Cann lapping consistently for the whole race at an average race speed of over 74 mph and Barrington at just over 73 mph, the 1947 250cc Lightweight TT Race was awarded to Barrington. Despite a protest to the ACU, the result was allowed to stand as "....in those days of wind-up watches and hand-written records, the officials had under-estimated Barrington's time by a minute."[3]

The first event of the new 1949 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 1949 Isle of Man TT Race. A further race win for Barrington in the new Grand Prix Championship was the 1949 250 cc Lightweight TT race at an average race speed of 77.99 mph again riding a Moto Guzzi.

During practice for the 1952 Senior TT race, Barrington was riding a 500 cc Norton when engine seizure at the left-hand bend before the Barregarrow cross-roads resulted in a crash, and a broken thigh caused his retirement from motorcycle racing.[4]

World Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)

YearClassMotorcycle12345678PositionPoints
1949IOMSUINEDBELULSNAT
250 ccMoto Guzzi16th10
350 ccNorton180
1950IOMBELNEDSUIULSNAT
350 ccAJS390
500 ccVincent-HRDRet0
1951ESPSUIIOMBELNEDFRAULSNAT
350 ccNorton170
500 ccNorton519th2

TT Race Wins

Year Race & Capacity Motorcycle Average Speed
1947 Lightweight 250cc Moto Guzzi 73.22 mph
1949 Lightweight 250cc Moto Guzzi 77.99 mph

TT career summary

Finishing Position1st 5th 11th 17th 18th 39th DNF
Number of times 2 1 1 1 1 1 7

1947 Lightweight TT Race Results

RankRiderTeamSpeedTime
1 Manliffe Barington Moto Guzzi73.22 mph 3:36.26.6
2 Maurice CannMoto Guzzi72.9723:37.10.8
3 Ben Drinkwater70.139 3:34.57.0

External links

Notes and References

  1. Ancestry.com. Ireland, Civil Registration Births Index, 1864-1958 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
  2. Manx Independent page 58 dated 11 June 1999
  3. Manx Independent Page 58 dated 11 June 1999
  4. Isle of Man Examiner dated 6 June 1952