Old, Long Forgotten Car Dealers

manta mad · 10-05-2012 10:08pm

BowWow wrote: »

Looks like HB Dennis is gone too. A real shame - decent people, a long time around with a good reputation.

Yep unfortuneatly their gone after 55 years in business

chinwag · 10-05-2012 10:58pm

It's really worrying and depressing to see such long established motor companies (like this one, and others) go out of business - having survived previous recessions - it shows how bad things really are now. As a matter of interest, is it long since the company ceased trading?
EDIT: There is a thread on Motors forum on this subject.

exador · 10-05-2012 11:11pm

closed as of yesterday evening i beleive

Capri · 10-05-2012 11:20pm

Pierce Roche on the Malahide Rd where the Topaz beside Tesco Clarehall is. In the 60's he was a dealer for (I think) Opel (Kadett

but he was also an agent for HCB Angus fire trucks and , as a boating enthuiast, used to have (Fletcher?) speedboats in the showroom beside the cars. Can smell the fiberglass now:rolleyes:.
Used to help out when I was about 13 polishing cars and bought my first clunker for IRP7 (Austin A40 Cambridge) off him.:D, also cleaned spark plugs on their sandblaster - memories
Later got a job in PR Reillys when they sold DKW, Lloyd and Borgward as well as accessories:cool:

prosmart · 30-05-2012 12:11am

You have me thinking of the mid 80s/90s in Limerick now. There was A&W Motors on the dock road. Lada dealers. Gleeson bros on Ellen st, Seat at the time but i think rootes before that. Doherty and o Dwyer in tipp, The old OMaras on the ennis road. Paddy Cooney in Corbally, The bedford garage on bedford row, John Moloney moved around a fair bit, Huet motors in Ballysimon, Ian McGill in dooradoyle, The old Lyons of limerick. McAllens in shannon. Truck car on the dock road were isuzu dealers. Franklins in ballysimon were jag and gas conversion specialists Clareview motors used be Saab. Elm was volvo, Leonards, renault. Im sure i will think of more.

Tonyaus · 30-05-2012 12:42am

What about Dan Ryan, Punches Cross. I think they have long gone

Tonyaus

prosmart · 30-05-2012 12:48am

Tonyaus wrote: »

What about Dan Ryan, Punches Cross. I think they have long gone

Tonyaus

Moloneys were there too. Told you they moved about

Tonyaus · 30-05-2012 12:54am

Was Dan Ryan one of the Ryan Air family. I know he had a big car rental operation in the 70's

Tonyaus

Capri · 30-05-2012 6:44am

Worked for a while in Dan Ryan truck rental in Cloghran - Charlie Ryan (an American) was the gaffer. Think all the trucks were green with red Dan Ryan logo, later changed to blue/white colours.

Do-more · 30-05-2012 11:47am

Arthur Fenton used to be the Ford main dealer in Mullingar, the workshop used to be located here and the workshop and compound across the street here it then became Castle Motors when "Goldie" Doyle bought it.

Martin Bros. were the Austin -> British Leyland dealers with premises here which eventually became the Ford dealership premises when the Castle street sites were re-developed.

Nugents were the VW dealers operating from this premises back in the day. They are gone from there a long time but it is still known locally as "Nugent's corner".

BowWow · 19-06-2012 10:36pm

Appleyard Mtrs in Sandyford gone last Friday.

BowWow · 19-06-2012 10:37pm

studiorat · 20-06-2012 4:06pm

http://www.everreadymotors.com/History.html

Brief history of Everyready Garage in Donnybrook by Richard Barton. Remember seeing James Bond's Lotus Esprit parked up in there. Opened 1920 closed 1980.

mondymike · 20-06-2012 9:09pm

passed this place a few times. Been cleaned up, there used to be a load of cars lying up outside, before i think i saw a c15 van on a 2 post lift, with an inch of dust on it.

https://maps.google.ie/maps?q=Drumcondra&hl=en&ll=53.849793,-6.653724&spn=0.003829,0.009645&sll=53.84996,-6.653413&sspn=0.000964,0.002411&oq=Drumcon&t=h&hnear=Drumcondra,+County+Meath&z=17&layer=c&cbll=53.850109,-6.653058&panoid=Mv2W1FiXrZ9LDErwYU3Eiw&cbp=12,194.26,,0,0

delthedriver · 20-07-2012 12:13am

mondymike wrote: »

passed this place a few times. Been cleaned up, there used to be a load of cars lying up outside, before i think i saw a c15 van on a 2 post lift, with an inch of dust on it.

https://maps.google.ie/maps?q=Drumcondra&hl=en&ll=53.849793,-6.653724&spn=0.003829,0.009645&sll=53.84996,-6.653413&sspn=0.000964,0.002411&oq=Drumcon&t=h&hnear=Drumcondra,+County+Meath&z=17&layer=c&cbll=53.850109,-6.653058&panoid=Mv2W1FiXrZ9LDErwYU3Eiw&cbp=12,194.26,,0,0

Polski Fiat, a blast from the past!. Where exactly is Drumcondra Co. Meath? Lived in Co. Meath many years ago, trying to jog my memory.

Do-more · 20-07-2012 8:58am

delthedriver wrote: »

Polski Fiat, a blast from the past!. Where exactly is Drumcondra Co. Meath? Lived in Co. Meath many years ago, trying to jog my memory.

Just zoom out on the map and you will see exactly where it is, up near R-D.

delthedriver · 21-07-2012 3:31pm

Do-more wrote: »

Just zoom out on the map and you will see exactly where it is, up near R-D.

Ah yes ! thanks

delthedriver · 21-07-2012 3:59pm

delthedriver wrote: »

Ah yes ! thanks

Anyone remember Frosts Garage in Nenagh.? They were Ford dealers? Think they were taken over by Lyons Ford Limerick

delthedriver · 21-07-2012 4:03pm

delthedriver wrote: »

Ah yes ! thanks

Anyone remember Frosts Garage in Nenagh.? They were Ford dealers? Think they were taken over by Lyons Ford Limerick? Also Central Garage and Standard Garage in !imerick. Also Raheen Motor Works?

iverjohnston · 22-07-2012 3:07pm

Just found this thread, love the Vauxhall sigh at Doyles garage! Memories of a goldie coloured Chevette we owned in the early eighties. (Vauxhall called this coulur "Champagne!)

hi5 · 22-07-2012 8:22pm

I don't know the name of the dealership for this garage in Kilkenny, but it was an Opel dealer up until the late 80's.

http://maps.google.ie/?ll=52.658026,-7.253951&spn=0.000003,0.002642&t=m&z=19&layer=c&cbll=52.657998,-7.256135&panoid=lVXtC6OzG1l89RrnPwf15g&cbp=12,131.77,,0,-9.18

WDB123 · 22-07-2012 11:50pm

delthedriver wrote: »

Anyone remember Frosts Garage in Nenagh.? They were Ford dealers? Think they were taken over by Lyons Ford Limerick? Also Central Garage and Standard Garage in !imerick. Also Raheen Motor Works?

Yeah remember them! oldest ford dealer in Ireland Ryans Roscrea? still going

3 generations grandson must be 50,

CorsetIsTight · 04-08-2012 10:29am

hi5 wrote: »

I don't know the name of the dealership for this garage in Kilkenny, but it was an Opel dealer up until the late 80's.

That was Renehan's.

hi5 · 04-08-2012 11:00am

CorsetIsTight wrote: »

That was Renehan's.

Thanks, the name rings a bell now:)

gfmatthe · 24-09-2012 12:52pm

Hi, can anyone recall the name of the Ford dealer's showroom in Rathmines heading down from the swan center twords the bridge on opposite side of road? Used to admire the cars through out the 80's. What year did they close?

exador · 24-09-2012 1:09pm

gfmatthe wrote: »

Hi, can anyone recall the name of the Ford dealer's showroom in Rathmines heading down from the swan center twords the bridge on opposite side of road? Used to admire the cars through out the 80's. What year did they close?

I think it may have been Michael Orr ? It was Diamond Cars - Renault after that I think ? Memory is fading a bit but I vaguely remember it as Michael Orr

gfmatthe · 24-09-2012 2:26pm

Thanks for that. I still have a mkIII Capri 2.0 and a MKIV Cortina 1.6 which I use as my everyday car. Sold a MKII Escort RS2000 a couple of months ago as I did not have the space to keep all three. RS was worth the most so the few quid came in handy and got the missus off my case for a while.

chinwag · 24-09-2012 7:25pm

Yeah, I remember there was a Ford dealer in Rathmines around that time - also, there was an Opel dealer called Rathmines Motors around there in the 80's, I wonder if there a chance it was the same premises used at different times?

Hermy · 24-09-2012 10:49pm

I think you might be right chinwag as a neighbour of mine used to work there and he was an Opel man all his life.

esicorty · 31-10-2012 11:14pm

Where in Greenhills road was Bill Cullens fairlane motors. What is there now.

exador · 01-11-2012 12:04am

esicorty wrote: »

Where in Greenhills road was Bill Cullens fairlane motors. What is there now.

There was extravison there afterwards. not sure if still there. just after the turn into Stuarts and NCT centre on the lh side as you are heading for the village. I worked there for over 4 years until the recession hit in the early mid eighties.

pmac086 · 01-11-2012 8:17am

Yep, that would be correct, he went pop there too before going over to Rathmines Motors

exador · 01-11-2012 8:25am

I don't think Bill Cullen went to Rathmines but one of the managers set up Diamond Cars as Renault dealer and a lot of the old Fairlane staff went with him. Bill was Mr Renault but I don't think he was involved in Diamond Cars

pmac086 · 01-11-2012 8:26am

exador wrote: »

I think it may have been Michael Orr ? It was Diamond Cars - Renault after that I think ? Memory is fading a bit but I vaguely remember it as Michael Orr

I Thought the Showrooms in Rathnmines called Rathmines Motors and they were the Main Opel Dealers, the showroom was owned by Reg Armstrongs and was headed up by a very nice chap called Bill Ennis.
Michael Orr ( of Orr and Daag) had the showrooms up the other end of Rathmines near the Church ( upr Rathmines road)

When Reg Armstrongs closed the showroom was sold off to non other then Bill Cullen then coming out of Fairlane Motors where he went pop, thiis was all around the time when Paddy Hayes ( of Ford and then Waterford Crystal) sold the Renault Franchise for 1 Punt and Bill opened the showrooms as Diamond cars.

Ford took the showrooms on Maxwell road also on Upr rathmines road.

If my memory serves me right !!

pmac086 · 01-11-2012 8:31am

exador wrote: »

I don't think Bill Cullen went to Rathmines but one of the managers set up Diamond Cars as Renault dealer and a lot of the old Fairlane staff went with him. Bill was Mr Renault but I don't think he was involved in Diamond Cars

He was indeed, I knew the guys in Rathmines Motors , the Manager fronted the operation but Bill was behind it and was working like a mad man to pull the Renault dealers on side before Renault slipped into a hole. Dont forget he had just taked over the sole distribution rights for Renault at the time

exador · 01-11-2012 9:21am

That was Peter Ennis that was running the Diamond Cars operation. Maybe your're right about Bill behind it as I can't remember...

Big Nasty · 01-11-2012 9:40am

pmac086 wrote: »

Michael Orr ( of Orr and Daag) had the showrooms up the other end of Rathmines near the Church ( upr Rathmines road)

Which then became George Daag motors I presume?

pmac086 · 01-11-2012 10:05am

MCMLXXV wrote: »

Which then became George Daag motors I presume?

Yes, it seems upr Rathmines has a fair share of Motor guys, opposite Daag was Des Cullen who later moved to where the Tesco express is now after selling it and going out to the Beacon, not sure if the last move was a good one for Des

pmac086 · 01-11-2012 10:08am

exador wrote: »

That was Peter Ennis that was running the Diamond Cars operation. Maybe your're right about Bill behind it as I can't remember...

Yes indeed , it was all a long time ago, to think there was 5 biggish garages selling cars in Rathmines those days, down to just two now, the old Dagg place and the old Des cullen place

Big Nasty · 01-11-2012 10:21am

pmac086 wrote: »

Yes indeed , it was all a long time ago, to think there was 5 biggish garages selling cars in Rathmines those days, down to just two now, the old Dagg place and the old Des cullen place

Who has the old Daag place now? I know Kealys had it for a good while but they moved to Sandyford a couple of years back.

pmac086 · 01-11-2012 10:36am

MCMLXXV wrote: »

Who has the old Daag place now? I know Kealys had it for a good while but they moved to Sandyford a couple of years back.

Apologies to Michael for misspelling his surname. Sorry cant say, seem to go through car dealers every few months. loosing track at this stage.

BowWow · 01-11-2012 7:12pm

pmac086 wrote: »

this was all around the time when Paddy Hayes ( of Ford and then Waterford Crystal) sold the Renault Franchise for 1 Punt and Bill opened the showrooms as Diamond cars.

Bill Cullen bought the Renault franchise from the Smith Grp I thought.

pmac086 · 01-11-2012 8:23pm

BowWow wrote: »

Bill Cullen bought the Renault franchise from the Smith Grp I thought.

Your not wrong Waterford Crystal owned the Smith Group that had the Renault distribution rights, Paddy Hayes was brought in from Ford after he closed it down and told 1000 people they had no jobs, and he got rid of Renault by giving it to Cullen for a quid ,

Type 17 · 02-11-2012 9:24pm

Rathdown Motors to close…

http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/1102/rathdown-motors-to-close-after-25-years-business.html

pmac086 · 02-11-2012 10:37pm

Type 17 wrote: »

Rathdown Motors to close…

http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/1102/rathdown-motors-to-close-after-25-years-business.html

Sad to see it close, amazed with Honda and Hyundai, 2 super franchises.
Distributors will need to give their dealers a better deal to help them through this recession or else a lot more will go.

Big Nasty · 02-11-2012 11:11pm

pmac086 wrote: »

Sad to see it close, amazed with Honda and Hyundai, 2 super franchises.
Distributors will need to give their dealers a better deal to help them through this recession or else a lot more will go.

They wouldn't be top franchise's. If Appleyard couldn't manage with Ford it makes it difficult to see how others can survive.

pmac086 · 03-11-2012 9:20am

MCMLXXV wrote: »

They wouldn't be top franchise's. If Appleyard couldn't manage with Ford it makes it difficult to see how others can survive.

The industry is in a state, mo doubt, lets wish the Spirit Group every success in their takeover of the Appleyard premises , they will continue with the Ford Franchise and similar staff numbers.
Ford may be considered one of the top but its living on the Focus, would prefer the Hyundai, Audi, Volkswagen, as a group under one roof. Ford will not share !!!

delthedriver · 03-11-2012 6:07pm

MCMLXXV wrote: »

Which then became George Daag motors I presume?

I can recall George Dagg Motors going back to the early 70's. from memory they were Fiat and Lancia dealers. At that stage they were in Church Place Rathmines.

Big Nasty · 03-11-2012 7:04pm

delthedriver wrote: »

I can recall George Dagg Motors going back to the early 70's. from memory they were Fiat and Lancia dealers. At that stage they were in Church Place Rathmines.

I was only a chap then but they were Mazda and Peugeot in the 90's.

delthedriver · 03-11-2012 7:33pm

MCMLXXV wrote: »

I was only a chap then but they were Mazda and Peugeot in the 90's.

Correct. Beginning to show my age. The Dagg family were very nice people to deal with. George Snr. and Jnr were absolute gentlemen. Some of the younger members of the family went on to represent Ireland in various sports.

Old, Long Forgotten Car Dealers

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