80th Anniversary of the 1946 Ulster Trophy Motor Race - Ballyclare

What to Expect

This community heritage event marks 80 years since the 1946 Ulster Trophy motor race, run on the old Ballyclare-Ballyrobert street circuit and won by Prince Bira in his ERA, one of the first international road races held in the UK after the Second World War. Motor sport historian Paul Robinson gives a talk on the International Ulster Trophy races held between 1937 and 1947, running alongside an exhibition of race-related material, while the Ulster Automobile Club displays rarely seen memorabilia from the era. Owners of pre-1950 vehicles are invited to bring their cars along for an informal gathering outside the town hall, turning the morning into as much a local car show as a history talk, and giving residents a chance to see the vehicles that once raced through their own streets.

Good to Know

• Date: Saturday 8 August 2026. Gates and vehicle gathering from 10am; the main talk begins at 11.30am, running until around 2pm.
• Venue: Ballyclare Town Hall, Market Square, Ballyclare, BT39 9BB.
• Pedestrian admission is £6.50 per person.
• Pre-1950 vehicle entry is £5 plus a £1.50 booking fee, which covers talk admission for all occupants of the car.
• Book through Theatre at the Mill’s online booking system.
• Suitable for local and motoring history enthusiasts as well as families interested in seeing the vintage cars.

Getting There

Ballyclare Town Hall is in Market Square in the centre of Ballyclare, on the A57 between Antrim and Larne. Ulsterbus services connect Ballyclare to Belfast, Antrim and Larne, and there is on-street and nearby car parking around the town centre.