In the Manx Museum in Douglas in the Isle of Man there are numerous exhibitions celebrating the rich Manx motor sport heritage that spans a century of racing on four wheels and two on the island. It is a history that prompts the island's proud boast as the Road Racing Capital of the World. Few would dispute the claim.
At the centre of the museum's motor cycling exhibitions a video display shows rare colour footage of the 1946 Manx Grand Prix. The 60-year-old film is extraordinary, sharp and vibrant, as clear and vital as if it were shot yesterday. The film shows a big man sitting aboard a 498cc Triumph Twin, a broad-shouldered six-footer, exuding a relaxed confidence, joking with those who approach him to offer their congratulations.
The accolades are well deserved, the big man on the Triumph Twin is Ireland's Ernie Lyons. He has just achieved one of the great results in Irish sporting history, victory in the 1946 Manx Senior Grand Prix, the first race to be ran over the Isle of Man Mountain circuit after the end of the second World War.
Sixty years after the event, his famous victory is still talked about and remembered by fans of motor cycle road racing. It is one of the landmark victories in Irish road racing.
Lyons's career highlights include a 500cc North West 200 victory in 1939, a season as a works rider with Norton in 1947 and a brief spell with the factory Moto Guzzi team in 1948. Lyons partnered Italian veteran Omobono Tenni in the Guzzi team at the Isle of Man TT, and the Swiss Grand Prix at Zurich in 1948. While Tenni rode to a steady 9th in the 1948 Senior, a race won by Artie Bell on the factory Norton, Lyons's all-or-nothing approach saw him crash out in the early stages of the race with a commanding lead in hand. The following year Lyons returned to the Isle of Man to ride privately entered Velocettes for well known sponsor Nigel Spring. It is some testament to Lyons's prowess that he split the all-conquering Norton team in the Senior TT, pushing Artie Bell out of the top three to finish behind Daniell and Lockett. In the Junior TT Lyons went even better to follow race winner Freddie Frith home for a Velocette 1 - 2. At Ernie Lyons's home Grand Prix, the Ulster, his best result came in the 1947 500cc race, finishing runner up behind Norton team mate Artie Bell, and ahead of AJS works rider Jock West. It was a rare highlight in what proved to be an otherwise miserable season riding the factory Nortons.
But it is still the famous 1946 Manx Grand Prix win that Ernie Lyons is best remembered for. Lyons's performance that day was remarkable, triumphing over truly atrocious conditions and riding on the limit for most of the race with a broken frame on his beloved Triumph.
In weather conditions that would not be considered remotely suitable for racing in the modern era, he led for the entire distance and gave a master class that crushed and demoralised the opposition and kept those who were fortunate to witness it spellbound for the entire 2 hours 57 minutes and 3 seconds of the race distance. It is a performance that has earned Ernie Lyons a place amongst the immortals.
With heavy rain over the 37¾ mile circuit, the first of the Senior Manx Grand Prix's 67 starters left the start at 11am on September 7th, 1946. On his opening lap Lyons averaged a speed of 77.45 mph, a time of 29 min 14 sec, and upped the pace on each successive lap. On his third circuit he recorded a time of 28 minutes 44 seconds; by then it was estimated that visibility from the Bungalow to Creg-ny-Baa (over three miles distant) was down to less than 50 yards.
As the conditions worsened, Lyons maintained his relentless pace, and at the end had more than two minutes to spare over his closest rival, runner up and Junior Manx Grand Prix winner, Ken Bills. Ohis return to Dublin Ernie Lyons received a hero's welcome. In his native Kill the entire village turned out to welcome him home and he was carried shoulder high through the streets.
It's almost a lifetime since Ernie Lyons graced the race tracks of Europe, and a lot has changed in the world since then, not all of them for the better. The big man from County Kildare, The Flying Farmer as he was known during his heyday, celebrated his 92nd birthday earlier this year. Nowadays he lives quietly in his home town of Kill, and to him the glory that he won on a race track is a fond but distant memory. Almost a lifetime ago Ernie Lyons was a hero. To many of us he still is.
Practice for the 2006 Manx Grand Prix is now under way, and the fortnight-long festival of racing ends with the Senior Manx Grand Prix on September 1st. Amongst those making the trip across Irish Sea to take on the challenge of the Mountain Circuit will be Sam Dunlop and Barry Davidson. We wish them the very best of luck.
At Bangor Castle in 1945 the Expert classes getting away at the start are No 27 Ernie Lyons, (Triumph), and 28 Belfast's Artie Bell (Norton)