He only won £1,200, and that shared with two others, but Ronnie Adams's victory in the 1956 Monte Carlo Rally earned him a place in motorsport history as a member of the first Irish team to win an international rally. Adams died last week at the age of 88.
Ronald James Adams was born in Belfast in March 1916, one of three children. His family was involved in the linen-manufacturing industry.
Educated at Wrekin College in Shropshire, he represented the school in shooting and on the cricket pitch. Following his schooling, he entered the family textile business and remained active in linen-manufacturing for the rest of his working life.
Ronnie - as he was known - learned to drive at the early age of 13. He became interested in motorsport and when just 20 was the winner, along with Basil Clark and Cliff Holmes, of the inaugural Circuit of Ireland Rally in 1936.
A class winner at Craigantlet Hill Climb, he sensationally beat the official factory MG team at this event in 1937. He was a member of the winning team in the 1938 Circuit of Ireland and was second overall in 1939 before the second World War brought motorsport to a halt. During the conflict he served with the North Irish Horse Regiment.
Because of petrol rationing, after the war Adams turned his attention to yachting at Royal North and came close to making the British Olympic team in 1948. He continued to sail for many years on Strangford Lough.
With the return of the Circuit of Ireland, he won his class in 1946, 1947 and 1948. He made his international debut in the 1952 Monte Carlo Rally, the event which was to make him famous. That first drive brought him no success, but in the 1953 event he was placed 15th.
In the same year he came close to winning the RAC Rally of Great Britain.
His sixth place in the 1954 Monte Carlo Rally, driving his own 3.5-litre Jaguar, accompanied by Ernest McMillan, led to an invitation to drive for the official Jaguar team the following year. In 1954 he also turned his attention to circuit racing and was placed 4th in the Daily Express Trophy Race at Silverstone.
The year 1955 saw him take 8th place in the Monte Carlo Rally and also complete a hat-trick of wins in the RAC Rally, driving for Alvis.
In 1956, as part of the Jaguar team in the Monte Carlo Rally, Adams and team-mates Frank Biggar and Derek Johnston had a classic victory to win the first prize of £1,200 and a place in motorsport history. In doing so they became the first Irishmen to win a major international rally.
In the same year, again with Ernest McMillan, Ronnie entered the Mille Miglia in a TR3, only to be forced out by a spinning Porsche.
In 1958 he tackled the East African Safari Rally with Mercedes, failing only because of team orders to become the first European to win this toughest of all events after an exceptional drive. It was not until 1971 that a European driver finally triumphed in this event.
Fifth place in the 1959 Monte Carlo Rally followed, along with other drives for the Rootes factory team. In 1964 he was offered a Monte Carlo drive by the BMC team, but declined, as he considered himself too old. Fellow Ulsterman Paddy Hopkirk won that event in one of the BMC Mini-Coopers, becoming the only other Irishman to triumph in this most prestigious of rally events.
A very competitive and focused competitor, his ability to "read the road" in events which did not allow prior practice runs was regarded as exceptional.
Adams married Eileen and had four children, Cynthia, Michael, Gilbert and Kenneth. Following the death of Eileen, he married Shelagh, who survives him together with the four children of his first marriage.
Ronnie Adams: born March 1916; died, April 13th, 2004.