The Thomond motor car

The history of the Thomond motor car, by Mark Humphrys.

My grandfather Dick Humphreys was involved in the production of the "Thomond" car, of which four were built in Dublin between 1925 and 1933. There are no known remains of any today.

I started researching the Thomond story in 1983. This led to researching my family tree in general, a lifelong project.

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Guide to pages

James A. Jones set up a garage on Haddington Rd, Dublin, in 1914-1915.
Jones and his chief mechanic Ben Parsons built four Thomond cars in 1925 to 1933.
There were also some assistant mechanics.

The four Thomond cars were as follows:

1. In 1925, Jones built his own car, Thomond no.1.

2. Dick Humphreys saw the car, and designed one of his own for Jones and Parsons to build.
   This was Thomond no.2 in 1929.

3. There was a Thomond no.3 saloon car in 1930.
   There is some thin evidence this may have been built for one of the McMullan brothers.

4. Humphreys' car was rebuilt in 1933, and this seems to be Thomond no.4.
   The motoring enthusiast Dudley Colley is said to have bought the engine from Thomond no.4.

See Sources.
See Published references to the Thomond.

Thomond no.1. Built 1925. Photo think 1926.

Thomond no.2. Built 1929. Photo about 1929-1930.

Thomond no.4. Built 1933. Photo 1935-1936.

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• The garage has been demolished. See the garage site after demolition.

• Dick Humphreys' son Richard Humphreys produced a 1970s 'Thomond' design. Though he did not actually build a car.

• I wrote a history of the Thomond, Ireland's First Car, Irish Motor Sport Annual 1985.

• The Thomond featured on an Irish stamp in 1989.

• Motoring Links