Ballyshannon's Greatest Pioneer and the First Motor Car in Town

 

The first car registered in Ballyshannon in 1905 was a De Dion 6 h.p. car like this one 

The first man to register a car in Ballyshannon was probably the greatest pioneer that Ballyshannon has produced and you can read in today's blog  about his many achievements and his wonderful cars. The number plate of his 1905 car was IH 19. In 1922 and 1923 he registered two other  cars with the same number plate which must have been a real talking point in Ballyshannon a hundred years ago. Check out  stylish photographs of his 3 early cars, his pioneering story and a beautiful view of his home in Ballyshannon which is still occupied today.

A Local book for Christmas 2020 See details at
the end of this blog

The first car  registered in 1905 in Ballyshannon was by James Sproule Myles West Port Ballyshannon.  This  was a 6 h.p. De Dion motor car painted white and with the wheels painted red similar to  the one pictured above. This certainly cut quite a dash in Ballyshannon over 100 years ago. Major Myles as he became is probably Ballyshannon's greatest pioneer

• Major James Sproule Myles is remembered as he introduced electricity to Ballyshannon and Bundoran from 1908. and he worked at erecting the poles. 
• His military title dated to the First World War when he was awarded a bravery medal at the Battle of the Somme. 
• He was elected an independent T.D. in  Dail Éireann from 1922-1943. 
•  He also served on the Town Commissioners, Fishery Board and was on Donegal County Council for over 30 years.
•  Sproule Myles  played international rugby for Ireland and was a member of the first Irish team to play in Canada in 1899. 
•  He was also a swimming champion in the North-West region.
•  J.S. Myles played an active role in the retention of the Rock Hospital and in the establishment of the first Technical School in County Donegal in Ballyshannon in 1914.

A 17.4 Overland 4 seater Touring Car  like this was registered by Major Myles in October 1922. He kept the same number plate as before IH 19.

• Major Myles was in every way a community leader and when Donegal County Council introduced the first steam roller into Ballyshannon it was Major Myles who taught the men how to drive it.
• He also played a major role in establishing the first fire brigade in Ballyshannon during the Emergency 1939-1945. 
• He was also active with the Red Cross and the ambulance. 
• His family had their own ships importing coal, timber etc. into Ballyshannon and he was an expert pilot in guiding the ships safely into the Mall Quay. 

In  May 1923 Major Myles registered a Crossley Blue motor car like the one in the image.

Major Myles died on 13th February 1956 and is buried at St. Anne's in Ballyshannon. (See "Ballyshannon Genealogy and History" book  for all inscriptions on gravestones in this cemetery. All inscriptions for St. Joseph's and Abbey Assaroe are also in the book). 

The shell of the Myles commercial buildings can be seen at  Milltown on the Bundoran road and can also be viewed from the Mall Quay  today. This property was sold 50 years ago by John Myles the last of the family in business in the town. Major Myles' home called "Inis Saimer" overlooks the island of the same name and is the family home of Aiden and Sharon McGuinness today.

Inis Saimer island  (left) and "Inis Saimer" house, former home of Major Myles, in the centre of photo overlooking the island. Photograph taken from the Mall Park in the Autumn of 2020.

Ballyshannon at Christmas 2020 courtesy of Ballyshannon Business Chamber

For more on Major Myles' life check out "Ballyshannon Genealogy and History" below. 

Ideal Local gift for Christmas home and away. Limited edition quality hardback with dust jacket as above available in A Novel Idea and Local Hands Ballyshannon and Four Masters Bookshop Donegal Town. 

Also available signed copies, and inscriptions, for postage or collection from anthonyrbegley@hotmail.com

Topics include: How to go about Tracing your Roots/The first settlers in the area/ Newly researched history of the town of Ballyshannon and the townlands in Kilbarron and Mágh Éne parishes/ Records of the first travellers and tourists to Ballyshannon, Bundoran, Belleek, Rossnowlagh and Ballintra/An aerial guide to place names along the Erne from Ballyshannon to the Bar/Flora and Fauna of the area/  5  Members of Parliament from Ballyshannon/ A history of buildings and housing estates in the locality/Graveyard Inscriptions from the Abbey graveyard, St. Joseph’s and St. Anne’s /Rolling back the years with many memories of the Great Famine, Independence struggle, hydro-electric scheme, Gaelic games, boxing, handball, Boy Scouts, soccer, mummers, characters, organisations, folklore and lots more.