What would Saint Patrick drive?

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Of course there is only one set of wheels suitable for the Saint who lived in the fifth century but continues to bring so much merriness to the Irish: the Dunberry-built DeLorean DMC12 in its full Back to the Future-guise. Even if it was alone for its ability to haul the holy man over to our time, with all its motoring facilities.

There is, however, another Irish car that we prefer quite a lot over that all too well known film car. It’s the appropriately named Shamrock, built by an American with a soft spot for Ireland, who planned to start production in Tralee, county Kerry, back in 1959. He used Austin A55 running gear mated to a ‘Cellobond’ plastic body of unusual proportions. Cars magazine road tested the thing and called it ‘A poor man’s T-bird’. Styling wise it certainly had some transatlantic influences.

But the Shamrock’s story ended rather sad. The 1498cc Austin engine wasn’t too capable to propel the big family touring car to spritely performances. Apart from that the engineers had forgotten that rear wheels were supposed to be removable without having to drop the complete rear axle. The plans of producing 10,000 cars a year needed adjustment soon after the 1959 introduction. Eventually just 10 cars are said to have been built and the company closed in early 1960, dumping their stock in Lough Muckno. Divers – take your benefit. Oh, and happy Saint Patrick's Day!

(Words and archive picture Jeroen Booij)

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