From motoring historian Bob Montgomery's archives.
MEMORY'S ROADS: When English control of Ireland was complete in the early 17th century, the first attempts were made to improve Irish roads.
The English system, with each parish required to supply free labour, tools and materials for roads, didn't work here and in 1762 the task was given to grand juries which had power to raise money.
Around the same time, the first serious experiments to improve our roads were made. Broken stones with sharp edges were used for the first time as it had been found that traffic forced the stones into the soil.
Another improvement was the turnpike trust - these maintained roads through tolls on certain kinds of traffic.
Among the most important toll-roads were those between Kilmainham and Kilcullen Bridge, Newcastle West to Cork, and Dublin to Dunleer.
In the 19th century the new railways made turnpikes unprofitable and they were abolished in 1857. From then until 1899, roads were the responsibility once again of grand juries. However, for the first time, all roadworks were put up to tender and done by contract with maintenance costs being met by rate-like contributions from property-owners up to 1888.
Shortly after the first cars appeared on Irish roads, the Local Government Act of 1898 created county and district councils. The new councils were not allowed to exceed by more than a quarter the average road expenditure for the previous three years.
Several of the houses built to collect tolls on turnpike roads still exist today and can be seen at various places around the country.
One such toll house is at Kilmoon, a few miles north of Asbourne on the road to Slane. It has changed little in the past century.
CHAMBERS WHO? Next year will see the centenary of the establishment of Chambers Motors in Belfast, a company which was among our motoring pioneers. With the exception of Ford of Cork, Chambers was the most successful Irish motor manufacturer and remained successfully in business from 1904 to 1929.
For its first 10 years, it could boast of being the only company making cars in Ireland. Its cars were of the highest calibre, built by the best craftsmen from the finest materials. They incorporated a unique design of epicyclic gearbox in the rear axle for most of their production run.
Like so many small firms, Chambers was swept aside in the onslaught of mass-produced cars which flooded the market in the early 1920s. The firm went out of business in 1929.
FERRY NICE: Almost 50 years ago, Palgrave Murphy announced a new service for Irish motorists with the commencement of its new car transport service direct to and from Continental ports. The cost included all charges such as harbour dues, loading (no drive-on/drive-off but loading by crane), discharging, reception, customs attendance and government tax. Prices varied according to car and distance but the average car could get from Antwerp to Dublin and back again for £28.
Who could imagine today's giant high-speed drive-on/drive-off ferries when this innovation was announced by Palgrave Murphy in 1955?