THE MG Car Club (MGCC) marked its 90th anniversary last year, writes Ulster Centre chairman Terry Ingles.
The club's origins lie in an advert placed in the Light Car magazine suggesting the formation of a club for MG owners.
The venue was the Roebuck Hotel, Broadwater, Stevenage, Hertfordshire in England, which still exists, and the founding date is regarded as October 12 1930.
More than 30 cars and their drivers and passengers attended the inaugural event and a club was quickly formed.
The following year the first club dinner was held with MG founder Cecil Kimber as the guest speaker.
In 1932, the first dinner-dance was held at the Café Royal in London where Sir William Morris, George Eyston, and Earl Howe were among the guests.
To mark the 90th anniversary, the MGCC centres, registers and branches all over the world ran events on Sunday October 11.
The MGCC Ulster Centre, itself 52 years old, started its event at Parliament Buildings at Stormont, with a variety of MG models, ranging from a 1933 J2 sports car to the latest ZS EV all-electric SUV.
From Stormont, the cars proceeded in small groups to drive the routes of the Dundrod and Clady race circuits, before finishing at Antrim Castle Gardens for a picnic lunch - all socially-distanced, but nevertheless in the spirit of the 'Marque of Friendship', which is one of the main principles of the MGCC worldwide.
MG story entwined with Ulster and the legend of Tazio Nuvolari
MENTION the name MG to motorists of a certain age and they might think of the sleek little MGA sports cars of the 1950s or the even more successful MGB that succeeded it, writes Denis Bell.
Some could even remember the cheeky looking little T Series Midgets of the early post-war years, with their classic vintage styling.
MG, with its traditional octagon-shaped badge, has always been popular in motorsport, racing and rallying.
Probably the greatest ever win for the marque was in the 1933 Tourist Trophy race on the Ards circuit - a real road course.
The great Tazio Nuvolari arrived with his little supercharged K3 model MG, to race to victory.
To this day the legendary Italian 'Il Mantovano Volante' - 'The flying Mantuan', in recognition of his homeplace of Mantua in Lombardy - is still regarded by many motoring historians as the greatest racing driver of all time, for his unlikely pre-war Grand Prix victories in outdated Alfa Romeos, against the might of the German 'Silver Arrows' of Mercedes-Benz and Auto Unions.
MGs were also driven by two of our own greatest rally drivers, Ronnie Adams and Paddy Hopkirk.
They are among only a handful of British drivers - and the only ones from Ulster - to win the most important and prestigious event of all, the Monte Carlo Rally.
Adams won in 1956, driving a Jaguar, and Hopkirk, even more famously, eight years later, in a Mini.
Adams began his competition career pre-war in an MG Magna and then, long after he retired from front line competition and well into his seventies, purchased a race prepared MGA to use in social events and vintage competitions.
Although best known for his exploits in Minis, Hopkirk was a BMC Works driver, who also owned MG. He made occasional appearances in MGBs in the great long distance sports car races of the day, including the Le Mans 24 hour race.
The marque also featured on the winners list of the Circuit of Ireland, with a win in 1951 followed by another the following year for Derek Johnston in his TD model; he later became a highly respected BBC motorsport commentator and reporter.
MG faded like much of the British motor industry in the latter years of the last century.
However unlike many of the old names - Austin, Morris, Wolseley, Hillman, Riley and others which disappeared - MG has survived, and perhaps because of its famous history is still held in high regard.
The name was bought by Chinese company SAIC in 2007. Today it makes an attractive range of modern SUV and saloon cars, one of the few manufacturers to be increasing sales - thanks in no small part to its electric models.
Who could bet against MG launching a two-seater sports car in the not too distant future?
When MG commenced production almost 100 years ago motoring was very different.
There was no mass car ownership, as today, and motoring was confined to a fortunate few.
Like many other car manufacturers back then, MG formed a motor club, inviting its owners to join, offering both social and competitive events including rallies and hillclimbs.
That club - the MG Car Club - was formed in 1930 and is probably more active today than ever and recently celebrated its 90th anniversary.
Locally, its Ulster Centre upholds the original traditions of the Club offering family-friendly get-togethers, as well as not-too-serious competitive events.
To celebrate the anniversary, the Club held a carefully-controlled Anniversary Drive, starting in front of Parliament Buildings at Stormont and, in keeping with the marque's sporting traditions, toured the Dundrod, Clady and Ballyclare race circuits.
A small selection of cars, covering the history of MG took part - no racing or overtaking, however...
