Rosemary Smith was an Irish rally driving legend who proved that a woman could not only compete with men in motorsport—she could beat them outright, and do it with style.

EARLY YEARS

Born on August 7, 1937, in Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland, Rosemary was the youngest of three children to John Smith, a Methodist garage owner in Rathmines, and his Catholic wife, Jane—an unhappy marriage that set a complicated backdrop for her childhood[1][2]. Her father taught her to drive at age 11 in a field in Tallaght, quietly nurturing what would become an extraordinary talent[3]. She attended Loreto High School Beaufort in Rathfarnham, Dublin, but loathed school—apart from sports—and left at 15, enrolling instead in the Grafton Academy to study dress design[4][5].

OTHER INTERESTS

Before she ever tore up a rally stage, Rosemary trained as a dress designer and model, eventually opening a flourishing fashion boutique in Dublin with her mother[6]. It was while running that shop that she first got the itch for racing. She also tried her hand at go-kart racing, winning the Women’s Ireland Championship in 1965—the same year she would make motorsport history[7].

EARLY SUCCESS

Smith entered her first rally, the Ladies’ Automobile Club Rally, in 1959[8]. By 1960, with co-driver Betty Bigger, she had begun participating in major rallies, including the grueling RAC Rally of Great Britain, a 2,400-mile event that separated hobbyists from serious competitors[9]. She competed in Ireland and the UK in Minis and Fords, but it was the Rootes-made Hillman Imp that would become her weapon of choice. In 1964, Smith took her first major rally accolade by winning the ladies’ division—the Coupe des Dames—in the Circuit of Ireland Rally[10]. It was clear she wasn’t just fast. She was relentless.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 1964: Won the Coupe des Dames at the Circuit of Ireland Rally[10].
• 1965: Won the Tulip Rally outright in the Netherlands—a four-day, nearly 1,800-mile event—in a Hillman Imp with co-driver Valerie Domleo, becoming the first and only woman to win the rally overall[11][12].
• 1965: Named Texaco Sportstar of the Year[13].
• 1965: Won the Women’s Ireland Go-Kart Championship[7].
• 1966: Won the Ladies’ Cup and finished 30th overall at the 24 Hours of Daytona with co-driver Smokey Drolett in a Sunbeam Alpine[14].
• 1966 & 1967: Won the small-engine and women’s categories in the Shell 4000 rallies—4,100-mile treks across Canada—and achieved impressive overall finishes[15].
• 1968: Competed in the legendary London to Sydney Marathon[16].
• 1970: Competed in the 12 Hours of Sebring with co-drivers Janet Guthrie and Judy Kondratieff in an Austin-Healey Sprite[17].

INSPIRATIONS

Her father, a quiet man who owned a garage, was her earliest and most important influence. He taught her to drive and encouraged her career from the start, helping nurture her passion for speed[18]. When Rosemary hesitated to pursue a factory team opportunity, her mother secretly wrote to Norman Garrad at Rootes, telling him her daughter would be delighted to drive for his team. Rosemary got the call—and she paid them back in spades[19].

REPUTATION

Smith became a celebrity and role model through her rallying career, not just because she won, but because she won with flair. She often insisted on racing in style, bringing a touch of glamour to the dirt and gravel of rally stages[20]. In 1966, she appeared as a guest on the American television show What’s My Line?, stumping panelists Arlene Francis, Mark Goodson, Ginger Rogers, and Bennett Cerf[21]. Her status as a motorsport icon was underlined in 2017 when, at age 79, Renault invited her to drive a Formula One car—the R.S.17—making her one of the oldest people ever to take the wheel of an F1 machine[22]. She remained competitive and active well into her late seventies, finishing third in a London to Monte Carlo driving event at age 77[23]. Rosemary also worked as a driving instructor, passing on her skills and passion to the next generation[24]. She passed away peacefully on December 5, 2023, at the Beacon Hospital in Dublin from cancer, aged 86[25].

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

Rosemary Smith passed away in December 2023.

REFERENCES

[1] The Telegraph – Rosemary Smith Obituary
[2] Meath Chronicle – Driven: Rosemary Smith’s Fast Life
[3] HERO-ERA – Rosemary Smith Passes Away
[4] The Irish Times – Rosemary Smith Obituary
[5] Wikipedia – Rosemary Smith
[6] Motorsport Memorial – Rosemary Smith
[7] Motorsport Memorial – Rosemary Smith
[8] Wikipedia – Rosemary Smith
[9] Wikipedia – Rosemary Smith
[10] Wikipedia – Rosemary Smith
[11] RTE Archives – Rosemary Smith Wins Tulip Rally
[12] Motorsport Memorial – Rosemary Smith
[13] The Imp Site – Rosemary Smith
[14] Motorsport Memorial – Rosemary Smith
[15] Wikipedia – Rosemary Smith
[16] Lisa Richards Agency – Rosemary Smith
[17] Wikipedia – 1970 12 Hours of Sebring
[18] HERO-ERA – Rosemary Smith Passes Away
[19] HERO-ERA – Rosemary Smith Passes Away
[20] HERO-ERA – Rosemary Smith Passes Away
[21] Wikipedia – Rosemary Smith
[22] YouTube – 79 Year-Old Rosemary Smith Takes The Ultimate Test Drive
[23] HERO-ERA – Rosemary Smith Passes Away
[24] Wikipedia – Rosemary Smith
[25] Magneto Magazine – Irish Rallying Legend Rosemary Smith Dies