(Recorded in 2013 by Gerry Ahern)

My earliest memory goes back to the middle of the 1950s when there was a thriving and vibrant Parish National Schools’ Sports held in the town. John Kennedy, father of Jimmy and Francis Kennedy, was the principal person behind the organising of this annual event.

Rivalry

There was great rivalry between the schools. I attended the Athenry Boys’ national school where the Principal was Mr. Dónal Kennedy, a native of County Kerry. He had no interest in Gaelic football and even less in hurling. However, he favoured and encouraged athletics, especially relay racing, and our chief pastime then became the training for this event.

National Relay Championships

The annual National Relay Championship was held in Duggan Park Ballinasloe. It was a highly organised meeting. Father Kevin Ryle, who had a huge interest in athletics, was the driving force behind it. Our school participated many times but with little success.

Great runners of that period were Joe Mannion, Michael Curran, Tony Coffey, Frank Coffey, Jimmy Quinn, Eamon King, Tony Curley and Patsy Durnan, who later won the senior half mile at the National Championships in Killarney.

Archbishop’s Cup

Another hard-to-win event each year was the Archbishop’s Cup held as part of the Lough Sports. It attracted teams from all over Connacht. During those times checking the qualifying ages of the runners was not a great priority. Our school won it on one occasion with me running the first leg, Tony Curley the second and my brother, Jimmy the last leg. Jimmy was also a good high jumper who won the Guinness Open held in the Ivy Grounds, Dublin.

Running gear and ‘Hearse’ Transport

Running gear then was quite simple in comparison to present day outfits. We ran bare-footed in a vest and shorts. Only the odd runner had spiked shoes. At one sports the starter used to drop his white handkerchief to signal the start of races.

Our principal mode of transport to sports events in Galway, Mayo and Roscommon was my father’s hearse. The back was taken off and what was left was like a small pick-up truck. We piled on board and sat up with nothing whatsoever to prevent anybody from falling off. The amazing thing was that nobody saw any danger in all of this. We were treated to ice cream cones on the journey home.

Shanaghlish’s Sports and Social Events

Shanaglish was the home parish of Martin Egan who was an outstanding athlete having won many national titles, was a wonderful sports meeting. Athenry Boys won there on many occasions. Athenry’s Barbara Gibbons, won the girls’ race there one year. It was really more than a sports; it was a great social event with all sorts of amusements and a permanent concrete floor with a wall all round it for set dancing where a band played non-stop céilí music all day long. Each sports meeting had its own, unique atmosphere. Unlike the flat running tracks of today, both Lough and Shanaglish had very undulating and uneven courses where the athletes would go out of sight at one end of the tracks.

Revival of Parish sports

In the 1960s the Athenry Parish Schools’ Sports lapsed for a few years. Jimmy Kennedy, John Crosby and I helped to revive them. Prizes, such as hurleys, bottles of wine, shaving mirrors, bottles of Lucozade and sugar bowls, were donated by local shopkeepers. These prizes were put on display in Daly’s shop window, now the Gift Centre. The sport’s race starter from the 1950s until Paddy Ryan took over, was John Crosby, himself a talented distance runner, who won many races including an Irish Junior championship.

Best Athletes

In the 1960s there were no long distance races for young athletes, only the 100 and 220 yards races. The best athlete then was Richard Mulkerrins and a few years later came Gerry Holian. Gerry was able to win every event he participated in. John Hardiman was a great distance runner, winning an Irish under 14 Championship.

During this time the sports were blessed to have great and very efficient secretaries who entered the athletes in the various events and kept details of the results for publication in the newspapers.

Athenry Community Games

In 1970 the Athenry Community Games joined the national association whose chairperson was Galway man, Willie Walsh. Many talented athletes have come through its ranks and great credit must go to the coaches for giving their time to train the many young athletes who have brought county and national titles to the parish.

Past and Present Clubs

In the 1960s a new athletic club, called the Athenry De Witts, was formed. It encouraged a lot of young people to take up the sport, where the best athlete was Brendan Cheevers.

The present Athenry Athletic Club is a very successful and well organised one. Dermot McNamara and Tom Page were very involved in its early stages. Paul McNamara, one of its first members, ran a wonderful race to win the under 16 Irish Cross Country title at the Galway race course. He was second in the All Ireland Youths Championships the next year, and he is still going strong. The club has promoted a large selection of field events and purchased the necessary equipment for athletes in these disciplines to practice and develop their talents. Sinéad Touhy, the 2011 All Ireland under 19 High Jump champion, is a wonderful example of the success of this policy. The club has produced its most successful athlete in Paul Hession, who will run in the London Olympics in 2012.