Archive News
Galway angler lands silver at World freshwater finals
Date Published: {J}
IT may have slipped under the radar for many, but from Bushypark to Moycullen last Thursday, bonfires blazed. For local angler Cathal Hughes was returning home, having become only the third Irishman in the history of the World Freshwater Angling Championships to win a medal.
So, with a silver medallion hanging around his neck, Hughes received a hero’s welcome, as well-wishers, tri-colours and signs of congratulations lined the final stretch of his homeward journey. “They were at the Westwood there, lined up,” beams the Bushypark native, who now lives in Moycullen.
“We were driving down and I knew they had something done, but … there were just heaps of tri-colours, they had stopped traffic, and there were bonfires and signs up all the way out home. It was nice. It was organised by my wife Yvonne, and the Galway Coarse Angling Club.”
It was an emotional end to a journey that had begun nearly three weeks previously when Hughes and his good friend from Roscommon, Rory Dunne, loaded his van with fishing equipment and took off for the 57th World Championships in Merida, Spain.
Selected from trials held on Lough Muckno, up in Castleblayney, last October, Hughes – who had previously competed in the Worlds in 2000 (Italy) and 2001 (France) – and Dunne were part of a six-man Irish selection, from which five would fish on the appointed two days of competition.
This year marked a new approach for the Irish team, under manager Richard Caplice. Having lingered in mediocrity for the previous half-century, a more professional approach was embraced this time round, with the Loughs Agency and the Central Fisheries Board, along with main sponsor Prebait.com, rolling in behind the team’s efforts.
The extensive backing and preparation was to pay off, with Ireland finishing fourth overall … just missing out on the bronze medal to Holland, as England and Italy finished first and second respectively. That said, it was Ireland’s highest ever finish at the World Championships.
“Yeah, Dick Caplice (manager) took it over this year and there was no messing about. What we did, we went over three days before. The official rules state that you can only fish on the match stretch on the official practice days and on match days. Practice days are Monday to Friday before the event. In previous years, an Irish team, which was not used to the species they were fishing, the tactics, and everything, they would not arrive until practice week.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
People’s living conditions less than 100 years ago were frightening. We have come a long way. We talk about water charges today, but back then the local District Councils were erecting pumps for local communities and the lovely town of Mountbellew, according to Council minutes, had open sewers,” says Galway County Council archivist Patria McWalter.
Patria believes we “need to take pride in our history, and we should take the same pride in our historical records as we do in our built heritage”. When you see the wealth of material in her care, this belief makes sense.
She is in charge of caring for the rich collection of administrative records owned by Galway County Council and says “these records are as much part of our history as the Rock of Cashel is. They document our lives and our ancestors’ lives. And nobody can plan for the future unless you learn from the past, what worked and what didn’t”.
Archivists and librarians are often unfairly regarded as being dry, academic types, but that’s certainly not true of Patria. Her enthusiasm is infectious as she turns the pages of several minute books from Galway’s Rural District Councils, all of them at least 100 years old.
Part of her role involved cataloguing all the records of the Councils – Ballinasloe, Clifden, Galway, Gort, Loughrea, Mountbellew, Portumna and Tuam. These records mostly consisted of minutes of various meetings.
When she was cataloguing them she realised their worth to local historians and researchers, so she decided to compile a guide to their content. The result is For the Record: The Archives of Galway’s Rural District Councils, which will be a valuable asset to anybody with an interest in history.
Many representatives on these Councils were local personalities and several were arrested during the political upheaval of the era, she explains.
And, ushering in a new era in history, women were allowed to sit on these Rural District Councils – at the time they were not allowed to sit on County Councils.
All of this information is included in Patria’s introductory essay to the attractively produced A4 size guide, which gives a glimpse into how these Rural Councils operated and the way political thinking changed in Ireland during a short 26-year period. In the early 1900s, these Councils supported Home Rule, but by 1920, they were calling for full independence and refusing to recognise the British administration.
“I love the tone,” says Patria of the minutes from meetings. “The language was very emotive.”
That was certainly true of the Gort Rural District Council. At a meeting in 1907, following riots in Dublin at the premiere of JM Synge’s play, The Playboy of the Western World the councillors’ response was vehement. They recorded their decision to “protest most emphatically against the libellous comedy, The Playboy of the Western World, that was belched forth during the past week in the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, under the fostering care of Lady Gregory and Mr Yeats. We congratulate the good people of Dublin in howling down the gross buffoonery and immoral suggestions that are scattered throughout this scandalous performance.
For more from the archives see this week’s Tribunes here
Date Published: 23-Jan-2013
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Date Published: 29-Jan-2013
Athenry FC 1
Kilbarrack United 2
(After extra time)
For the second year in succession Athenry were done in extra time in the FAI Junior Cup as last season’s beaten finalist’s came from behind to snatch an excellent game in Moanbawn on Sunday afternoon.
On a heavy pitch that was only playable following extensive groundwork by club officials all morning, the home side were by far the better side in the opening half, but failed to take advantage of a number of opportunities that came their way.
An Alan O’Donovan penalty gave them a merited advantage just after the restart, but thereafter were on the back foot as Kilbarrack took over, but for all their pressing, the home rearguard were dealing comfortably with their forays.
However they were struck a body blow just six minutes from time, as big striker Keith Kirwan was left all alone at the far post to head the equaliser and from that point on the Dubliners were the better side.
They started off the extra time in the ascendancy and enjoying all the momentum before striking for a good winning goal on 104 minutes. A strong bench allowed them to make some necessary changes and it was not a facility that was available to Athenry manager Gabriel Glavin.
With Gary Forde and Gary Delaney out through suspension following their sending off against OLBC in the previous round, and Seamie Crowe injured, it left their bench rather threadbare with just a number of young squad players available.
Playing with the aid of the slight incline and any wind advantage going, the home side had a Connor Cannon effort on target in the opening minute, while John Meleady was just over with a flick at the other end.
Meleady then tested Andrew Walsh who saved comfortably, before the goalkeeper pulled off a brilliant double save on 14 minutes.
Firstly he went full length to push away a Meleady shot and was then back on his feet to parry David Jackson’s close-range rebound.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Sentinel.
Sean Canney says modular homes not magic solution to housing crisis
Corrandulla NS wins trophy at national science competition
Significant step forward in plans for new pedestrian footbridge in Oughterard
Initiative to keep over 65s out of Emergency Department launched in Galway
Thieves branded “despicable” over theft from grave at Rahoon Cemetery
‘Peeping Tom’ Garda spied on female colleagues
Burkes return home to revel in their local roots
Man prosecuted for building house instead of agricultural storage unit
East Galway farm sells for €1.3 million
Boasting uninterrupted bay views
