1924

Sporting apathy

At a time when the promotion of Irish athletics and sport generally should be the concern of every Irish man and woman, it is somewhat discouraging to find in County Galway apathy amounting almost to indifference on the part of hurling and football teams to keep engagements.

For some time past it has been noticeable that fixtures in various parts of the country have been abandoned from one cause or another – in some cases the most trivial.

An important semi-final hurling match for a cup presented by the County Board in aid of the training fund, fixed for Renmore on Sunday last, furnished an example of apathetic spirit.

It was arranged that the city hurling team should meet Kilconieron. The latter failed to put in an appearance. It is true that the weather conditions in the morning were of the worst possible description, there being a steady downpour up to noon, when, however, the rain ceased and an exhilarating breeze blew for the remainder of the evening.

Hundreds of people from Galway city, not a few of whom had travelled on the excursion train from Athlone and Ballinasloe that morning, waited patiently at Renmore for some hours, but they were doomed to disappointment.

Surely it should have been possible for the Kilconieron team to have made last-minute arrangements to travel in these days of quick road transport.

Pictured: Pupils from Bushypark National School who took part in the Liturgical Festival for schools of the Galway Deanery on May 4, 1964.