80 years ago Buncrana GAA sought use of golf links to revive games

The glorious celebrations of Sunday in Clones and Coalan McGonagle proudly representing Donegal and his home GAA club of Buncrana was in stark contrast to the situation in the town 80 years ago as this week's Donegal Democrat 'A Matter of Record' recalls: 

80 years ago - May 20, 1944 - Buncrana to Revive Gaelic Games

Buncrana, the largest town in Donegal, is embarking on a Gaelic games revival but as there is no place available at the moment for the GAA they wrote to Buncrana GAA requesting the use of the municipal golf links for football and hurley.

The council at its monthly meeting agreed to let them have the use of the links and pavilion for matches on Sundays.

Mr Colm Grant, Secretary of the wrote: “Would it be possible for the GAA to have the use of the Council's Golf links this season for the purpose of playing football and hurley?

Mr J. McLaughlin - We should try to meet them. They are trying hard to revive the Gaelic games here.

Mr S.D. Machlainn (County Manager) - Would that finish it as a golf links?

Vice - Chairman (Mr WJ Kavanagh) - It would finish it for golf on the day football is played which is usually a Sunday.

Vice - Chairman - The links would not make a very good pitch as they are up and down, but it would do this season, just to get the games established and they could look out for another pitch next season.

It was agreed to let the GAA have the use of the pitch and the pavilion for two hours on Sundays, at 10s per match, the caretaker to put up a notice that there would be no golf between these hours.

Vice Chairman - We could not allow them to practise there every evening for that would ruin the place as a golf links.

(Moving on eight decades and Buncrana’s Caolan McGonagle was the strength of armour at centre half back on Sunday May 12 that helped us to our 11th Ulster senior football title)

ABOVE: DONEGAL DEMOCRAT FROM MAY 1974

100 years ago - May 23 1924 - County Donegal Awards - Irregulars burn Furniture

At Lifford Sessions before his honour Judge Cooke, the Dowager Marchioness Conyngham and Mr Henry S Blunt, as trustees of the will of the late Marquis Conyngham claimed £2,873 14s 6d compensation for the burning at the Hall, Mountcharles which had been in the occupation of irregulars from the 6th June 1922, till the 30th June 1922, of various articles of furniture &c.

It appeared as a result of military action by the Free State Troops, the irregulars vacated the Hall on the last mentioned date and before leaving piled up the furniture in the drawing room and set fire to the premises in several places. Mr Robert Johnston, landsteward gave evidence.

His Honour in giving his decision said that in his view the halls were more or less used as shooting boxes and could not be compared with other large mansions. And having considered the figures carefully he would award in respect of the entire damage £1,800 with £20 witness expenses. In a smaller claim for destruction of a cottage a sum of £30 was awarded.

(The ‘Irregulars’ was a term that was used on the military censorship instructions of the fledgling Provisional government to newspapers that would be more correctly attributed as ‘anti-treaty forces’ during the Irish Civil War. That would give them an equality and balance that they wanted to dissipate in all communications.)

ABOVE: ANOTHER ARTICLE FROM THE DEMOCRAT OF 50 YEARS AG0

90 years ago - May 19, 1934 - Killybegs News - Motor Car drama at Pier

A motor car the property of Mr Patrick Harvey, a traveller, representing Messrs. McAllister, Ballymena, suddenly broke away down an incline opposite Messrs. J. Sheridan’s.

Although the engine was not in motion the car moved at a swift rate, and despite the courageous endeavours of a few spectators to step the vehicle, it crashed into the harbour railings at the pier head and toppled over the sea-wall and down on the beach, a distance of 15 feet.

Instantaneously a large excited crowd assembled on the spot and were relieved when they learned that no persons was injured, there being no occupants in the car at the time of the occurrence.

The tide was quickly approaching the damaged machine and it would only be a matter of a few minutes before it was submerged.

Immediately a willing hand of helpers set to work and after a strenuous struggle succeeded in haiuling the car up the high wall and onto the street before the sea added further damage.

70 years ago, May 21, 1954 - The Spirit of Modern Paganism - Bishop’s waring at Ballyshannon Confirmation

Young people going to the big cities today had temptations to meet which were unknown fifty years ago, His lordship Most Rev Dr MacNeely, Bishop of Raphoe, told a crowded congregation at St Patrick's Church, Ballyshannon on Sunday when he attended to administer Confirmation to 219 children from the schools of the parish.

A great many fell victims to these temptations and he thought that the reason was that they forgot their teaching and the remedies.

They forgot that it did not matter very much how much money they earned on a Sunday or Holyday if they missed Mass. Perhaps they earned more money by doing overtime on a Sunday.#

"Perhaps they thought “why should I not earn the extra money. It means a lot.”

There was no use being a worldly success if in the course of becoming so, they neglected their faith.

His Lordship deplored the modern trend of late night entertainments such as all-night dances. Some people might ask where was the harm in this night life but he would ask the young men and women concerned what effect all this had on their Catholic life.