Charting the history of sport in West Connemara

A GAA enthusiast has released the first of four volumes of a book – entitled ‘Pride in the Parish: A Gaelic Sporting History’ – which documents the history of sport in the West Connemara region over the past century.

Well-known Gael, Paul Gannon has spent the last eight years researching the history of sport in Connemara, resulting in the first volume being launched recently. It focuses on men’s Gaelic football, athletics and cycling.

The seeds for ‘Pride in the Parish’ were sown in 2004 when Gannon’s native club, Renvyle GAA, celebrated its 75th anniversary and, wishing to recognise the milestone, he sought to write and publish a club history.

While it did not materialise on that occasion, Gannon later decided to not solely focus on Gaelic games but embrace all the sports that had served the area, particularly the Letterfrack-Ballinakill parish.

“This decision presented me with a far greater challenge than I had initially envisaged, but eight long and laborious years later, I am satisfied that I have chartered the right course, in terms of the final product,” he says.

In any event, the book became a labour of love for Gannon – who has been a prominent member in the promotion of Gaelic games, both men and women in Connemara – and he says “heritage conservation is at the heart of the project”.

Along with focusing on the adult grades, he also looks at the impact sport has had on young people and in volume one he follows the footballing fortunes of Eagles Nest, Lettergesh, Tully, Letterfrack and Leenane national schools, in addition to Kylemore Abbey, Letterfrack CBS and Clifden secondary schools.

Those who have wore the maroon and white of Galway are also alluded to while those who have gave their time to refereeing, coaching, management and administration are also lauded.Gannon also includes his earliest memories, namely the Renvyle AC Field Day of August 30, 1974 – or second annual Connemara Highland Games – and at which he won his first ever medal.

This sporting and sociological history is done through a miscellaneous of articles and stories from such sources as the Connacht Tribune, community newsletter cuttings, personal accounts, contributions from those who participated in these sports, photographs and scanned documents.

Consequently, the vast array of information had to be spread out over four volumes, with volume two focusing on men’s football from 1970 to 2012 and also hurling. The third volume looks at ladies football up to 2004, men’s football abroad, Scor na nÓg, the cultural side of the GAA and camogie. The final volume caters for colleges and schools GAA, handball and ladies football from 2005 to 2012.

“Pride in the Parish seeks to record, appraise and celebrate in a comprehensive manner, the history of all the aforementioned Gaelic sports,as they pertained to my native parish,” concludes Gannon.