The archives have been raided once more as we look back on how our club became, now 60-years ago
The late 1950’s a time just before great change was to occur in Irish society.
DeValera was Taoiseach, the area between the Howth Road and Sutton Cross was a very barren place.
There was no Kilbarrack or Bayside, in fact the opposite side of Foxfield road was the parish of Baldoyle.
Archbishop McQuaid ruled the City and county with an iron fist. Women were not allowed to compete competitively at sport in Dublin.
All Roman Catholic’s attending Trinity College had to receive permission from the Archbishop.
RTE existed but without the “T” making it Raido Eireann.
A massive split existed in Irish Athletic’s between the NACAI and the AAU.
Two years earlier in Melbourne, Ronnie Delaney won Ireland’s first Olympic gold medal and to this date only track & field gold medal.
On August seventh 1958 Delaney led the home challenge in an international mile meet in Santry Stadium. That night five men would break four minutes for a mile, a fete that just four years earlier was considered humanly impossible.
One Month and one day after the historic event’s in Santry, Paddy Boland, called a meeting with the intention of forming an Athletic Club.
Boland a Liberties native moved to Raheny a year earlier, due to a love for the area he acquired through his involvement with horses.
Paddy’s own athletic career began with St. Francis Athletic Club. An ankle injury and a heavy work schedule ensured Paddy’s athletic career was cut short.
On his arrival in Raheny, Boland, noted that there was very little for young men to do and with this in mind, Boland decided that Raheny needed an athletic club.
At the time, Naomh Mhuire were the local athletic club, however had just a small number of members.
Boland decided to set up his own athletic club. On his way to work one morning Boland met Donore Harriers coach Eugene O’Leary and outlined his plans.
“Eugene was fairly sceptical due to Naomh Mhuire’s small membership” explained Boland, “but I believed that there were other factors contributing to this small membership.”
“I arranged for a meeting to be held on September eighth 1958 in what was the cottage on Main Street” Boland explained.
“I placed the poster in the front window and dropped around 100 leaflets regarding the meeting to houses in the area.”
To Paddy’s surprise and to shock Eugene over 30 Men would assembly in the cottage that night.
The meeting in the cottage would begin at 9.15pm and run until 11.30pm. The meeting decided the club name, colours, committee and importantly the association membership.
“I went into the meeting and wanted the club to be called Shamrock A.C” explains Boland, “However it was pointed out that a Shamrock A.C existed in Cork.”
“Then it was pointed out that Newry Shamrock also existed, so Matt Gahan proposed the name Raheny Shamrock Athletic Club”.
“I actually voted for Paul O’Connor’s preference of Raheny Athletic Club as I felt this covered the area correctly.”
In total there were seven names proposed, the two above, along with Watermill A.C, Foxhall A.C, St.Assam’s Harriers, All Saints Athletic Club and Elimount Harriers.
In the ensuing debate, it was decided to withdraw the five other names as Raheny Shamrock A.C and Raheny A.C embraced all districts.
It was also decided the club would join the 32 county organisation the National Athletics and Cycling Association of Ireland (NACAI), over the 26 county but mainly Dublin based AAU.
“I invited Dermott Cullen of Naomh Mhuire to speak at the meeting about joining the NACAI and also a Clonliffe Harriers representive to speak about the benefits of AAU membership” Boland explained.
The colours were decided to be Green and White with the design and crest to be left to the incoming committee. The green was emanating from the club’s name, “Shamrock”.
The committee was chosen as follows;
Chairman Kevin Waters, Secretary Paddy Boland, Treasurer Garda Kevin Conroy, Captain Hugh Hardy and Vice-Captain Paul O’Connor. Dick Doherty, Frank Quinn and M.Morrisroe were also elected to the committee.
Eugene O’Leary was co-opted onto the committee at a later date as he had to resign his membership of Donore Harriers.
The new committee embarked on a serious of nine committee meetings for club business and numerous meetings regarding the rules of the club before the year end.
The second meeting took place two weeks later, this time in Paddy Boland’s home of 32 Avondale Park.
This meeting decided that parish priest Rev.Dr.Fritzpatrick should be invited to become Club president.
Hugh Hardy successfully proposed the club singlet would be white with an Emerald Green Hoop and Emerald green shorts.
Paul Meehan designed the club’s crest, which was a modern two tone shamrock. Subscriptions would be 2/6 for under 20’s and £5 for seniors.
On October 13th the first club singlets were ordered from Elvery’s of Dame Street.
“We had one very strict rule regarding the club’s singlet and shorts” explains Boland.
“Athletes could not race for the club without wearing the full kit. Also everyone purchased a tracksuit, singlet and shorts.”
“Once they achieved a certain status we gave them the club crest for their singlet, then when they achieved the second standard, we gave them a second crest for their tracksuit” explained Boland.
Training was set for Tuesday and Thursday nights at 7.30pm, Saturdays at 2.30pm and Sunday’s at 11am.
It was delegated to Eugene O’Leary to ask for the use of the Parish Pavilion for training, However Dick Doherty approached Fr.Ryan who agreed to this, once R.S.A.C’s training did not clash with Raheny GAA club.
A short time later Fr.Ryan told Paddy Boland that Raheny Shamrock could not use the pavilion, this was due to “If the athletics club had access to the pavilion, then it would allow the parish soccer team the same access.”
The first training session scheduled for October 16th 1958 was in fact cancelled, as a mark of respect to the passing of Pope Pius XII.
The club would host their first race in November 58, the club novice cross country See HERE
Afterward, Paddy Noonan complained to the club committee as he did not know where the finish was.
Noonan asked the chairman to hold an investigation and if he was correct, the race should then be awarded to him, this proposal was defeated at the committee meeting.
Paul O’Connor also reported that Hugh Hardy was not present at training. Hardy then resigned from his position as club captain and was replaced by Paul O’Connor with Peter O’Reilly becoming vice-captain.
Paul’s first action as captain would be to report Tom O’Leary for not taking part in the stretching exercises.
The first Christmas of the club would see the beginning of the traditional Christmas race period.
The first proposal was a run to the Clontarf orthopedic hospital on Christmas day.
However Clontarf hospital declined the offer as they could not agree a time to accept the club, as St. Vincent De Paul also paid a visit to the hospital.
It was then agreed to hold a 3 Mile road race on St.Stephen’s Day with £25 being awarded between first and second.
And that was just the first three months of the club!
Tickets are available for the club’s 60th anniversary dinner dance on November 9 – details here
