Enthusiasm for sport has never waned

For sure, we live in stirring times! Seldom a day passes but we encounter yet another phenomenon. It must not have always been thus. Wednesday night's spectacular victory over Yugoslavia has dimmed the disappointment of the Meath-Armagh fiasco at Croke Park on Sunday.

Now we look forward to the Ryder Cup and we still have hurling and football All-Ireland finals to cope with, followed by a trip Down Under by the cream of Irish Gaelic football players.

Our fascination with sport of all kinds continues to intrigue but, the fact is that there is nothing very new about that. Crowds still flock to the major fixtures. Golf has never been more popular nor has Gaelic football and hurling as well as greyhound and horse racing.

It was ever thus and this is confirmed by a correspondent who recently sent this column some information from long ago which had been published in the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News.

The newspaper was published in London up until 1943 and occasionally featured matters of Irish interest. We all know that the people in Punch magazine had a rather jaundiced view of Ireland and the Irish but the above mentioned newspaper seemed to take a more positive approach. In its edition of February 20th, 1896 the newspaper reported a football match between Ireland and England at (where else) Lansdowne Road. The match was played on Saturday January 16th and, we are told, brought together: "an enormous concourse of people, over 7,000 having paid at the turnstile during the day.

"Shortly after three o'clock the Englishmen arrived on the ground and were quickly followed by the home men. Both teams were accorded a most enthusiastic reception. "The game commenced a few minutes after the appointed time (the GAA did not invent late starts apparently even though they were later vilified for late starts) and resulted in a victory for the English.

"The Irish certainly suffered by the absence of Mr J W Taylor, one of the best football players in the United Kingdom. "England was never represented by a better team. Happily no accident occurred to mar the day's proceedings. "The players, after the game was over, presented a very dilapidated appearance, mud scratches and torn jerseys were the order of the day. The whistle used by the umpire emitted a a very melancholy squeak and every time it was heard caused great tittering. "The arrangements for the accommodation of the press were very poor (what else is new) and the reporters were certainly not to be envied in the performance of their onerous duties.

"A word of praise is due to Mr Cook, the secretary of the Irish Football Union, for his courtesy and kindness." The article was signed C B.

In an earlier report in March of 1884 - some months before the GAA was formed - the following description of hurling appeared. It referred to the Dublin Metropolitan Hurling Club and the "energetic exertions" of a Mr Cusack of the Civil Service Academy "to whom we are indebted for the revival of hurling in Ireland".

The club, it is reported, consisted of mainly young men preparing for Civil Service appointments and had been started under Mr Cusack's management.

The report went on: "If we are to judge by the constantly increasing number of spectators attending those matches, the game is likely to become even more popular than its kindred sport polo or hurling on horse back."

The report advises: "The hardest possible hitting, both right and left, is encouraged to develop both sides of the body, except in a crush when the timber is not to be lifted as the ball is sure to be stolen from a `swiper'.

"But in the open the ball is to be `coaxed' and `lifted' with the hurley, never with the hand and, when off the ground, hit with the full strength of the player. "Play begins with a lady on horseback, galloping across the field and tossing the ball in the centre amongst the players - a custom which seems to have been followed in all matches of which we have any authentic record."

It wasn't until the following November in Hayes's Hotel in Thurles that the GAA was finally formed under the influence of "Mr Cusack" and others.

One wonders how supporters of those days would react to the modern games of rugby, soccer or hurling but it is interesting to note that a newspaper published in London was, even then, interested in our sporting affairs.

The report just quoted seems to suggest that hurling in those days, with references to horse women and polo, was played by a certain class of people. Reference was also made in the report that matches were played on Saturday, a day which, "the peasantry" might not be available.

Michael Cusack identified this contradiction very early in his efforts to establish the GAA as a sporting organisation for the native people of Ireland, including the rich farmers of the south of the country as well as their employees. People like Cusack and Maurice Davin saw through the discrimination which was taking place and both, being educated men, set out to break the grip which had kept athletics in particular and Gaelic sports in a state of thrall to the upper classes. Haven't we come a long way?