John Byrne’s face creases into a smile when recalling the magic of it all. The times were simple, but the game always mattered. In the Byrne household on Henry Street two prized possessions existed.
“I remember distinctly that there was always two footballs under the stairs, two leather footballs because some of the clubs couldn't afford footballs,” Byrne recalls.
“Sunday morning would be me on the front of the bike and Paddy on the back of the bike holding the two footballs on the way to Terryland.
“There wasn't a great road up to Terryland at that time. Basically you spent your day there. My mother might arrive up in the afternoon with the rest of the tribe, there was after all a full team, 11 of us in the family.”
Byrne’s father, Michael, was a distinguished figure in Galway football. An administrator with a vision and belief that the sport could develop and prosper. The Oscar Traynor Cup triumph in 1971 remains a celebrated and cherished day for many.
“When they won the Oscar Traynor, Matt Lee lived three doors down from us, he was the manager of the team,” Byrne says. “You had his son, Derek Lee, Kevin Fahy in Munster Avenue. Kevin was a bit of an icon walking up from Munster Avenue up to the college, very distinguished, but always took the time to stop to speak to my mother if she was at the door. Kevin and myself subsequently became great friends with the FAI.”
Suddenly people in the west began to sense the possibilities. League of Ireland football eventually arrived. There is a tinge of sadness, though, for Byrne looking back. “It was a pity and it was always a great regret of mine that my father didn't live to see the Galway United and Galway Rovers era,” he adds.
“He died in 1976 just before they went into the League Cup. It was something he always wanted to see, something he always aspired to see.”
Having a Corribside outfit operate at the highest level mattered deeply. “It was crucial,” Byrne responds highlighting Galway Rovers’ sterling contribution. “Seamus O'Brien came to Galway to meet Brod Trill to talk to him about a team coming into the League Cup. Pat Connell happened to be in the same establishment that evening. I think it was to be either Bohs or UCG, but fair play Rovers took the initiative.”
Byrne ackowledges how so many contributed to affording players and football enthusiasts have a representative team on the national stage. “Boo Moran, Pat McNamara, Josie McDermott they took great risks,” Byrne adds. “It was huge initiative what they did at the time. Terryland Park in no way resembles what is up there today.
"These guys went in, got their hands dirty, they fenced it, they got the basics into it. I don't think there is enough acknowledgement of the Galway Rovers' era. We seem to have airbrushed that out.
“There was a transition from these guys over to Mickey Walsh and Finbarr Lillis, Gerry Higgins, Tex Callaghan, John Mulholland, who took on the club then, changed the name to Galway United. The rest is history. Those guys deserve absolutely huge credit.”
Ultimately, decades later the Galway United story has been about more pain than pleasure, but Byrne stresses the value of the time Joe Hanley kept the show on the road. “One of the guys I really admire in all of my years in the game is Joe Hanley,” Byrne says. “What himself and Martin Greaney did with Galway United along with Tony Mannion. In the history of the club their significance to it is absolutely enormous.
“I think it was an incredible time. We won a League Cup, we were beaten in the FAI Cup in '85, we finished second in the League. I remember putting temporary stands into Terryland for a game with Shamrock Rovers. It finished up winning the Cup in 1991.”
Before Joey Malone steered United to glory at Lansdowne Road, Tony Mannion had made United relevant and respected.
“You had Tony Mannion, who was working full-time with Telecom Eireann, running the club,” Byrne adds. “The likes of Richie Blackmore, Dennis Bonner, Brian Gardner, the list is endless, Chick, how blessed were we to have somebody like Eamonn in the club. What that man did for the club there is a book in that in itself. There was an absolutely fantastic spirit in that team, Martin McDonnell another great player, Mickey McLaughlin.
“Tony Mannion's contribution is under rated, Joe Hanley's contribution has never been really recognised.
“Other people were on committees at the time like Noel Costello, Padraic Allen cut grass, whitewashed the walls, defrosted the tank to get the showers back, you'd have hundreds of stories, Jackie Hanley, Joe's brother another great guy. There was a huge voluntary commitment at the time. I just think we had some fantastic players.”
The night the floodlights were switched on at Terryland Park is another fond memory for Byrne. It was one of those few hours when Galway United’s vast promise was evident.
“Gerry Gray was another huge influence when he came in as chairman of the club,” Byrne says. “A man with great contacts and huge commitment, he got great sponsorship and funding. He had a vision.
“Pat O'Donovan, the chairman of Cork at the time, he couldn't believe the crowd in the place. There was more than 6,000 people, I remember him saying afterwards, I think it was down in the Victoria Hotel. He said you have such potential here, it is unbelievable.”
Connecting with the community in a meaningful way counts and it is why Byrne rates John Caulfield so highly now.
“I think Gerry brought the club to a new level, there was a significant appointment in Don O'Riordan, a good guy, he was a full-time manager, he got out there,” Byrne states. “Not just on the football side, but the commercial stuff. Don was a great ambassador for the club. John Caulfield is doing the same thing now, that is why I admire him so much.”
Byrne is still a passionate advocate for the League of Ireland. A thriving football industry must be created. “I know the previous chief executive described it as the problem child, but the League of Ireland is the pinnacle of football within the country,” Byrne says.
It started proudly minding two footballs under the stairs, bringing them to Terryland at the weekend with his family. For Byrne, joy is still found watching and following football at every level in Galway.
**Listen to the full interview with John Byrne on this week's 'Cian on Sport' podcast available on Soundcloud, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
