Many mourners turned out in Salthill recently to bid farewell to Limerick native Christy Fitzgerald.
Críostóir was a man of his time, shaped by love of family, Gaelic games, writing, parish and country. He never forgot where he came from, nor his humble origins.
Like his father, he had a lifelong passion for hurling. As a young man, Christy once played against the great Mick Mackey. Indeed, the ‘Mighty Mac’ complimented Christy on a shot he saved during their encounter.
Criostóir was an important servant to the GAA and the development of the games in Galway. He was a pioneering founder of the Inter-Firm in Galway in the late 1960s. This voluntary sporting organisation started with competitions between companies in the county, fielding teams for Gaelic football.
In its heyday, in the 1970s and 1980s, there were five Inter-Firm football divisions and hundreds playing each week. It became a remarkable movement.
Some of the teams remain familiar today such as Thermo King, Post Office and CR Bard, while others are a memory, such as Crown Control, SPS Mervue, and Naughtons.
In a true sporting spirit, anyone who wanted to play would be facilitated. This drive led to unusual team formations such as Vets and combinations such as that between Higgins hardware (Shantalla ) and the neighbouring Davorens' butchers. It was quietly confessed in certain quarters that many a player started their gainful employment entirely based on their skills on the playing field!
Digital, the biggest employer in the city at the time, had men's teams in four divisions and women's in two divisions. Many regard the Inter-Firm in Galway as an important originating source for the development of Ladies Gaelic Football, a sport now flourishing across the entire country.
Christy ably navigated the organisational nightmare with committed advocates such as Liam Forde, Joe Killeen and Joe Flynn. A few basic and common-sense rules applied. For example, a game could not be postponed unless it was sanctioned in advance by the other team.
The playing season ended with a series of divisional finals at Pearse Stadium in the week before the Galway Races. After the division one final on Friday, celebrations were held at the Sacre Coeur Hotel in Salthill, with presentations to winning teams, outstanding players and dutiful referees (such as Mick Quain, Johnny Fahy, Seán McManamon and Dónal Killeen ).
Based on the success of the football, other codes were added. Peter Hillary (Ballymacward ) helped champion the development of hurling in the Inter Firm. Handball and the Team Quiz (Tráth na gCeist ) added to the richness of the Inter-Firm offering.
Christy was always looking to improve competitions and facilities for his beloved games. In the mid-1970s, he worked to build a covered handball alley in Pearse Stadium. Christy and Liam Forde went to Croke Park to canvass support from Árd Striúrathór, Seán Ó Suíochán and Paddy Buggy.
The men from the west had their homework done and funds released later were crucial in finishing the alley. The inaugural game was the All-Ireland handball competition between Martin Hennigan (Mayo ) and John Fleming (Wexford ) which was attended by a massive crowd. Other handballing luminaries were to follow, including Michael “Ducksy” Walsh.
The man from Fedamore leaves a proud legacy. Christy passed away in his 95th year and is survived by his wife Pauline and five children.
Ronan Macgearailt
