Search Results for 'Eddie Fahy'

“There is nothing as Galway as Our Lady's Boy’s Club,” was how our president Michael D Higgins described OLBC some years ago at a function in the Columban Hall. It is more than 80 years since it was founded and it is the longest-running youth club in the country. It was set up by Fr Leonard Shiel SJ at a time when there were was a lot of grinding poverty in Galway and no recreational facilities or extra-curricular activities for young people in areas like the Claddagh, Bohermore, Shantalla, and ‘The West’. The club provided these and has been a source of guidance and inspiration to thousands of young men and boys since, especially those from a working class background. From that first day of nervous membership, right through their teens, and even after they had taken up the challenges of adult life, the spirit and watchful eye of the Club is ever with them.

“There is nothing as Galway as Our Lady's Boy’s Club,” was how our president Michael D Higgins described OLBC some years ago at a function in the Columban Hall. It is more than 80 years since it was founded and it is the longest-running youth club in the country. It was set up by Fr Leonard Shiel SJ at a time when there were was a lot of grinding poverty in Galway and no recreational facilities or extra-curricular activities for young people in areas like the Claddagh, Bohermore, Shantalla, and ‘The West’. The club provided these and has been a source of guidance and inspiration to thousands of young men and boys since, especially those from a working class background. From that first day of nervous membership, right through their teens, and even after they had taken up the challenges of adult life, the spirit and watchful eye of the Club is ever with them.

In the early 1950’s, a group of people calling themselves Coiste na n-Óg came together to try to improve the standard of Gaelic games in the city and they came up with the idea of a streets league. They divided up the city into sections and their teams were named as follows: St Anthony’s represented Newcastle; Western Stars was the name given to the team drawn from Father Griffin Road, Dominick Street, Henry Street, and ‘The West’; “98s” were from Bohermore/Woodquay, they were named after a famous Bohermore 98s team who were established in 1898, the centenary of 1798; Father Lally’s represented Shantalla, so named after a 19th century progressive charismatic parish priest of Rahoon; St Nicholas’ was the name given to the Claddagh teams; The boys from Salthill were simply known as Salthill. The lads from the Industrial School in Lower Salthill were known as St. Joseph’s they played in the under-14 league as did Club Mhuire and Naomh Pádraic

This club has been a source of guidance and inspiration to the youth of Galway, especially those of working class background, since its foundation by Fr Leonard Shiel SJ, a priest of great vision, in 1940. Indeed this wonderful structure owes a great debt to the Jesuit Order. Since the beginning the club has been based behind the Columban Hall in Sea Road. From the first nervous day of membership, right through their teens, and even in adult life, the spirit and ever watchful eye of the club is with the boys.

When a small group of anglers who regularly fished the lower lake were arranging a function for themselves in 1953, they decided to form an angling association as well. The objectives of the association were the promotion of good fellowship among anglers, the fostering of improved angling conditions, and the maintenance of free fishing. They called themselves the Brotherhood of the Corrib, or Bráithreacht na Coiribe.