Sporting Traditions through the Ages in Newry and Mourne

1st June 2012 _ 12th May 2013

Newry United Football Club, 1919 – 1920 Newry and Mourne Museum Collection Pictured in the year they won the MacArdle Victory Charity Cup.

Réamhrá an Mhéara

Tá an-áthas orm réamhrá an leabhráin a scríobh, leabhrán a ghabhann leis an taispeántas sealadach a bheas in Iarsmalann an Iúir agus Mhúrn, ‘Traidisiúin Spóirt fríd na hAoiseanna i gCeantar an Iúir agus Mhúrn’

Leagann an taispeántas béim ar éagsúlacht spóirt atá ar fáil sa cheantar ina measc spóirt Chumann Lúthchleas Gael, sacar, haca, dornálaíocht, gleacaíocht, galf agus spóirt eile nach iad mar shampla dairteanna, colúir rásaíochta agus rásaíocht na gcon.

Léiríonn an taispeántas na héachtaí d’ardchaighdeán a bhaineas fir agus mná spóirt áitiúla amach ar leibhéil náisiúnta agus idirnáisiúnta . Tá bród orainn as an n-éachtaí agus tá siad ina n-eiseamláirí iontacha d’Aos Óg na linne.

Múineann gníomhaíochtaí spóirt sa phobal go leor scileanna saoil dearfacha ina measc comhimirt, na buntáistí a bhaineann le cumas iomaíochta agus ar ndóigh, na buntáistí fisiceacha a bhaineann le bheith aclaí agus sláintiúil.

Braitheann rath na dtaispeántas sna iarsmalanna áitiúla ar bhronntanais agus iasachtaí ábhair ó mhuintir na háite. Ba mhaith mo bhuíochas a ghabháil le gach duine a d’fhreagair d’achainí na hIarsmalainne le haghaidh déantán, cáipéisí agus cuimhní spóirt.

Ba mhaith liom comhghairdeas a dhéanamh le foireann Iarsmalann an Iúir agus Mhúrn faoi fhorbairt an taispeántais agus an leabhrán faisnéiseach dathannach seo. Is leabhrán tráthúil é sa bhliain Oilimpeach seo a chuireann inár gcuimhne an méid atá bainte amach i gcúrsaí spóirt áitiúla.

Comhairleoir Séarlaí Ó Cathasaigh

Méara Chomhairle an Iúir agus Mhúrn

Mayor’s Foreword

I am delighted to write the foreword to this booklet which accompanies “Sporting Traditions through the Ages in Newry and Mourne”, a temporary exhibition at Newry and Mourne Museum.

The exhibition highlights the variety of sports enjoyed in the district including Gaelic Athletic Association sports, soccer, hockey, boxing, gymnastics, golf and other sports such as darts, pigeon racing and greyhound racing.

The very high standards achieved by local sportsmen and women at national and international levels are demonstrated in the exhibition. They are a source of pride and offer an excellent example to young people today.

Sporting activities in a community teach many positive life skills such as team work, the benefits of competitiveness, and of course, the physical advantages of being fit and healthy.

The success of exhibitions in local museums depends on donations and loans of material from local people. I would like to thank all those who responded generously to the Museum’s appeals for artefacts, documents and sports memories.

I would like to congratulate the staff of Newry and Mourne Museum for developing the exhibition and this colourful and informative booklet, which in this special Olympic year serves as a timely reminder of what has been achieved in local sport.

Councillor Charlie Casey

Mayor, Newry and Mourne District Council

Introduction

Interest and participation in sports permeates the social and cultural fabric of life in the Newry and Mourne area. Most people have played a sport at some stage in their lives and have followed the achievements of a club, team or sports personality.

Traditional team sports, such as gaelic games, soccer and hockey, have flourished throughout the 20th century. In more recent decades basketball, martial arts and gymnastics have gained in popularity, while other sports, including rowing and table tennis, have diminished.

In Gaelic football, trophies and titles have been won at county and national level. Inspirational managers who have brought their county teams to victory have included Joe Kernan from Crossmaglen and Peter McGrath from Rostrevor.

Many Newry and Mourne sports people have achieved individual recognition on the national and international scene. In hockey, Billy McConnell from Newry won a bronze medal with the Great Britain team at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. At the Seoul Olympics in 1988 Violet McBride from Kilkeel was vice-captain of the Great Britain hockey team.

The exhibition and this accompanying booklet can only highlight the accomplishments of a small number of teams and individuals in their sport. The contribution of managers, coaches and club members who inspire and facilitate participation and excellence is an untold story. They are the lifeblood of the sports community.

Peter McParland

Courtesy of Eileen Markey

Cigarette card showing the former Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Peter McParland. Born in Newry, Peter played for Northern Ireland 34 times, including the 1958 FIFA World Cup in which he scored five goals and helped his team to the quarter-finals.

Ticket, 1946 Newry and Mourne Museum Collection

Local boxing tournaments attracted competitors and audiences from counties Armagh, Down and Louth.

Prize winner’s shield c. 1957 Newry and Mourne Museum Collection

From Newry Ornithological Society which closed in 2011. Showing caged birds was once a popular sport in Newry, attracting competitors from other parts of Northern Ireland.

Contributors

A number of people have been invited to contribute personal memories of their involvement in sport in the area. The contributors are:

Dermot Russell

A Rostrevor man, Dermot has worked for Newry and Mourne District Council in a number of community and sport related roles for 26 years. He is now Assistant Director with responsibility for Recreation and Community.

Gerry McAnuff

Gerry’s interest in sport ranges from running, cycling, mountaineering to canoeing. In 1987 he was co-founder with Veronica McCann of the Wee Binnian Walkers.

Tony Bagnall

Tony participated in his first triathlon in 1983.

After a break of a few years he took up the sport again in 2002 and, despite being retired, still trains most days and regularly competes in Ironman races at the age of 66.

Conor Keenan

A Museum Assistant at Newry and Mourne Museum, Conor comes from a family engrained in the GAA. A Senior Hurler with St. Peter’s GAA Club, Warrenpoint, he has been coaching for six years and is Down Hurling Public Relations Officer.

Emma McQuaid

© Kieran Quinn, courtesy of Sonya McQuaid Competing at Dean Moor, England at the British Championship in 2007, Emma has successfully won competitions at local, national and international levels in quad bike racing.

Jimmy Davis

Jimmy was Sports Editor of the Newry Reporter from 1971 until he retired in 2008. He has been connected with local sport all his life and was one of the founder members of the Carnbane Football League.

Belle O’Loughlin

Belle has been involved with camogie for many years as a player, manager and referee at local, county and national level. She was elected President of the All-Ireland Camogie Association in 1994.

Alex Lyons

Alex Lyons was educated at Newry Intermediate School and Newry Grammar School. He was Managing Director and Chairman of Sands’ Mill. Alex retired in 1997 and now lives in the Hillsborough area.

1932/Corbis

A

Originally from Dundalk and now living in Newry, Geraldine has been described as one of the ‘most medaled athletes in Ireland’. She successfully competes at World Masters events all over the world.

Geraldine Finnegan © Cole McCann Bob Tisdall (1907 –1997) former pupil of Mourne Grange School near Killeel, County Down, Bob Tisdall won a gold medal for Ireland in the 400m hurdles race in the 1932 Olympics at Los Angeles. Brendan Matthews Courtesy of Brendan Matthews Brendan Matthews pictured in 1991 with his winning champion greyhounds, Needham Glory, Needham Ash and Mountain Drive.

The Sports Development Committee and Sports Personality Awards

– Dermot Russell

Since the inception of the new Council in 1973, Newry and Mourne District Council became the first Council to form a Sports Advisory Committee. In recent years, this has been renamed the Sports Development Committee. It undertakes a wide range of duties from the Schools Cross Country to the Sports Personality Awards.

There have been many notable chairpersons of the Committee. They have all brought their own style, interest and leadership to the role and include Seamus McAnulty, Belle O’Loughlin, the late Josie Crilly and Damien McCullough.

Established in 1973, the annual Sports Personality Awards recognises people who have achieved excellence in their sport. On occasion, the Council and the Sports Development Committee have been asked to streamline and reduce the event on the night by simply calling out the names of the three individuals in each section who have been shortlisted. However, we feel that it is important that the three people in each category are allowed that long walk from the body of the floor up on to the stage to be acknowledged by their family, friends and fellow competitors. One of the most joyous and popular parts of the night is when the shortlisted athletes with learning disabilities are announced. High profile speakers often say

that they enjoy this part of the night more than any other. Over the years, some notable speakers have included Pat Jennings, Mary Peters, Mark Lawrenson, Jim McKeever, Janet Gray, Peter McParland, Páidi Ó’Sé, Danny McAlinden, Billy Bingham, Brian Hamilton, Dennis Taylor, Adrian Logan, Stephen Watson and Jarlath Burns.

The Sports Personality Awards has now become one of the premier high profile events of the Council’s calendar year and is strongly supported by the voluntary sector. To maintain interest in the event, the character and profile of the night’s proceedings has changed and progressed over the years. It is now on a grand scale with over 400 people attending the presentation dinner and Awards. This growth in the event has been down to the work of the members of the Sports Development Committee who represent their respective sports, staff time and key financial sponsorship from the business sector.

Adrian Patterson, boxer

Courtesy of the Newry Reporter

Winner of the Sports Personality Award in 1996. Adrian won two Irish Senior Championships titles at featherweight in 1995 and 1996 and a lightweight championship in 2000.

The Sports Development Executive Committee

spend many hours in the winter months ensuring the event, which is held in March each year, goes to plan. This is a difficult task and the Committee are always mindful of trying to make the right decision for the right reasons and be inclusive at every opportunity.

Norman Brown

Courtesy of Deborah Hempkin

A successful motorcycle road racer from Newry, Norman Brown won the Isle of Man TT in 1982 and was winner of the Sports Personality Award in the same year. He was killed while competing at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in July 1983.

Newry Sporting Memories

– Gerry McAnuff

This article only allows me to skim the surface of Newry’s sporting history and personalities making the headlines during the last 50 or so years. In Chapel Street where I was born, I counted amongst my neighbours two soccer greats, Peter McParland and Pat Jennings. These two sons of Newry graced the world soccer stage with distinction. As teenagers, Peter was our idol, while Pat was one of his generation’s greatest goalkeepers. Following an accident while we played in his Aunt Molly’s yard (where he sustained a head injury), his international career potentially could have been over before it began. Newry has also produced exceptionally talented Gaelic footballers. The O’Neill brothers, Sean and Kevin, and Tony Hadden were members of the successful All Ireland Down teams of the 1960s.

Families played a huge part in contributing to sporting successes in the ‘Frontier Town’. In Home Avenue alone, there were the McAteers’ and Bannons’ and Belle O’Loughlin’s (nee Bannon) contribution locally and nationally to camogie cannot be overstated. More recently, the Rooney family from the Meadow formed the backbone of the Bosco Youth Club Gaelic football team.

The Kearns brothers and Tom Lundy from the Church Street area were ‘Kings of the Road’, winning numerous Ulster and national titles in cross country running in the 1950s and 1960s.

Badge

Courtesy of Gerry McAnuff

Gerry McAnuff successfully participated in the Youth Hostel Association of Northern Ireland (YHANI) Mourne Wall Walk on a number of occasions in the 1970s.

Local athletes have also competed internationally. Janet Coleman performed successfully at several World Transplant Games, while Geraldine Finnegan regularly competes worldwide in multidisciplinary events. The Newry and Mourne School Cross Country Championships promoted by Newry and Mourne District Council, is now in its forty second year. It regularly attracts 1,500 participants twice yearly. I have had the privilege of co-ordinating this event since 1970. It is an example of how proactive the local Council is in promoting sport in the area.

From a personal sporting perspective, I began running in 1968, and my first marathon was in 1973. Of the three marathons I completed in under 3 hours, Dublin in 1981 was my fastest time at 2 hours and 46 minutes. I competed in the first triathlon held in Newry in June 1983. The format was run, swim and cycle. I was second in the run, but was lucky to exit the pool alive. I finished 19th after the cycle race. Involvement in sport, particularly running, has increased dramatically as evidenced by the numbers of people running and jogging and the proliferation of races and marathons on offer. Long may it continue!

Wee Binnian Walkers

Lisburn Cup Road Race in Newry, 1975 Courtesy Gerry McAnuff Competitors from local clubs included runners from Newry Shamrocks and Armagh Harriers and from farther afield. Courtesy Gerry McAnuff Includes Dawson Stelfox, Tom Moore and the founders, Gerry McAnuff and Veronica McCann.

County rivalries in Ireland and

the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA)

– Conor Keenan

GAA members show incredible loyalty and dedication to their clubs, but also to their counties and their sport, which includes men and women’s Gaelic football, hurling, handball and rounders. The inter-county championships put ordinary people on the national stage, where the attention and interest in the games is intense. They involve amateur athletes, competing on a stage normally reserved for professionals. The county teams provide a unique dynamic as the GAA is the only sporting organisation that uses county boundaries for representative teams.

Who do we have to thank for this system? Not Michael Cusack or Archbishop Croke, but an English King. The 13th century monarch John was recently voted the 19th most influential person in the history of the GAA. His reign marked a milestone in the development of the county system to Ireland. Centuries later, the county became the basis for GAA identity and competition.

The GAA did not invent the Armagh-Down rivalry, but it certainly served to intensify it. For instance, Ballybot (‘an baile bocht’ or ‘the poor town’) in County Armagh was once looked down upon by the residents of the County Down side of Newry. This county rivalry resulted in the building of Newry Town Hall on the county boundary, the Clanrye River.

Newry John Mitchels Gaelic Football Club

Courtesy of Sean O’Neill

Winners of the Down Senior Football Championship in 1960. Features the O’Neill brothers, Sean, Kevin and Brian, and the Bannon brothers, Mickey and Jim. Also included, Gerry Brown, Chairman and manager. Down won the All-Ireland Championship in 1960 and the Mitchels were “a champion club in a champion county”.

Despite the devotion with which supporters follow their teams, the GAA is rightly proud of the largely amicable relationship between rival supporters. Unlike other sports, segregation is unnecessary and fans mix freely in and outside the stadia. These rivalries inevitably cross family boundaries.

An added complication in inter-county rivalry is that the building block of the association lies deeper still, at club and parish level. Dr Maurice Hayes, former Senator and Down GAA administrator, managed to mend the long held grievances between East and South Down clubs to create an All-County League. This was part of a larger scheme which, in 1960, led to an historic All-Ireland title.

GAA players are not well paid celebrities far removed from the communities in which their fan bases lie. Rather they are neighbours, friends and family; ordinary men and women plucked from their daily grind and elevated to a temporary elite status, for a few hours on a Sunday.

Members of the Armagh Gaelic Football team arriving in Crossmaglen in 1953 © Irish Press

Included are Crossmaglen Rangers Club members, Gene Morgan and Frank Kernan, who played in the Armagh team which lost to Kerry in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final in 1953. Gene’s nephew, Oisin McConville, was a member of the Armagh team which won the All-Ireland in 2002.

History of Newry Triathlon Club

– Tony Bagnall.

The Newry Triathlon Club was once the best club in the nation with Francis O’Hagan, John Browne, Padraig Lynch and Martin Patterson regularly winning races.

Triathlon began in Newry in 1983 when Pauline Lamph of Newry and Mourne Council brought this new sport to the locality. In those days the run was first, then a 1000-metres swim before a 12mile cycle to Warrenpoint and back. The next year Newry founded a Triathlon Club with Brendan O’Hagan its first chairman, while Tony Bagnall became a committee member of the first Ulster Triathlon committee.

Francis O’Hagan won the Ulster Championship in Warrenpoint and the Tramore Metalman, Ballymena and in 1987 he became the only Newry person to complete the famed Hawaiian Ironman. John Browne was first at the Dublin Airport and Ballymena races with Martin Patterson also winning the Ballymena and Cuchulainn triathlons.

John Brown and Padraig Lynch represented Ireland at the European Championships at Mansfield, England, while Martin Patterson and Mary McElroy from Greencastle, near Kilkeel, travelled to Auckland, New Zealand for the 1990 Commonwealth Games as part of the Northern Ireland squad. This was a tremendous achievement, with over 20,000 spectators watching the race. Both members of the Newry club finished strongly in a world-class field.

Also Francis, John and Padraig were picked for Ireland in the European Championships in Milton Keynes. Tony Bagnall twice represented Ireland in the European Ironman Championships in Almere, Holland and in 1991 he was named Ulster Triathlete of the Year.

The Newry Triathlon Club won the Irish Championship team prize in Sligo three times: 1987, 1989 and 1990 with triathletes such as Padraig Lynch, Brendan Campbell, Francis O’Hagan, Tony Bagnall and Martin Patterson as part of the squad. Building on the strength of that last success Newry Triathlon Club won the Senior Team prize in the 1991 Sports Awards. In 2010 and 2011 Sean Featherstone and Ross Collins won the Top of the Mourne Triathlon while Glen Monaghan broke the club Ironman record with a sizzling 9.47.19 in Austria where a record 17 members finished the mammoth distance.

Currently, Newry Triathlon club, under the chairmanship of Paul McCann, is making huge strides and has a membership of almost 200, with new people signing up almost daily.

Opposite: Members of the Newry Triathlon Club in Klagenfurt, Austria 2011

Courtesy of Tony Bagnall

This Ironman competition saw the best performance of the Newry Triathlon Club in it’s thirty year history.

Martin Patterson Courtesy of Martin Patterson Pictured competing in 2003 at the Ironman Championships in Switzerland. Martin represented Ireland in the competition.

The Carnbane League

–

Jimmy Davis

Carnbane Football League was formed in Newry in July, 1968. The founder members of the league were Frank Curran (deceased), Willie Davis (deceased), David Robinson (deceased) Hugh Heaney (current President), and Jimmy Davis, and they were supported by Derek O’Brien (Bessbrook Products), Gerald Taylor (Damolly Factory), and Gerry Lundy (Hall Rovers) (deceased).

At the outset the league had eight senior teams and 14 youth teams participating in the various competitions, but in the 2011-12 season including senior, youth and mini football teams, the membership has risen to 112. Down through the years a number of players who started their career by playing in the Carnbane League have progressed to great heights in English and Irish football circles.

Hugh Dowd, who played in the first Carnbane Rovers Youth Team, was signed by Glenavon and transferred to Sheffield Wednesday for £25,000 in 1974, and made 150 league and cup appearances for that team. He also won five NI Amateur Caps and three full Irish Football Association caps. Colin Clarke of Mullaglass, who played for Millvale Swifts, went on to play for Ipswich Town and won his first NI Cap in 1986. He went on to win 28 caps and his 13 goals was an NI record that was eventually broken in 2004.

This was the first Carnbane team to win the Mid-Ulster Shield in 1980-1981, which they retained in the 1981-82 season.

Tommy Connell who played for Newry Bosco, joined Manchester United and made three first team appearances. He won an international cap in 1978 against Wales, and when he returned home he completed his successful career with Glentoran. Paddy Lundy, of Dromalane, Newry, who was attached to Hereford United FC (Newry) was signed by Nottingham Forest after making a number of NI Youth International appearances.

Michael Keenan, Martin Magee, and Raymond McGuigan, all went through the ranks of the Carnbane League before moving into Irish senior soccer where each won NI Player of the Year titles. In fact, Raymond McGuigan then moved south and also won a Football Association of Ireland Player of the Year award. Ryan McGivern, who is currently an NI International stalwart, started his career with Christian Endeavour Youth Club and then Damolly before moving to Manchester City.

Newry Shamrock Rovers Courtesy of Jimmy Davis

The Carnbane Rovers Youth Team won the NI Youth Cup in 1972 and it was the only team not attached to a senior club to win the trophy. Windmill Stars won the Irish Junior Cup in 2003, and the Mid-Ulster Shield has also been won by a number of Carnbane League clubs over the years.

St. John Bosco Club Football Team, 1970s Courtesy of Jimmy Davis Pictured with their trophies are members of the team. The club was managed by John Fearon, and had teams competing in both the senior and youth sections of the Carnbane League.

Camogie in Warrenpoint 1970

– 2005 – Belle O’Loughlin

The Camogie Association was founded in 1904 with Newry being the second club formed in Ireland. In 1925 the Betsy Grey Camogie Club was founded by the late Sighle Nhic an Ultaigh, a lady who played a leading role in the development of camogie. In the late 1940s and early 1950s Warrenpoint ceased to have a team, and whilst some of the girls travelled to play with St. Brigid’s Newry in the late 1960s, it was 1970 before I called a meeting and we formed our club naming it St. Peter’s Camogie Club.

Success came in 1972 with the club winning the double, the Down Junior League and Championship. What an achievement for a small club! In 1973 we won the Intermediate League, however whilst camogie continued to thrive in our club, we had no success until 1985 when we again won the double.

1988 saw us win the Junior Championship again, and the League and Championship in 1995. Other successful years were 1996 and 1999, in which we won the Intermediate Championship. In 2001 we again won the Junior League, in 2002 the Intermediate Championship and in 2004 the Junior Championship and runner up league.

Many girls have played camogie with our club over the past 34 years, some winning All Ireland medals. Our early matches were played in the Alexian Brother’s field, Moygannon. The field was used for grazing cattle during the daytime. One particular

night we were having a match against Kilkeel, a player ran for the ball which had landed right in the middle of a cow clap, she shouted “what will I do?” The referee, Sister Mairead calmly replied, “play on”. We were a sorry sight after that match.

In the early 1970s my husband Arthur’s work van journeyed the girls to and from matches all over the county. The van had two benches, which were wooden planks sitting on top of a few concrete blocks. Every corner we turned saw one or other side of us fall on top of the other. This stately mode of transport was also the changing room for most of our games, our eating place and first aid room.

In the 2lst century, camogie has come on a long way. Today coaching and fitness seminars are essential, first aid courses, refereeing courses and child protection to name a few. Helmets are also essential for under age players; properly banded hurls and uniforms are also required.

St. Peter’s Camogie Club, Warrenpoint Courtesy of Belle O’Loughlin Warrenpoint camogie players pictured at a presentation dinner c.1995. In the front row, 3rd from right are Jack Boothman, President of the GAA, and 4th from right, Belle O’Loughlin, National President of the Camogie Association.

Clanrye Camogie Club c.1940

Courtesy of Belle O’Loughlin

The members are pictured in the Marshes where Pairc Esler is now built. Many Newry sports events took place in this area.

Newry Olympic Hockey Club

– Alex Lyons

I was born in Newry in 1932 and in due course I went to Newry Intermediate School, later called Newry Grammar School and then Newry High School as it is known today. I played my first game for the school 1st Eleven in February 1948. At the end of this season we won The Ulster Schools Cup, a feat we were to repeat in 1950. Our pitch was beside the school, one touchline was the wall at Church Avenue and the other touchline was the hedge dividing the pitch from the Tennis Court. We only had wash hand basins with cold water to clean ourselves, no hot showers. We usually travelled by train and had to walk to and from the different stations. On some occasions we would have left home about nine in the morning and not returned until about six in the evening, with the mud still on us, the fun was good. In the 19491950 season we played 16 matches and scored 68 goals and only conceded 5. Over the years a number of our players were picked to play for the Ulster Schools team and in 1950 we had four players on the same Ulster team.

I think the first game I played for Newry Olympic was a friendly, in 1949, against a Dublin team, Avoca Past and Present. As I was still at school, and the headmaster did not encourage us to play for the town team, I played under an assumed name, Lynass or Lowry.

Our pitch was on the Warrenpoint Road, now the Old Warrenpoint Road. We usually cycled down,

as we were too young to have a car. We climbed over a gate, crossed over a bridge through another gate and eventually arrived at ‘The Stadium’. We had one small corrugated hut where we stored the nets, back boards, and corner flags. No running water. We had no groundsman, so we put up and took down the nets etc. before and after the game.

We then moved to a pitch at the rear of The Show Grounds were the town football team played. After this we moved to a ground at Carnbane and eventually had the use of the school pitches.

I played for the 1st Eleven and in later years for the 2nd Eleven. I played from 1949 to 1968.

Newry Olympic Hockey Club blazer badge Newry and Mourne Museum Collection Belonged to Alex Lyons who played for the Club from 1949 until 1968.

Newry Grammar School Girls Hockey Team

c.1950 Newry and Mourne Museum Collection

Hockey was popular among girls at Newry Grammar School and they competed for the Ulster Schools Cup and the Consolation Cup.

Newry Grammar School Boys Hockey Team Newry and Mourne Museum Collection

The boys’ hockey teams from Newry Grammar School won the Ulster Schools Cup in 1948 and in 1950. During the late 1940s several boys from the school were selected to represent Ulster in schools’ inter-provincial matches.

Acknowledgements

Thanks are due to the staff and volunteers of Newry and Mourne Museum for their assistance in this booklet:

Joanne Cummins

Emma Farrell

Conor Keenan

Shane McGivern

Maureen O’Connell-Fitzpatrick

Frances Potts

Anna Savage

Dympna Tumilty

We are grateful to Dermot Russell, Gerry McAnuff, Conor Keenan, Tony Bagnall, Jimmy Davis, Belle O’Loughlin and Alex Lyons for contributing articles to this booklet.

Thanks also to Northern Ireland Museums Council for the funds to conserve artefacts used in this exhibition.

We would like to thank all those who contributed to the exhibition through donations, loans, expertise or memories including:

Alan Black

Fergus and Angelique Bell

Helen Cranney

Eddie Curtis

Geraldine Finnegan

Noel Haughey

Deborah Hempkin

Michael Keenan

Adele Knox

Sean Madden

John and Eileen Markey

Brendan Matthews

Aidan Morgan Martin Morgan Violet McBride

Paul McCandless

Margaret McConville

Maura McDonnell Oliver McGauley

Sonya McQuaid

Sean McManus

Dessie McNeill

Tracey McLoughlin

Marie Murphy

Mary O’Hare

Sean O’Neill

Martin Patterson

The Newry Reporter

Compiled by Noreen Cunningham, Dr. Ken Abraham and Declan Carroll

Every effort has been made to correctly attribute photographs used in this booklet and accompanying exhibition.

Newry Rowing Club, 1905 Newry and Mourne Museum Collection Newry Rowing Club held an annual regatta at Newry in the late 19th century and competed at the Henley Regatta in 1903 and at the Dublin Metropolitan Regatta in 1905.