A big game remembered

Tony Ruane remembers a time almost 50 years ago when life and football was far simpler and less sophisticated than nowadays.......but no less passionate!

Introduction

Sitting in the upper tier of the new stand near the half-way-line during a recent visit by Mayo in search of All Ireland glory, I gazed down on the magnificence of Croke Park. During the match preliminaries my mind's videotape rewound to a time almost 50 years ago when I saw Paddy Higgins for the first time. He was then a young adult, and I was a child.

Challenge Game

A challenge game had been arranged between Straide/ Toomore and Cloongullane/ Meelick. The venue was a meadow near Foxford.
Saved hay was in cocks all over the field and a very agreeable farmer allowed the haycocks to be dragged in along the sidelines to facilitate the playing of the game.
"Many hands make light work" as the old saying goes, so a draft horse was borrowed locally and tackled up; with bridle, collar, hames and back-band. A length of rope was obtained and one end was attached to the hook on one side of the hames. The rope was then looped behind the haycock at grass level and the other end of the rope was secured to the opposite hook in the hames.
With a click of the tongue, the horse was encouraged to move forward gently until the draft ropes were evenly strained. A smack on the rump encouraged the horse to surge forward, dislodging the cock of hay from its base. After this it was plain sailing to the desired port where the horse was commanded to "whoa". One end of the draft rope was disconnected and the horse walked forward, pulling the now single draft rope in his wake and leaving the intact haycock in its new position. This was a blessing in disguise for the owner of the hay, because the rotted base was now left behind in the meadow and this exercise would extend the deadline for the "drawing" of the hay.
Every available tool was then used to scrape up the scraps of rotted hay left behind.

Pitch markings

The setting out of the pitch was a simple task. The corner flag positions were marked by four lap-cocks of hay and there were no goal posts, so hay cocks were also used for this purpose.
Travel to "away" games in those times was usually by bicycle. Football boots were knotted by their laces to the handlebars and the football was carried securely in the grasp of a spring carrier. Teams togged out in the shelter of a hedge and clothing was draped on the bushes. The nearest running water for post match ablution purposes was in the nearby river Moy.

The arrival

The host team kicked their ball about in the haycock-enclosed stadium as they expected the arrival of the cycling visitors. Soon the sound of an engine was heard in the distance and to the host team's surprise, around a bend in the road came a tractor and turf trailer with its creels bedecked in the colours of the visiting team. As the vehicular combination drew to a halt it was clear that the visitors had all the paraphernalia of a real football team.
They wore lovely yellow and blue jerseys with white togs and football boots. Also possessing a brand new "O'Neill's All Ireland" pigskin football, their turf trailer was used as a mobile dressing room.
The host team was poorly fitted out. Pairs of football boots were shared between left and right-footed players and those who did not possess football togs, tucked their trouser ends inside their socks. The bladder of their football showed red through the ripped stitching of its cover.

P.R.O.

Paddy was P.R.O. and Captain of the visiting team. As well as being the playing manager, he also drove the tractor. He was overheard giving his team a pep talk before they ventured from the security of the trailer. He was heard to address a particular player thus; "you play at centre half back and move out to centre field to gather the breaking ball".
This lingo sounded like double Dutch to the host team because their game usually consisted of half the parish playing on one side and the other half of the parish playing on the other. The goalkeeper was the only player on the field to hold a definite position. Late arrivals just joined in and as a rule they played with the loosing side. If the game were "level pegging", a coin would be tossed to decide which team got the extra man. Games lasted for three to four hours or until it was too dark to continue playing.

The throw in

Paddy won the toss and elected to play with the wind and the hill in the first half. It was not a level pitch as there was a fall of ground from one goalmouth to the other.
Soon the ball was in and the game was on and Paddy gained first possession. A master of the solo-run and a top class seller of dummies, Paddy bobbed and weaved his way through the home-side's defence, slamming the ball between the wellington boots of the bewildered goalkeeper.

Cricket score

Goal after goal shot between the now tattered haycocks and the umpires had a daunting task in deciding which balls were in and which balls were wide. There were many heated disputes and words of violence, but no blows were struck. At the final whistle Paddy's team had won by a cricket score.
Still dressed in their football togs they boarded their craft for home and before their departure the Straide/ Toomore team captain, John Ruane, demanded a return game. Paddy agreed to return to the same venue in two weeks because there was no suitable pitch in Cloongullane.

Homework

The home team reconnoitred and John Ruane with Jimmie Connor (RIP) as well as the Sweeney brothers, Felix and Martin, went on a talent hunt in the surrounding parishes, gathering a fine team of able footballers.
The Deacy brothers, Pat and John were recruited, as well as Bertie Towey (RIP) and the Smith brothers from Blanemore. Charley Joe Deacy and Dom Geoghegan, (RIP), a Co. Down man who was an engineer employed at the Providence Woollen Mills in Foxford was also recruited. Dom Geoghegan was a very fine footballer of inter-county standard and he had lined out with the Co Down seniors.

An excellent team was formulated with all the proper football gear. Jerseys and togs with boots and all the required appointments were organised. Some exiles home from Dublin for the weekend added strength to the panel.
The pitch was trimmed after the hay was "drawn in" and a group armed with saws and hatchets was dispatched to a wood near Pontoon, so that goal posts could be hewn from the forest there. Crossbars were attached with 6-inch nails and bits of knotted twine. Fluttering satin flags marked the sidelines and some local girl would find one of her frocks missing the next time she dressed for the dance in the Pillar Ballroom, Ballavary.

Return Game

The day of the return game dawned bright and sunny. The visiting team was astonished by the changes that had taken place since their victory of two weeks earlier. The return match was an absolute reversal of the first game and Straide/ Toomore won comfortably.
As Paddy departed with his team he addressed the opposing captain.
"Why wouldn't ye win", he said in disgust. "Didn't ye have players from all over Ireland?"
And wasn't he dead right?

Oh! Dear ghosts of all those yesterdays of youth and innocence, it was so nice to be reminded. Meeting Paddy that day in Jones's Road resurrected all those precious moments from the archives of my memory.
Thank you Paddy Higgins.

Epilogue

Where are they now? Some are dead. Some have wandered……
I can not account for all of the participants in that famous field of long ago but at least four that I know of, later joined An Gárda Síochána. Charley Deacy retired as a Superintendent in Ballina, John Ruane retired as an Inspector in Dunlaoghaire. Pat Deacy served his time as a Detective in the Dublin Metropolitan Area until retirement a few years ago and the fourth is this writer.
Three of the Smith brothers, Paddy Johnny and Malachy, joined the Priesthood and went to spread the faith in far away places with strange sounding names. Another Smith brother, T.J. became the local village schoolmaster and Brother Joe also pursued the same profession in Kilmovee near the Roscommon Mayo border. Martin Sweeney joined P&T and became the village postman and a National Meteorologist.
Others took the boat train for Hollyhead and helped Sir Robert McAlpine with the building of the Great North Road, before eventually becoming millionaires themselves.
Still a passionate supporter of the Mayo football team, Paddy Higgins is still alive and well, living on the bank of the Moy at Cloongullane Bridge.