Athenry Excavation Reports for the Archaeologist by Ronan Killeen

Here is a link to all the excavation reports for Athenry between 1972-2008

http://www.excavations.ie/Pages/Search.php?year=&county=Galway&site_no=&site_name=Athenry&site_type=&report_text=&author=&grid_ref=&smr_no=&excavation_license_no=&Submit=Do+Search

My Articles by Ronan Killeen

Dear Readers,
                       For those of you who have read my article on p12 of the Athenry News & Views, Vol.2, Issue 7, September/October 2011 entitled Irish Republican Women, it was my own desicion  not mention the men's names in the photograph. There are two reason's for this, the first one is because of my 480 word limit per article I write and secondly, my main focus was the women not the men. Why women and not men you ask? It is because at the moment I am working on my own Athenry Ladies History which I feel in my opinion is underwritten.
I have wrote about the article that mainly focused on the men in 1916 which you can find in the back issue of Athenry News & Views (Killeen, Ronan, 'Athenry and the Easter Rising 1916', Athenry News & Views, Vol.2., Issue 3, Mar/Apr 2011, p18).
You should find my articles in the 'Reference Folder' of Athenry Library including the picture of the Cumman Na mBan which also includes the names of men as well as women from 1966. As I have said before I am on a word limit of 480, so I do apologise if some people do not get mentioned. If any of you miss an article of mine in the Athenry News & Views it will be put into the 'Reference Folder' of the Athenry Library.

Moving on, I would like to know who could e-mail about a British barracks that would have been out in Newford, Athenry one time. I know that there was an Royal Irish Constabulary hut out there in the early 20th century. I would apprecaite it if anyone could send on information about the British barracks that would have been there one time.

Another, question to the public is - would anyone know about tunnels going between Esker-Athenry during the penal era (18th century a.k.a. 1700's)  which priests would use to escape detection?

Furthermore, anonymous e-mails will be ignored.

Kind  regards to all readers,
                                           Ronan Killeen

A short history of Athenry House

Athenry House: Courtesy of Brain Quinn's 'Athenry Historic - Google Maps'.

The Town House was built by John Lopdell between 1822 and 1830. It was originally known as 'River View' before it was called Athenry House. By 1865, the river Clarin with its roman-arched bridge, was brought through the estate lending added charm to the place.
   Dr. Henry John Wellington Leonard died there in 1893, leaving an invalid wife, and a raised family of one son and four daughters. Historian Aggie Qualter remembers her going to Athenry House 'I remember two big tennis tournaments at Town House during WWI, both within a few weeks. Judging from the crowd that attended , they may well have been the County championships. I'll never know. The gentry came from all over - in landaus, carriages, and bell-ringing pony traps. The Lobdells ( I presume this is a spelling mistake of Lopdells?), Roes, Halls and Concannons came on bicycles (bikes were status symbols in those years). 

I am researching the life of Dr. Henry John Wellington Leonard at the moment and hopefully I can publish it soon.

A little bit more Stories of Athenry and the Irish Civil War: Shots in to the houses of Athenry's Ex-R.I.C. and Contradictions by Ronan Killeen

In Janury 1922 four months before the outbreak of the Irish Civil War (5 June 1922). It was decided to disband the Royal Irish Constabulary. Who had suffered many attacks in the past by Republicans. In Athenry. On the 12 June 1922 it was reported in the Irish Independent.

'Many attacks on ex-policemen and civilians and raids on ouses are reported, principally from the West of Ireland, the most serious incident occurring at Athenry, were the raiders used rifles and a machine gun, and at Ballinasloe were a number of ex-policemen were beaten.
   A number of ex-policemen in Athenry got notice to leave the town last week, but some declined to do so. About midnight a number of men with rifles, and it is said, a machine gun opened fire  on the houe of Constable Beatty, who has since left. Sgt. McGovern lived in the sam house. The windows in the house of Constable Lyons were broke by rifle bullets, and he and his family have also left. Shots were fired into the house of ex-Costable Hansberry and Reynolds. Sgt. McGlade, Sgt. Lynch (with his wife and children) and Constable Spratt has also moved.'

but four days later in the Irish Independent  it was contradicted by Timothy Hansberry ex-RIC officer.

'To the Editor of the 'Irish Indepent'. Sir - On 12th inst. you published a report to the effect that the house of Constable Hansberry, Athenry, was fired into. I am the only ex-R.I.C. in the town or neighbourhood whose name nearly corresponds to Hansberry. My house was not fired at nor were any shots fired in the neighbourhood of my house on the occassion.
   I left the R.I.C. 24 years ago , and refused  to have any dealings with that body during recent troubles. Whoever originated the report was acquainted with the town, and as there is no basis for the reference made to me I can only conclued that the intention was to injure my business. You will, therefore, give this denial as prominent a place as the report, complained of.'
                                                                                   Timothy Hansberry, Athenry

A little bit more Athenry and the Irish War of Independence: Compensation for Mrs. Shawe-Taylor

After Frank Shawe Taylor of Moorpark was ambushed in Coshla on 3 March 1920. His wife Mrs. Shawe-Taylor went to the Galway Union to claim £80,000 from Galway Union for the shooting of her husband. The 'Recorder of Galway' on 25 October 1920 to give his decision on the claim. The Recorder of Galway said that Frank Shawe-Taylor had been 'done to death under extreme callousness.
   Under the Grand Jury Act 1836, compensation could be claimed only  when a magistrate was murdered or maimed in the execution of his duty but it turned out that Shawe-Taylor was murdered because of trouble between him and certain people who were claiming portion of his land but the Recorder of Galway and the county council dismissed the claim but she was allowed £4,514 for burning and wreckage of Castle Lambert and £977 for the burning of the steward's house adjoining, following a rumour that the military were about to occupy these places.

Athenry Ladies History: Irish Republican Women by Ronan Killeen

On 5 May 1914 a new all-female nationalist organisation called the Cumman Na mBan was founded. It was largerly led by relatives of leading Irish Volunteers, it was seen as an auxilary to the male movement. Many female activists  hid, nursed, fed and cared for Republican activists. In many of these cases these would be relatives such as husbands , fathers, brothers and sons. In both the town and countryside the provision of 'safe houses' to conceal men, weaponry or uniforms was paticulary important.

   While many of these activities were confined to the domestic setting, they were none the less risky with raids and searches becoming more commonplace. Irish women played a critical role on the side of militants. Their contributions while risky, sometimes involved little departure from everyday life. Contact between the capital and the provinces again relied heavily on Cumman na mBán couriers -the organisations appeared to possess most of the car driv ers in Republican ranks.
  

With several republican men under police surrvaillance, women played a crucial role in pasing messages and information even before the Easter Rising began. Cumman Na mBán was largely supportive, mainly consisted of cooking and nursing but the women of the Irish Citzen's Army were more militant.

   In the photograph which dates from the Connaught Tribune on 14/04/1966 is the Athenry Cumman Na mBán outside the Old Boy School at the unveiling of the Liam Mellows Bronze bust down. The Old Boys School is now Sommers Garage and the new Boys School is in Knock-aun-glass.
    An interesting story in the picture is of Mrs. Kathleen Kennedy (Cleary-Kennedy in the photograph). She was apart of the Cumman Na mBán and a nurse in her time too. She looked after a man in Castlelambert She came from a pro-Irish Nationalist family. One of Athenry's Irish Volunteers, Tommie Cleary was held a prisoner out in Newford camp, and Kathleen sister, known as 'Ciss' brought food and some clothes to Tommie. 'Ciss' met a British soldier at that camp in Newford and subsequently decided to marry him to the dissapproval of her Irish Nationalist family - The Cleary's. The father  Thomas B. Cleary and his two sons Joseph and Thomas Jr. of the family spent there time in Frongoch Internment Camp in Wales during 1916. The took a while to get over it and eventually did becuase 'Ciss' came home every summer from Britain.

Special thanks to Monica Kennedy for the information and photograph for this article.

Athenry Petty Sessions 1919: Suicide Attempt and Wandering Animals by Ronan Killeen

Athenry Petty sessions what was it? The Petty Sessions was a magistrates court were if s


At Athenry Petty Sessions on Friday May 9 before Messrs. Joseph Kilbride R.M. presiding, and S. Taylor:
District Inspector Gillhooly charged PK J. Neylon, Aclare, Tubbercurry, with attempting to commit suicide at an Athenry hotel by cutting his throat with a razor on the 21 April 1919.

Sergeant Regean deposed he received a complaint at 2.15pm on the date in question, and went to the hotel of Mr. O. Judge, where he found the accused in bed, and dressed, with a cut about three inches long in his throat, from which he was bleeding. There was blood around the floor. The witness bound up the wound, and sent for a doctor. He asked the accussed what happened and the accused man replied: ‘I slit it with a razor’ .
   The witness (Sgt. Regan) had found a safety razor on the floor in a pool of blood. Accused was taken to the infirmary in Galway, accompanied by a doctor and nurse.
   Mr. Owen Judge, hotel proprietor, Athenry, deposed accussed had been staying with him as a paying guest for some time previous to this. On receiving a complaint on the date of the occurrence he went to the room, and found him laying undressed on his back in a bed. The floor of the room was full of blood;
   There was blood on the bed clothers, and Neylon, who appeared to be unconscuious, hada wound in his neck about wich there was good deal of blood. Witness admitted accussed to his house at one o’clock on that morning, when he appeared to have drink taken, but he was well able to walk. It was unusual for Neylon to remain in his room until that hour of the day.
   D.I. Gilhooly applied for a remand for a fortnight, as there was another witness who had gone to Kingstown, and who had seen what occurred, whom they wanted to have. Neylon said he had no objection but as to bail, he said his (sureities?) appeared to be doubtful, and he would not accept bail now.

Chairman of Petty sessions: Except they come in here and ask to be rehearsed from their bonds they are bound. I think we might as well bring stand as it is.

D.I. Gilhooly: I thin so. The bails are continuing.

Later one of the sureities named Manning appeared before the court, and in reply to the chairman said he wished to withdraw from the bond. The necessary information was then made by Manning, who stated he feared accussed would abscourd and not keep the recognizans (recognitions?). The recognizances were then cancelled, and accuesed was taken into custody, and remanded to Galway Jail for eight days. According to the google search of decraminilzation suicide. I came across a PDF page entitle Suicide in Irleand Everybody Problem the act itself was not decrimilised until 1993. (I open to correction on what date suicide was decriminilsed in Ireland in ase there is a different PDF)

John Daly, Glenagoggann, was fined 2 shillings for allowing six cattle to wander on the road.

Daniel Hasset, Tunnamore was finded 1s 6d (6 pence) for having an unlicensed dog.

Michael Clancy Monivea was fined 5s for a similar offence. Sergeant Carmody stated defendant and his wife attempted ‘shunling’ (the authour is not sure what this means) and he had to go to his house twice.

The defendant had a farm and he was a munition-maker (Quartermaster) in England, and at this time was getting the unemployment benefit. Michael Mullins an itinerant showman, was charged with allowing his three horses wander on the road at Monivea.

Chairman: Why don’t you keep your horses inside your own domain?

Defendant: I had them on the green at Monivea.

Chairman: That is public property, where the ducks luxuriate (laughter in court). Nice life that which you live?

Defendant: No sir it is hard

Chairman: Listening to the brids singing in the morning, driving along to the next place. What business do you carry on?

Defendant: Swing boats and bagatelle

Chairman: There is no harm in a little gamling (laugter in the court) finded 1s and costs.

Athenry Land League Part 3: Clippings of those arrested by Ronan Killeen

 In National Universty of Ireland Galway were a photocopy of Peter Broderick's diary is held there were also newspaper clippings from the land legue period put together on one A3 page

All these news paper articles date as far back as the 1880's not present day.
Newspaper article 1:

ARREST IN ATHENRY
(special telegram)
                             Athenry, Thursday

Another arrest under the Coercion Act took place here today, the suspect being Mr. A. Keary, a respectable farmer. He was conveyed by car to Galway prison. The warrant charged him with inciting to boycotting.

Newspaper article 2:

MORE ARRESTS
________ _______
ARREST IN ATHENRY
(from our correspondent)
                         Athenry, Thursday

To-day Thomas Coyne, Park, Athenry was arrested and sent by the 10.30 o'clock train to
Galway Jail. There are eight other arrestes expected in the town. The Rev. Father McPhilpin accompanied Coyne to the jail.

Other articles also mention who were also arrested were Patrick C. Kelly, P.L.G. and Thomas Keary.

In the future I will be making a full article of the Athenry Land League instead of different stories of the land league.

A short history of Athenry Railway Hotel by Ronan Killeen

Athenry Railway Hotel - Courtesy of Brian Quinn 'Athenry Historic - Google Maps'

The Railway hotel was built by the Railway company. It  is a very unique building which was built by the Railway Company. In 1857 Bernard Gunning became proprietor of the hotel along with his wife and servant Catherine Campell. Bernard Gunning was previously a storekeeper for the Midland Great Western Railway who had been beforehand involved in a case known as The Broadstone Murder. In the later part of the 19th century a Mr. Kavanagh took over the hotel.

In the early part of the 20th century the Galway Blazer's discussed who was to be the next master for the hunts. A Mr. Isacc Bell was soon choosen to lead the hunt in 1904.

The staff that were apart of the hotel between 1901 and 1911 were as follows:

1901

Margaret Joseph Kennedy, Hotel Business and Proprietoress, Co. Dublin

Annas Waters Mahe, Housekeeper, Co. Waterford

Susan Leonard, Bar Assistant, Co. Galway

Bridget Dempsey, Waitress, Co. Galway

Norah Connolly, House Maid, Co. Galway

Margaret Kennedy, Cook, Co.Roscommon

Winifred Leech, Kitchen Maid, Co. Galway

Michael Moran, Boots (Scottish term for a hotel porter), Co. Galway

Margaret Mulligan, Nurse, Co. Kildare

John Fahy, Yardman, Co. Galway

1911

Maria Mc Merry, Hotel Manageress, Co. Limerick

Kathleen Darcy, Hotel Bookeeper, Co. Roscommon

Alice Farrell, Hotel Barmaid, Co. Westmeath

Margaret Mulligan, Hotel Waitress, Co. Kildare (She may have changed occupation since 1901)

Dorothy Crown, Hotel Cook, Co. Tippeary

Kate Kelly, Hotel House Maid, Co. Westmeath 

John Fahey, Gardener, Co. Galway

George Fahey, Hotel Boots, Co. Galway

An update will come soon in the near future.....

Athenry GAA: Handball in 1920's by Ronan Killeen

 The Old Handball Alley, Abbey Row

Extract from Jarlath Cloonan's Athenry G.A.A.

The first championships were sponsored by the G.A.A. were held in 1923 and the inaugural meeting of the Irish Handball Association  was held in Croke Park on the 27 January 1924. A year later the All- Ireland Championships began and it is in these championships that the history of handball and its players are recorded.
   In 1924 Athenry players Joe Whyte had defeated P.J. McDonagh who was senior softball champion of the U.S.A. and one of the games great players. In 1925 T. Behan and J. Nortan from Urlingford, Co. Kilkenny won the first senior softball doubles championship. A year later Whyte and Christy Barret Snr. qualified for  the final against the champions. During this period the championships were played on a home and away basis.
   Before a huge crowd at Athenry Whyte and Barrett proved their skills with an exhibition of handball at its best. The enthusiastic crowd cheered on their heroe's who went ahead to lead at the end of the day by five games to one. The eagerly awaited match to decide the winners of the 1926 All-Ireland Championship drew a record attendance to Urlingford for the second leg.
   Rev. Cannon Murtagh Farragher, P.P., led the huge Athenry contingent and there too were Club Secretary, Michael Barrett, Larry Lardner and Gerry Higgins. Everybody looked anxious, the Athenry pair needed to win two games to win the title, as Urlingford's Pat Sharkey intorduced the players and in his remarks paid tribute to the sportsmanlike  manner in whic the Urlingford men were treated when they visited Athenry.
  
In Game 1:

The Athenry men were several times in difficulty  at the back wall, as they were not used to it. (Note: The Athenry Handball alley down by the Athenry Dominican Priory in Abbey Lane dose not have a back wall. The Athenry Handball Alley on Old Church Street wasn't built until 1979) With the score 15-9, the Urlingford men went in and tossed the reamining aces to win.

In Game 2:

It was evident that the strange alley was puzzling the visitors. Norton tossing several times left Whyte standing and when the ball was returned Beehan's kills gave the Athenrymen no chance. However, they fought every ace and on at least five occassions tried with their feet and failed when they could easily have taken with their hands. Again they could only manage nince acres, the Kilkenny men winning.

In Game 3:

The Leinster pair needed to win two more games to level the scores as the excitement mounted. Athenry ld 10-9 whne Beehan tossed and took the score to 15-10 and then Norton went in and finishd the game.

In Game 4:

The Athenry men took the lead at 15-5. Urlingford took their score to 11. Barrett tossed but Nortan's 'kill' was hailed by a cheer that was still echoing when a loud and more excited roar shook the village. Nortan had put the two ou for 'love'. Excitement was now at fever pitchas the crowd cheered for favourites . The Urlingford men made it 18-15, but back came Athenry to lead 19-18 and are out.
   The Leinster Men tosssed, the Connaught men make it 20-18 and have two hands. Barrett is out of the game. Whyte tried but had no better luck. No sound was made when Behan tossed; they lose two hands without a score but to the relief of Athenry supporters, Athenry clinched the game.

Game 5:

It was evens  at 2, 4 and 6 and when the local men led 15-9 it looked as if the games was theirs. With a wonderful series of tosses Barrett brought the score to 15 all and Whyte made it 20-15 before the shattered champins got a chance but had no luck. It was all over. Amid tremendous jubilation in the Galway camp the Kilkenny pair were congratulating their conquerors.
   The final score was Athenry 7 games and Urlingford 4 games. Barret and Whyte were 1926 All-Ireland Senior Softball Doubles Champions. The modest heroes were given a marvellous reception when they returned to Athenry that night. It was a night of jubilation with young and old turning out to greet the first winners of All-Ireland medals from the Parish. Turf torces on forks lit up the twon as the bus carrying the victors and supporters arrived home.

Founder of Athenry G.A.A.: Patrick C. Kelly 1885 and Parish Splits by Ronan Killeen

This is an extract from Jarlath Cloonan's book Athenry GAA Story: A History of Gaelic Games in Athenry and for those of you in the world that never learned Irish history read the introduction to my article on the Athenry Land League Part 1.

Patrick C.Kelly: Courtesy of Athenry GAA website

During 1885 G.A.A. clubs, or as they were known then were called branches and established all over the country. Athenry was no exception and was among the first to affiliate to the new association. The club elected Patrick C. Kelly of Cross Street as Captain and his election immediately caused divisions within the Parish.

   The National League was opposed to Kelly and had refused him admission to the League. They claimed he had ‘taken land from which a tenant had been evicted’ and they started a hurling club of their own in opposition the one headed by Kelly.

Patrick C. Kelly never intended that his club should be the cause of disunity within the parish and hoped that it would help the League in its aims and objectives. An attempt was made by the Hurling club for unity, when a meeting of the League was asked if the ‘Hurlers’ could join the League. The Rev. Chairman told the young man who asked the question that as far as the National League were concerned no such organisation existed and anyone wishing to do so in the normal way.
   The Athenry Branch were refusing to acknowledge the existence of the Hurling Club and the Association to which it was affiliated because of Kelly, and belief that the G.A.A. was rival organization.
   Despite the opposition the Hurling Club prospered by winning all their games except one which had been against Craughwell on the 29 August 1885 which was played in Athenry. After two hours play the game was abandoned with the scores level. Craughwell late claimed that they had won the game, but, according to the Athenry men, the issue had still to be decided.

On St. Patrick’s 1886 Kelly made a speech at the Hurler’s Ball in the Athenry Hotel:

‘Brothers Hurlers, the way you have received my name gives me great pleasure and the confidence you placed in me when you elected me as your Captain was not misplaced. Through many matches we played I led you to victory except against Craughwell which is still to be settled and I have great hopes victory will be hours.’

In 1886 the National League forwareded their affiliation fee to the Central Branch of the G.A.A. The split in the parish worsened with all kinds of allegations being made by each side against the other. After recieving the League letter Michael Cusack, then General Secretary of G.A.A. wrote:

'There is a most flourishing Branch of the Gaelic Athletic Association in the Parish of Athenry, Mr. P. C. Kelly is Captain. The National League has started another Branch but I have neither the power authority to recognise it. The president Mr. Davin's opinion is that I should write to the Captain of the team which took the field first and ask him if it is desirable that another club be formed in the Parish.

If Mr. Kelly answers 'yes' I have no doubt the executive will gladly announce the new club and accept the affilation fees which I have recieved. 

Should  Mr. Kelly, however, express himself satisfied that our movement is in a sufficiently flourishing condition in Athenry and that it does not stand in need fo another prop, the matter drops for the present and thos who desire to abide by the recommendation of the Thurles meeting can be hardly play with the Athenry Branch of the National League'



Cusack's appiontment of Kelly as arbitrator in the dispute led to widespread critism 'If the G.A.A. continues to acknowledge P.C. Kelly's club in preference to the exponents of the Natioanl Movement in Athenry the sooner the G.A.A. was the cry from the local press. They had claimed the young fellows he led were expelled from various Branches of the National League and challenged him to produce even 21 players whose condcut in Nationalisht affairs could bear investigation..
   The Hurling Club and Kelly were infuriated by the allegations, as were many other clubs in the County. A week later Michael Connolly, Secretary of the Craughwell Branch of the National League and Hurling Club, spoke in favour of Kelly - 'he leads a thousand men who can bear the strictes investigation and who are members of the League and Hurling Club and it is a gross falsehood to state that the men he leads were expelled from the League'.
   Kelly and the rest of the hurling club were enraged by these allegations, as were many other clubs in the County. Appeals for unity to the Leagues and hurlers from leading personalities failed and the split spread into several parishes.
   Kelly's replied to Cusack's letter to him regarding the situation in Athenry and arranged the largest Hurling Tournament ever held in the Country up to that time in a show of strength. He invited the Central Branch of the Association to send a representative to Athenry  on the day of the Tournament, Ascension Thursday, June 3rd. So deep were the divisions in the parish that on the same day the National League arranged a tournament game against Newcastle also at Athenry. The Constabulary (see Royal Irish Constabury Athenry on this blog) moved reinforcements to the town on the day and they patrolled the streets with loaded revolvers. Their action was unnecessary and, apart from a few minor incidents, everything passed off quietly.
   The split itself continued and on Sunday 25 July both Clubs were invited to play in hurling tournaments at Craughwell. Again the local press represented by one of Kelly's biggest critics, and his comments added further to the already explosive relationship that existed between the two factions in the Parish. He wrote 'P.C. Kelly's Club started early in the morning, they had five cars, including the sub-agents trap supplied by 'Gerared himself for the benefit of the boys who are doing the work of the landlores so well'. The article then went on to state that 'the National League did not leave until after mass'.

The league Club played Dooris at Ballymana and it appears that Kelly's team played Craughwell G.A.A. at a different venue. On the way home the two sides met at Craughwell and hurley's were used in anger. A young man named Doherty was struck and injured by one of Kelly's team and in the row that followed the Craughwell Gaelics' favoured Kelly's side.
   With matches being played all over the country the need arose for a central body to contol the games. Notices appeared in the local papers calling on all G.A.A. Clubs to meet in Athenry on Sunday 24 October 1886. Arrangements for Galway's first county G.A.A. Convention were made by Patrick C. Kelly and took place in the Athenry Hotel at Cross street. It was hope that by meeting in Athenry the split could be resolv ed and the Central Branch sent the Assocaitions's Vice-President Mr. P. Hocter to the Convention.
   To amid loud applause Kelly was selected  to take the chair and addressed the gathering. He thanked the delegates for their great attendance and for calling on him to preside. Aince its inception, he told them, the G.A.A. had to contend with many difficultuies, yet it was still making progress. They wanted to keep the young men of Ireland at home and stop emigration.

Kelly continued ' In Athenry district he was sorry to say that they were opposed by a group that resorted to every device possible to destroy the movement in the interest of a rival association' . He trusted the meeting would have the effect of bringing all together in harmony and that the other side would see the folly of persisting further in their attitudes.
  They wanted all to be united in one family. Their opponents had accussed them of adjoining landlords and deserting the cause of the people and had written to their friends in America about them. The G.A.A., Kelly continued, wanted to revive the Old Irish games and pastimes and, in doing so, they would have the support of every true  Irishman without any relation to politics, which were not at all.
   The meeting had a very laudable  object in endeavouring  if possible to reconciled both sides. The delegates agreed that the disunity  was deplorable and disadvantageous to the two sectors.  Apart from the support and encouragement which the clergy gave the rival club, it had at its head John F. Broderick who was very popular in the district and whose energy was a great acquisition to the club. The National League reacted to the G.A.A. Convention by issuing a long statement. It read:

'The Chairman posed as an outraged man, he propagated sports which he considered would be a means of keeping the young men of Ireland at home and because of such action he was assailed without stint  or limit by the National League. The accusation if it could only hold, would, indeed justify any action he could take to defend the National Sports.
   Like the famous proclaimation  of Tooley Street went ofrth the mandate from Athenry that Galway should assemble in solemn conclave, and if it did respond, if a circumscribed area of half a score miles denote the compass of the County. The meeting we read was convened fro the purpose of cementing the feud but as it takes two to make a fight it also inferentially should take two to heal the wound.
   Mr. Hocter said that Athenry was the only town in Ireland in which any opposition was afforded the Gaelic Athletic Association . For his information be it known to him that the Athenry National League have no quarrell with the G.A.A. but that it cannot  stultify its mission, even for the sake of sport by accepting for leadership of national pastimes a man deemed unfit to enter its ranks. The G.A.A. is open to all sections according to the dictum of the Chairman. If this is the standard of its excellence the  Athenry National League can well afford to disassociate itself from them and pursue the tenor of its own way by alliance of National Sports and National Politics.
   The National League initiated Sports in Athenry under the auspicces of the G.A.A. and forwarded its affiliation fee to Mr. Cusack. The money was not acknowledged or refunded and the club today is as strong as the League and 'thee is perfect synonimity while on the opposite side the usual muter of a team of 21 can not be gathered from the extreme ends of the Parish. If a club so withered by decay presumes to speak for Galway, they are at liberty to do so outside the Parish of Athenry, as with that Athenry has no concern, but if it presumes to speak the voice of the Parish, the householders within a radius of 12 miles confine will attest to the contrary.

The National League Committee member s signed the statement. The accusations made left little room  for any move by the G.A.A. Central Branch to resolve the dispute. It as a clash between leading local personalities and two National Organisations' politics.Michael Cusack was dismissed as General Secretary of the Assocaition at a meeting in Dublin on 4 July 1886 for among other reasons, failing to keep accounts.
   On 23 October 1887- over 30 clubs were represented at the County Convention in Athenry. Michael Connolly and John Lynskey represented Athenry with Patrick C. Kelly present as Chairman of the County Committee. Delegates passed a motion 'that no Branch of the Association be allowed compete in the championship unless each member belong to the Parish'
  The motion became a rule of the Association  that has remained to the present day. Trouble at the National Congress in Thurles resulted in a split that would have smashed the Association were it not for the intervention of Dr. Croke. All rancour was rancour was removed and within six weeks the matter was settled.
   Patrick C. Kelly was one of the Galway delegation that attended a reconvened Congres on 4 January 1888. The split in Athenry was also finally resolved in 1888, with the acceptance by the Central Branch of the affiliation of 'Dr. Croke Footbal Club' and, 'The Old Guard Hurling club' from the Parish.