MacHale Park was officially opened 70 years ago
PART FOUR
By Tom Gillespie
THE official opening of MacHale Park in Castlebar, dubbed ‘the best pitch in Ireland’, took place on Sunday, June 15, 1952 - 70 years ago this month - and the following week's edition of The Connaught Telegraph carried this extensive coverage of the historic event.
Last week we reprinted the remarks of His Grace Dr. Joseph Walsh, Archbishop of Tuam, who officially blessed and opened MacHale Park.
He concluded by saying: Let me for myself, and in your name, congratulate the people of Castlebar on their remarkable achievement. They have given us a really magnificent sports stadium, one of which any county might be proud.
Castlebar can look on this park with pride and satisfaction: for it has been made possible by the splendid cooperation and the civic spirit of the people.
All have given willing and cheerful assistance - by their contribution by the voluntary labour of teams of men, by the hard work of the committee and organisation.
Nor must we forget the men who had the foresight to acquire this valuable track of land, nor the architects and the men who put special sums of money and became guarantors for the loan in the bank.
This work is really the story of a town’s unity and harmony and fine civic spirit. I hope and pray that the same civic spirit, the same unity will continue for the good of this historic town.
Mr. Paddy Quinn, chairman, MacHale Park Development Committee, next introduced Mr. M.V. O’Donoghue, president of the GAA, who spoke at length in Irish. And speaking in English he said this was the first official opening he had attended since he was appointed president. It was fitting it was in the historic province of Connaught and the old and historic town of Castlebar.
The magnificent park was a testimony to the enthusiasm and unselfish work of the Gaels of Castlebar. It was a park fit for champions to play in and it was only fitting that the All-Ireland champions, Mayo, and the ex-champions, who contested the All-Ireland final last year, should be the first to play there.
"You are now," he said, "a park, fit for heroes and champions to play in. I have seen many parks in this country, and I will say that there is none of them better that this. The seating accommodation is the most modern. I have not seen anything like it - not even in Croke Park.
"But this splendid pitch, which has just been blessed and opened, is something more than an ordinary playing pitch; it is a sonnet to the Gaels of Castlebar, and the young men who will play on it will be something out of the ordinary - they will be the shock-troops of the nation. Playing Gaelic games is something more than a pastime; it is a national service and duty.
"All that is required now from the men of the west and the Gaels of Mayo is to continue to play Gaelic games and to continue to increase their love and and enthusiasm of them. We want our young men to continue to play the game of the Gael; it is a national duty to do so.
"You have in Castlebar and in Mayo a glorious tradition of patriotism and culture. It should not be necessary then to appeal to the youth to be faithful to the games of the Gael.
"It is only fitting that such a fine park like this should be in Castlebar, the town in which the first Republic was proclaimed, where the last fight of ’98 took place, where the Land League was founded, and near where the great Archbishop McHale, to whom the new park is dedicated, was born and defended the cause of the down-trodden peasants.
"These historic events are of great importance to the youth of the west. If there are any cynics, sceptics or critics, let them bear these events in mind.
"His Grace the Archbishop expressed that fact that it was the most becoming thing for young men to be manly.
“I will add to that, that it is the most becoming for young men to be otherwise than Irish. There is no necessity for them to be otherwise than Irish.
"This magnificent park is a most fitting memorial to the great Churchman’s name it bears and let us hope that it will be long an inspiration to future generations of the men of the west." (applause).
To mark the opening of the park, a special souvenir brochure was produced by the committee, Mr. J.P. Waters being its editor. It was a work of great merit, and in addition to dealing with the park, gave an interesting account of the town, St. Gerald’s College, the life of Archbishop McHale, after whom the park is named, and thumb-nail biographies of many of old Castlebar football teams and personalities.
At 5 p.m. the Castlebar band struck up ‘Who Fears to Speak of ’98’ and led the men from Royal Meath and the men from Mayo to the billiard-like pitch.
The crowded sidelines and embankments cheered them to the echo and soon they were lined up under the control of the referee, Mr. Jim Moran, Tuam.
The game was a good one, Meath, with the advantage of a good wind in the first half, running up a score of eight points against one for Mayo.
The change-over saw Mayo fighting to reduce the lead, and so well did they succeed that at the full-time whistle the teams were level: Mayo 1-7; Meath 0-10.
After the match both teams and a number of guests were entertained to tea in the Imperial Hotel by the committee and later both teams were guests at a reception in the Town Hall, Castlebar, where Brose Walsh and his Arcadia Orchestra rendered a splendid selection of music.
Concluded.