watchchains

The current Waterford Athletic Club was not founded until 1923 but the city had a record of athletic achievement stretching back many years. This is an extract from the clubs website. "From its earliest days Waterford Athletic Club had its fair share of famous sports people as an examination of its first officers illustrates. The President was the famed G.A.A. referee Willie Walsh, one of the giants of the early years of that association. The vice President was Peter O'Connor, double Olympic medallist in the 1906 Games where he won gold in the triple jump with 14.08m and silver in the long jump with 7.02m. After his final attempt victory in the triple jump, O'Connor (who had been forced by political considerations to compete for Great Britain) climbed the flagpole, pulled down the Union Jack and replaced it with the green flag of Ireland."

The shed in the background appears in some of Pooles other photos such as this one POOLEIMP 272A It looks to me like it's probably taken in the peoples park by the Goff cycle track. There is a building marked on the old 25" Ordnance Survey map that is no longer there. maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/#V1,661104,611974,7,9

Peter O'Connor mentions the Goff Track in this piece, "The luckiest thing that ever happened to me was to take up residence in Waterford … I had the advantage of training with those excellent athletes … including E. W. Clyne, J. Curry, Frank Furlong and others. I may indeed, gentlemen, attribute the greater portion of my success in the athletic arena to my having come to live in Waterford. For years I have been hovering around record figures but bad luck haunted me. My jumps were always a wee bit short of the mark and, when over the mark as they were on several occasions, the ground failed to stand the test of the spirit level, which is absolutely essential before any credence is given to any jumps. I would have disappeared and chucked athletics altogether, were it not for three reasons, viz., 1st. The kindness of my employer, Mr. David Dunford, Solicitor, in permitting me to attend all the main athletic meetings in the South of Ireland, in a greater part of Leinster and elsewhere. 2nd. I found splendid facilities in Waterford for training - Waterpark College grounds for the long jump and the Goff track for sprinting. This track is the finest track in Ireland for cycling and sprinting. 3rd. I received every encouragement in the flattering and undeserved articles from the pen of my good and true friend, Mr. Redmond, in his excellent paper - the Waterford News." waterfordireland.tripod.com/peter_o'connor.htm

Excellent piece Paul, It shows how the athlete benefitted from good will and good fortune. Well done Waterford.

Swordscookie Paul O'Farrell And lookie here - who's that but Peter O'Connor, Irish Olympic and Waterford athlete...

Dandy indeed

DannyM8 Thinking of switching to DandyM8? :)

There's no DOG!!! How can you have that many horses and not have a dog to bark at them? It's not natural I say. Great shot of the old pub - when it was an hotel no less!

I love the old picture, great find but that was a good point, not dog in sight. Did someone SHOOT the poor brutes?

Swordscookie Do you know where this was/is then, Sean? Would love a Google Maps link. Think we need to get Niall McAuley to do a Google Maps linking seminar with you... :)

The Art of Hat-Wearing was obviously still very much alive in 1960.

John Spooner Both Malones look fantastic in cap and hat. Very dapper.

What is Mr. Malone Jr. planning to shoot with a rifle in Ashtown, I wonder? Ducks on the canal?

Niall McAuley I don't know! Ashtown wouldn't have been very built up back in 1960? Wouldn't there have been agricultural land around there, or am I raving?

Great document!