Match delays to be raised at highest levels - Donegal GAA issues from 30 years ago

Thirty years ago, this week, sourcing GAA tickets for an All Ireland football semi final against Galway was far from the minds of Donegal GAA fans, as they dealt with aftermath of defeat in the Ulster semi final of 1994 against Tyrone (1-15 to 0-10) in Breffni Park Cavan.

The defeat denied Donegal what what would have been an unprecedented five-in-a-row Ulster Final senior football championship final appearance. 

This semi final also turned out to be a nightmare for many, not alone the result, as traffic delays meant that many fans missed the game as well, due to inordinate traffic jams and despite tickets having been sold out in advace.

It was also to signal the end of the second era of manager Brian McEniff's helm as GAA county manager. 

The Donegal Democrat headline of July 7, 1994 boldly declared 

'Match delays to be raised at highest levels' and read:

Lengthy delays - sometimes as much as an hour - experienced at border checkpoints going to and from the recent Ulster football semi final in Cavan were an attempt to “deny freedom of movement” and may be raised in both the European parliament and Westminster.

The delays which resulted in hundreds of fans not seeing the game at all, were the subject of special discussion at last Monday night’s meeting of the Donegal County Board where a claim was made that British soldiers told one mororoys they were “under orders” to delay the traffic. 

Special efforts are now to be made to raise the problem at the highest level in the hope that such major delays will not recur.

However, speakers during the discussion felt that the delays, which saw mile upon mile of bumper to bumper traffic in and out of Cavan were not caused by the British Army alone.

Stewarding and traffic management on the Irish side of the border were also criticised with claims that the authorities in and around Cavan simply were not prepared and could not cope with the volume of traffic which arrived for the game despite the fact that up to 18,000 tickets had been pre sold for it.

In one instance it was claimed that a motorist who spent over an hour in a border checkpoint hold-up actually turned back at 3.45pm. (15 minutes after  the official start time) because the traffic congestion was so bad three miles from Cavan town.

Efforts are now being made to gain cash refunds for all supporters who turned home in frustration at the delays who arrived so late that they were able to reain their tickets.

SCHOOL BOOKS

In light of many frustrations expressed over the price of student books and the fact that many of them cannot be recycled to younger students, as new updated editions are being printed, let the Donegal Democrat hark back nearly a century ago where even then, prices were being frowned up and indeed secondary school education was the privilege of the wealthier.

In the spirit of that article, one could also add that the sheer weight of many school bags today, will be a huge precursor of the bad backs of the future.

90 years ago - July 7, 1934

I have been requested to draw to the attention of T.D.’s - especially our County T.D.’s - to the cost of present day school books.

The number of books required nowadays are much in excess of years ago, and it is only working class people who have to provide school books for a large family who realise the drain they are on a man’s wages.

Since the advent of the Fianna Fail government much has been done for the working classes but somehow this particular grievance seems to have been overlooked.

I hope that Messrs. Brady and Blaney, T.D.'s won't consider me impertinent in suggesting that they have the question of providing the children of the working-class people with Free School Books raised in the proper quarter.

Furthermore it would be well if they would keep me informed as to their progress in  the matter so that I, in turn, coud give it publication.

70 years ago - July 9, 1954 

Ardara Man’s Angling record

Mr James Maxwell, Ard Chonaill, Ardara has again clearly vindicated his claim to be regarded as Co. Donegal’s No.1 salmon anger.

Mr Maxwell, who created a record last season with a return of £14 for a day’s fishing on the Owenea river, landed seven salmon from the Owenea river on Friday which weighed an average of 6 lbs each.

His latest feat constitutes a record for the number of fish landed by an individual angler from the Owenea angler from the Owenea river for a day’s fishing.

Killybegs fire brigade of the 1960s from left JJ Dowds, Eddie Mc Guire, Francis Conyard, Tommy Smith, Tommy Blaine, MA Quinn.(Eugene McHugh archive)

50 Years ago - July 12, 1974 

Irish Naval Protection vessel for Lough Foyle

Tense situation follows assault on fishermen by British ship

With the arrival in the troubled water this (Thursday) evening of an Irish Fishery Protection bat, a tense atmosphere is expected to develop in the situation created over repeated assaults by a British mine-sweeper on Greencastle during the past week.

It is not clear what the mission of the fishery protection vessel means, but there is speculation that it will remain in the area and will intervene if a further attempt is made to oldest the Donegal crews.

The first attack occurred off the Portrush coast when the British vessel swept through the nets severely damaging five of them.

A few nights subsequently the assault was repeated and further damage caused.

40 years ago - July 6, 1984 

Fran Fields re-elected as L.O.I. President 

Fran Fields, chairman of Finn Harps, was re-elected President of the League of Ireland at the weekend when the League held its AGM in the Great Northern Hotel, Bundoran.

It’s the third time that Mr Fields has held the position.

He was President during the 1977/78 season before being elected last season. His re-election on Sunday was unanimous, something which was a tribute to the work he has done during the season.

For Mr Fields himself, his biggest achievement was to bring League of Ireland football to Cork. He played a major role in the negotiations to bring a Cork team into the league and kept the promise he made when elected 12 months ago to bring football back to the Munster capital