12th September, 2024 in Local & Family History, Sport

‘I Love Me County’: Waterford sporting stories

By Cian Manning

Cian Manning author of ‘I Love Me County’ provides a brief history of Waterford and its legacy.

The Gentle County, Waterford, can boast a proud sporting tradition. It is as long as it is varied. It’s largest urban area, Waterford City, has witnessed bull-baiting at Ballybricken to the roller hockey craze at the Olympia Ballroom. Similarly, the towns and villages of the Déise were keen and steadfast in their own sporting endeavours. Boxing, cricket, cycling, horse racing and polo were some of the pastimes enjoyed by communities from Carrick-on-Suir to Cappoquin. Sporting events became – and remain – a huge part of the social calendar of County Waterford’s inhabitants. Such competitions and festivities brought many around Ireland to the South-East. Pursuits such as horse racing saw County Tyrone-native, Johnny Ryan (1826-1907), receive the patronage of the Marquess of Waterford in 1834. Ryan’s impressive record of (at least) 112 victories from 130 races wearing the colours of Lord Waterford stands as one of the greatest win records in the history of the sport. No doubt he was provided with enough insight and advice from Lord Waterford, who in 1840 came 4th in the Grand National, aboard his horse, The Sea. Ryan would better his patron’s effort at the National, however, it was a trio of third place finishes.

Another popular pastime that was becoming increasingly lucrative was pugilism. And a colossus of the sport in the 19th century was a Lismore-native known as the ‘Irish Giant,’ Ned O’Baldwin (1840-75). Standing at 6ft 6 1/2in and weighing 200lbs, O’Baldwin became a well-known fighting figure in England, before making his way to America. However, he never delivered on the promise of his early performances in the sweet science, and would meet a bloody end in September 1875. O’Baldwin was shot by his business partner in a saloon. A piece in the Chicago Citizen concluded that Ned O’Baldwin ‘… gained notoriety, if not fame, as a pugilist.’

Similar infamy followed the life of Waterford-born tennis player, Vere Thomas St. Leger Goold (1853-1909). He holds the rather unique and unusual distinctions of being the first tennis player born on the island of Ireland to contest a Wimbledon final, as well as being the only Wimbledon finalist to be convicted of murder. As people based across the county made their name in a variety of sports abroad, there would be an equally significant contribution made by its inhabitants to the development of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The individual who coined the name of the organisation that governs the native games of hurling and Gaelic football was Knockhouse-born and Mount Sion School educated John Wyse Power (1859-1926). His role as one of the early secretaries of the association set it on firm foundations. Wyse Power’s Waterford connections saw Tramore host the first All-Ireland Athletics Championships under the auspices of the GAA. Subsequently, John became the first Chairman of the Dublin County Board. He even inspired the character of ‘John Wyse Nolan’ in James Joyce’s Ulysses.

And in these native sports, All-Ireland success would be some time in coming for the Déise. Though not for Fourmilewater’s Jack Dwan and Glendaloughin’s (The Nire) Larry Tobin, who played for the Clonmel Shamrocks. The Clonmel club represented County Tipperary, which won the 1900 All-Ireland Gaelic Football Championship. This led Sean O’Donnell to note in a letter to the Irish Press (in 1964) that Dwan and Tobin were ‘the first Waterford men to win All-Ireland medals.’

Undoubtedly one of the most-underrated and neglected sporting figures raised by the River Suir was Dublin-born golfer Patrick Joseph Mahon (1906-45). Paddy attended Mount Sion in the city, and caddied at Tramore and Waterford Golf Clubs. Mahon later became a professional at the Royal Dublin Club around 1934. The next few years were hugely successful, as Mahon regularly competed for the top honour at the Irish Professional Championship, played in the Open Championship, as well as becoming the first Irish golfer to win a tournament in Britain. This latter success came in the 1935 Western Isles (North of Scotland) Championship at Islay. Two years later, Mahon’s form saw him become the most-talked about golfer in the world and touted to become the first Irishman to play in the Ryder Cup. His form saw him top the list for the most in-form golfers in 1937 (essentially World No. 1), but missed out on competing in the Ryder Cup due to an interpretation of the residency rule in that competition’s Deed of Trust.

Moreover, the 20th century increasingly saw women try to develop their own sporting competitions. Some documenters purport that a game between sides from Dungarvan and Waterford city which took place in the Old Boro on 24th August 1913 as ‘the inauguration of ladies’ hurling in Waterford City and County…’ The progress of camogie didn’t run smoothly either. We learn in August 1914 that a game between Kilmacthomas and Kilrossanty at Mahon Bridge ended in much acrimony. The Waterford News from the time reported ‘Early in the match suspicion grew stronger as brilliant feat after feat was performed by the suspect.’ The local periodical continued, ‘At about five minutes to go one of the home side took the hat off the doubtful one and it was at once seen that the latter was wearing a wig.’ The report concluded, ‘A rush was made for the wig, which when procured was held aloft by a Kilrossanty player amidst a scene of great excitement.’

Inevitably, such incidents did not help the staging of camogie across the county. One of the most popular sports played by women in Waterford (in the early 20th century) was hockey. As an Irish Ladies’ hockey team toured the United States in 1925, the squad boasted 3 players residing in the Gentle County. They were Mabel Fudger, Isabel de Bromhead and Irene McCullagh. The team won all 13 of their games, scoring 102 goals while conceding only 8 times. McCullagh was hugely influential as the Irish side’s netminder, while Mabel Fudger starred as her team’s top scorer, finishing with 32 goals.

Their legacy would continue with figures such as Josie McNamara, who was adept at camogie, badminton, tennis, table tennis as well as pitch and putt. McNamara is one of the most talented and successful athletes in the story of Waterford sport. More opportunities and variety for women to pursue sport would come as the 20th century went on. There was the Waterford Fencing Club (lasting from 1948 to 1973), the development of the first local Ladies’ Soccer League (1967 to 1970), squash, and surfing to name a few. These stories that are often neglected are just as important, as they show the spirit and endeavour to have sports survive with the hope that they would one day thrive.
The playing of sports from cricket to cycling have risen and waned like the tides of the Suir, and the same can be said of sporting success across the county. However, as often as night follows day, from witnessing dawn along the Copper Coast to sunset at Clonea, where there are games to be played and community spirit, Waterford’s sporting story will continue to evolve, with the best yet to come. Many of those purveyors of such pastimes would echo the legendary words of John Mullane, ‘I love me county.’