The Irish standard., 1904-10-08
AT HEAD OF CLASS
All Great Athletic Records Held by
Ireland's Sons.
The Celt Was First in This Field,
Says an Authority.

~>o 80 S--N 2-e>SSS SA'SS oA AhNSASot4hS
account of athletics, in which he shows
that the Celt was first in the field al
most 1000 years before the Christian
era.
'The Tailtan games," says Mr.. Lon
ergan, "were instituted in Ireland 3, ,734
years ago. The Tailtan games, or Irish
athletic sports We're held during the
first week of August each year from
their inception down to Roderick
O'Connor, who flourished in the last
half of the twelfth century, and usu-
ally brought together immense gather
ings of all classes of the people both
in Pagan and Christian times. Those
games developed mighty heroes, the
greatest of whom was Cuchullain, who
has been aptly called the Hercules
Of Hibernia.
'"The Anglo-Norman invasion put an
end to the games as a national fes-
tival, but foreign domination and per-
secution have been unable to destroy
the physical vigor and scientific skill
of the Celt, and today, after centuries
of oppression, he stands out in bold
relief in almost every branch of ath-
letic sports in Europe, Australia and
America.
"For centuries, owing to the unceas-
ing warfare, confiscations and penal
laws, the Irish Celt had no time or
inclination to indulge in athletic
sports. But in the early seventies a
genuine athletic revival in Ireland be-
gan. The Irish Champion club was
established in 1878, which introduced
to the public for the first time the
DAWN brothers of Tipperary. Thomas
DAWN was the first man in the British
Isles to clear six feet in a running
high jump, and Maurice DAWN in that
same year made several records with
the 5G-pound weight and the 16-pound
hammer, which he held up to few
years ago.
''In 1878 their younger brother Pat
rick achieved great feat in the run
ming broad jump, clearing % feet,
which has been the worlds record I'M
til recently, when Peter O'Connor, of
Waterford, cleared "a feet 11A inches
"a feat yet to be beaten.
"Daniel Shanahan.is now the worlds
champion and record holder in the
running hop, step and jump of so feet
~ inch, which was accomplished a
few months ago.
: IN. F. Sweeney, who was born in
the County Kerry, has maintained the
best traditions Of race Of jumpers,
and holds the worlds record in the
running high jump of feet 51a inch
es. Sweeney came to this country
when child, and he received his train
ing and won his championship under
the Stars and Stripes. S. ]. Chandler
record holder. for the standing three
jumps of 3S feet 10 inches, is Irish of
the Irish.
Zone of the most remarkable jump
ers that Ireland ever produced is K.
J. Newburn of Dublin, who once
cleared 25 feet II inches in running
broad technical grounds.
elm the nineties an Irishman named
Malone is said to have performed a
marvellous feat in Australia, by run
ming quarter Of a mile in 46 seconds,
but there is no mention of that per-
formance in the official guide.
1.-THE record holders in the various
running distances are nearly all Celts.
1t is only necessary to mention Thorn
as Joyce and last, but greatest of
them all, J. T. Conneff, who is Celt
in every fiber Of his being, and, like all
great athletes, is singularly modest
and unassuming.
''In these opening years of the twen-
tieth century, the worlds champions
in weight-throwing and shot-puttine
are three Irish Celts, who first saw
the light of day in Munster. John
Flanagan's official records with the
16-pound hammer Of I'll feet 6
inches, and the 56-pound weight OF
3G feet 9H inches, is Limerick man
James s. Mitchell, of Tipperary, has
been the record holder for severa
T, years of the 56-pound hammer (witl
unlimited rum of 3S feet inches, and
| Denis Horgan, the record holder of the
16-pound shot, of 4S feet 2 inches, halls
from the County Cork. 1t is at pres
ent mooted question whether or mo-
this last record has been recently brok
en-, but the Amateur Athletic Unior
is the only competent authority to de
eide.
'By the way, John J. Holloway, tn.
champion pole vaulter and splendid
all-round athlete, is son of gallan
Tipperary. He crossed the Atlantic t.
compete for the all-round champion
ship at St. Louis on the Fourth of July
the all-round championships. Thoma.
Celt has made wonderful records IL
and he made an excellent record. Th,
F. Kiely has been the all-round cham
pion Of Great Britain and Ireland fol
several years. He holds 80 champion
ships. He has made 40 records, an(
has won 1900 prizes. and, to cap tn,
climax, he beat all the great American
athletes at st. Louis on the Fourth