The hurling was rougher and tougher than today. They mightn’t be able to pull as fast because the hurls were heavy, heavy with big bosses. The ball was big it was easy to hit it. But I don’t think them boys would hit the ball that’s going today, would you believe that? In our day, the ball we had was a half an inch wider all around and it was easier hit that ball and we never had a good ball. They were kind of soft after one half hour. But the ball that’s going now – it takes a great player, and it takes a great player to mind himself to do the hurling and not to foul. We used to train in our day too. We used to train in a field near Paddy Kelly’s house, another Paddy Kelly. There’d be up to 20 or 30 lads training there twice or three times a week, a match between ourselves. That’s the way we used to train. No running, only just hurling the ball. In our time half an hour would nearly kill us and the last half hour we’d be falling on top of our heads! The one team per parish rule was the best thing that was brought in because there were too many factions in every team – Derrydonnell and Newcastle and Cussaun. Three teams and sure they were the death of one another when they’d meet one another. There was a row everyday, everyday they went out. In a later interview in 1990, Paddy Kelly talks about the Derrydonnell v. Claregalway County Final in Tuam. This excerpt is from the Castle Lambert Tape that was published in the book entitled The Lamberts of Athenry by Finbar O’Regan (page 231). In the years gone by Derrydonnell had a great team one time. The old crowd that’s dead and buried now. The year that Derrydonnell won the County Championship below in Tuam against Claregalway, the row was bitter all the time against Shawe Taylor and the evicting of us. Me father went to the hurling and Jack Moran went with him. He was working in the house with us. He was a ladín about fourteen or fifteen years. But he was below in Tuam whatever and some of the Carnmore people tackled me father at the match. The Grealishes (from Carnmore) and the Caulfields were involved in a big row. They bet one another but Jack Ruane, Matt Ruane, Tom Ruane they all got into the row and Mick Keane and there was terrible work between them. But they bet the Claregalway in the hurling and they bet them with the sticks too. On Sunday 3rd December after winning the County Final on November 25, the All Ireland Championships in hurling and football were to be decided at Marybororough. Mick Franey (capt.) and Jack Ruane were the Derrydonnell representatives on the team. Unfortunately Galway lost that match to Limerick. At meetings of the Galway Gaelic Athletic Association County Board throughout 1911, various delegates attended on behalf of Derrydonnell: P Henehan, P. Keane, M. Ruane, M. Kennedy and P. Higgins. 20
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