long black trousers not shorts. According to Gerard Costello, nephew of Jack and Martin Costello, Anthony and Jackie Freaney sons of Mick Freeney and Kit Heneghan, sister in law of Paddy and Peter Heneghan, the team wore a green and yellow jersey with a sash, although there is debate as to whether it was a yellow jersey with a green sash or a green jersey with a yellow sash. The latter seems more likely when we look at the photograph of the team taken at the time. Apparently the 1911 team trained in front of Heneghan’s, but in later years it seems the Derrydonnell team trained nearer to Castlelambert. The team are meant to have travelled to the Co. Final match by lorry, but it is very possible that they got the train to Tuam from Athenry, as the papers document that a train did travel from Galway to Tuam (via Athenry) to the match that day. The County final took place on 26th November 1911. Prior to that, Derrydonnell won the Junior Championship in 1909. So lets examine the Derrydonnell team through those years and beyond through the analysis of the Connacht Tribune of the time and some local knowledge. 1909 Derrydonnell affiliated a Junior Hurling Team in 1909 and defeated Ardrahan in the first round of the championship by 2-12 to 1-3. On the 10th October 1909 Derrydonnell played Castlegar winning by eleven points. The Connacht Tribune, October 16, 1909; Page: 8 reported: First-Rate Ploughman and Farm Worker Patrick Heneghan of Derrydonnell who was employed as a ploughman at the Agricultural Farm, in Athenry, before he terminated his employment in July 1926 and emigrated to America. 5
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MzM2OTY=