OLD CHURCH STREET TEAM Front Row: (left to right) John Joe Brady, Luke Glynn, Raymond Glynn, Joe Curran. Middle Row: (left to right) Tony Curran, Alfie McNamara, Seamus Lynch, Tom Howley, Joe Whyte, Liam Kenny. Back Row: (left to right) Charles Taylor, Martin Maloney, Michael Joe Clarke and Brian Pollard. Background: Noel Flannery. 1960’s The 1960s was characterised by a world economic boom, a rise in population and the emergence of the Civil Rights movements. It was the age of space exploration, in which the first man walked on the moon in 1969. In 1967 the first successful heart transplant was performed in South Africa by Dr. Christian Barnard. President John F. Kennedy visited Ireland in June 1963 before being assassinated in November. Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy were also assassinated in the United States in 1968. The war in Vietnam dominated the decade, and gave rise to anti-war protests in the United States and Europe. The ‘six-day’ Arab-Israeli war, in 1967, saw the defeat of the combined Arab forces, and the occupation by Israel of the West Bank and Gaza. Racial segregation and discrimination in South Africa peaks, Nelson Mandela begins his 27 year prison term on Robin Island. Ireland benefited from the economic boom as policies of protectionism were abandoned and the country was opened up to international trade and industry. RTÉ television was launched on the last day of 1961. The era of the Irish showbands didn’t catch fire and explode across the country until the early 1960’s. Marquee dancing was very popular all over the country during the summer months especially to the Swingtime Aces. The 1960s also saw the end of censorship in Ireland, and the provision of free post-primary education. The Civil Rights movement began in the North of Ireland, and the start of the ‘troubles’ that went on until the 90’s. In 1960 a battalion of of the country’s defence forces went to the Congo. In November nine Irish soldiers were killed in an ambush at Niemba by Baluba tribesmen. The most famous Irish racehorse Arkle became a national legend. His strength was jokingly claimed to come from drinking Guinness twice a day. At one point, the slogan ‘Arkle for President’ was written on a wall in Dublin. The ‘Sportsperson’ of the 20th century Muhammad Ali won the World Boxing Title. Tipperary and Kilkenny dominated hurling winning seven All-Irelands between them in the ‘60. But the ‘west was awake’ with Galway winning three-in-a-row All-Ireland Senior Football Titles in 1964, ’65 and ‘66. A Decade of change ATHENRY AS IT WAS QUOTES FROM 1960’s: JOHN F KENNEDY “ask not what your country can do for you -- ask what you can do for your country”. “We need men who can dream of things that never were, and ask why not”. NELSON MANDELA: “I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society .... It is an ideal which I hope to live for. But if needs be it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die”. NEIL ARMSTRONG: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” MUHAMMAD ALI: “Don’t count the days; make the days count”. “He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life”.
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