A GREAT evening for the Kirby family and a great day for Tuamgraney was how the legendary Pat Kirby described Saturday’s centenary celebrations of Tuamgraney Handball Club, the highlight of which was the unveiling of a monument depicting the former handballer.
Pat was one of the game’s greatest handballers as his achievement of 15 senior All-Ireland titles and eight world successes indicate. Addressing the large gathering, Pat said, “Handball dominated my life and I am honoured and humbled here this evening.”
Speaking to The Clare Champion after the unveiling, he recalled, “This is where I grew up and honed my skills and I am delighted to see it is still flourishing.”
Recalling his early years playing the game he said, “There was nothing else for us to do. I lived just one hundred yards up the road and a hurley and a handball was all we had. After school we were always in here until our parents came and dragged us out to do some chores around the house.  As soon as we got a chance we were back down again. There was nothing else in the village at the time.”
Referring to his success at the game, he said, “It’s a God-given talent and I was blessed with it. I never had an enemy. All the handball players and hurlers I played with and against were all my friends. To play on them or against them, there was never jealousy or animosity. It was me and the ball and it was all about if I could make the ball do the work or whatever I wanted to do with it.”
While he is known the world over for his achievements as a handballer, Pat was also an outstanding hurler, winning Clare senior championships with Éire Óg in the ’50s and with the Brian Boru’s amalgamation in 1975.
“The Brian Boru’s success was a great achievement, an amalgamation of three junior clubs. The players had tremendous dedication. There were no great outstanding players, mostly junior players but the dedication and effort was unbelievable. We had great evenings in Tulla and we got great enjoyment out of that,” he said.
Pat lives in Tucson, Arizona and together with his wife Carrie, they return regularly. “My wife’s mother, who is 96 years of age, lives in Galway so we try to return every two years. We live in Tucson, where the climate is hot and where there is little rain. It’s great to come back but, sadly, there are not too many in the village here now that I know. I have been gone from Tuamgraney for 50 years and many of the people I went to school with have passed on. Many of the guys I hurled with at Éire Óg have also passed on. It’s sentimental to come back and miss all of those,” he said.
Returning to handball, Pat said, “It’s great to see the game so strong in a changing world. Down through the years it was always strong here. I remember in the ’40s and ’50s when I was a young fella watching people play in the three-wall court. The game was very strong when I was growing up.
“This is a very strong club and the achievements of the likes of Diarmuid Nash and Niall Malone in recent years confirms that. I have no fears that it will prevail,” he said as crowds gathered to extend their congratulations.
Repeating that he was “honoured and humbled” he said, “We all gave a contribution to the game and to hurling but this is the ultimate honour.”
Pat’s brothers, Dan, John, Mick and Mattie, were also in attendance and they, together with a huge number of Tuamgraney people, marched behind the Tulla Pipe Band from Tuamgraney Church to the ball alley for the unveiling.
The celebrations continued at a special centenary dinner at Teach Uí Bhriain in the village.

Historic centenary celebrations

WELCOMING the big crowd to Tuamgraney, handball club chairman, Gordon Daly said, “We couldn’t be in a more historic and beautiful setting than between Tuamgraney Castle and the 10th century St Cronan’s Church.”
He paid tribute to the work of East Clare heritage and Tuamgraney Development Association in maintaining the village and promoting the event.
“We were delighted to partner with you when pride of place judges visited Tuamgraney and chose Tuamgraney as winners of its category in the All-Ireland competition. This is a further expression of our pride in place and pride in the game of handball.”
Continuing, he said Saturday’s celebration was about celebrating the past but also about the future and he said he was delighted to see so many young people present.
“A lot has changed since 1911 and while a lot has changed, one thing has remained the same, the fondness of the people of Tuamgraney and surrounds in the game of handball. We are the minority sport within the GAA family but that does not take from our game nor lessen our pride in it,” he said before telling the gathering that the club currently has over 100 juvenile members registered.
He went on, “The game has much to recommend it. It is the only GAA sport with a truly international dimension, it combines ladies and men’s games in one structure and you can play it from eight to 80. In the World Championships there is a category for those aged 80 plus called platinum.
“This weekend is about looking ahead and there is a bright future,” he said, before paying tribute to all who had helped in any way. He had a special word of praise for Mike Hogan, who designed the monument, which Mr Daly described as “a fitting tribute to legendary Pat Kirby and all associated with the club”.
Daly also made special mention of the McLysaght family, who have had an involvement with the club from the beginning.
“This weekend proves that initiative and community spirit is alive and kicking in Clare. Given the times we are, in it would have been easy to lack ambition and confidence and ignore the absence of any great aid to carry out refurbishment works. Instead, this community got up and did this,” he said.
Stressing it was not a criticism of the GAA, he expressed the wish that the association “would encourage the development of handball more”.
“I know that important steps are being taken and as a whole the contribution of the GAA is probably never fully realised but handball is a great sport and deserves to grow and develop.”
Remembering “those who have gone before us without whom there would be no centenary”, he made a special mention of administrators such as Michael Boyce, the late Michael O’Neill and Caimin Jones. He also acknowledged “the presence of John S Kelly, former chairman of Clare handball, who brought his interest in the game from his native Roscommon.
“The present generation of players are inspired by the Kirbys, Wileys, Hogans, Ryans and many others. They are fortunate to have the guidance of wonderful, committed officials. Every generation must make a contribution and put something back in.
“I hope future generations will review the refurbishment of the big alley as our practical contribution to maintaining the game into the next century,” Daly concluded.

‘We need to guard our 60×30 heritage’ – O’Connor

CELEBRATING a club’s centenary is a fantastic milestone in any club history, Walter O’Connor, president of Handball Ireland, said in Tuamgraney last week.
“I have played since I was four. My first memory was when I was two and I saw Joey Maher play Pat Kirby in the world final and that’s what encouraged me to play the game. I fell in love with game after that.
“People like the people of Tuamgraney will help the game grow and get its rightful place within the association. 60 x 30 is where I am from and its my background. It’s the background of this club. It’s the background of a lot of the great players of this club. I am delighted to see you have refurbished the 60 x 30 and that there is as much of an emphasis on the 60 x 30 at the moment as there is in 40 x 20. It’s very important we hold dear our heritage and our tradition and the tradition that people like Pat Kirby and the Kirby brothers, Haulie Hogan, Pakie Ryan and all the great players over the years have left us. We need to guard that as much as we can and we need to guard our 60 x 30 heritage,” he stressed.
“Tuamgraney is a symbol of continuance in handball. For 100 years you have produced fantastic players right up to winning world titles and American open titles. You have got Diarmuid Nash, Niall Malone and you have also got very good young girls. It is great to see you are emphasising the youth of the game,” he went on.
The national president added, “Pat Kirby is a legend in the game and it’s an honour for him to be here this evening. The Tuamgraney name and the Kirby name are synonymous with handball.” He appealed to the young people present to “carry on the tradition and be mindful of the 60 x 30”.
Legendary GAA broadcaster Micheál O’Muircheartaigh also addressed the young people present. “You are the next generation and it’s great to see so many of you here. I have great memories of the centenary of GAA in 1984, which encouraged the young people of the time to improve facilities to get more games for young people and I hope the same results now.”
“It’s a very ancient game that was played off the gable of houses long before there were courts,” he said and recalled seeing Pat Kirby play handball and hurling. “Not alone was he good but he did everything with style. I urge all here to look after the young people and there might be another world champion in years to come.”
Amongst the attendance was Kilkenny’s Michael ‘Duxie’ Walsh, winner of numerous All-Ireland and world handball titles. Speaking to The Clare Champion, he said Pat Kirby “was one of the best I every saw, a lovely man on or off the court. His record speaks for itself. When I was small he was finishing up and he was the target for me. He had won so much. He went to America and I met him when I was U-15 and U-17 and he looked after us so well when we went over there. Any time I am in America and if I am in Arizona, he always looks after us. He is a lovely man and this is a fitting tribute to one of the greatest handballers the game has known.”
Continuing, Mr Walsh said, “People will debate as to who is the greatest but he is the best I ever saw. He brought it to this level. Some will say I brought it on and some lads will come and bring it on again. That’s sport. He was my idol and that is why I am here today. I am still playing and I enjoy it and that is what it’s all about,” he concluded.