Nick Maxwell Formal Irish participation in Olympic boxing had to wait until the Irish Amateur Boxing Association (IABA) re-formed in May 1920, following the hiatus of the Great War. Their first major all-Ireland tournament was at Dalymount Park in July 1920, and the first championship took place at the Abbey Theatre in February 1922. The organisation was … Read more
In 1934 the National Athletic and Cycling Association suggested hosting a women’s 100 yards sprint as part of their national championships. The response to this innovation reveals a lot about the position of women in Irish society at that time. Discussion frequently centred on the attire to be worn by sportswomen. Given the restrictions on … Read more
‘Robust fighting’ versus ‘scientific boxing’The calibre of officials appointed to judge the boxing bouts was a perennial problem. Discontent often centred around a perceived disparity between the evaluation of ‘robust fighting’ versus ‘scientific boxing’. A.P. McWeeney, wiring from Amsterdam 1928, remarked: ‘The combination of racial prejudice and ignorance of the rules seems an insuperable barrier … Read more
Youghal, Co. Cork, was one of the most significant maritime centres of medieval Ireland, commanding important trading routes to northern and western Europe. Like other urban centres of the time, it was surrounded by walls punctuated by defensive towers and heavily guarded gates. In time, the town expanded southwards and a new ‘base’ or outer … Read more
Bram Stoker (1847–1912) was born in Clontarf, Dublin. In spite of a sickly and bedridden childhood (which probably encouraged his reading and imagination), he later excelled in athletics at Trinity College, Dublin, from where he graduated with honours in mathematics. After a period as a civil servant at Dublin Castle and as a part-time theatre … Read more