Window on 1936: Spain

The following report appeared in the Clonmel Nationalist on September 19th 1936:

THE SPANISH ATROCITIES

Cashel Council adopts Clonmel resolution

Suggestions to Prohibit Communist Meetings and Publications 

When the Clonmel Corporation resolution, protesting against the barbaric atrocities being perpetrated in Spain against Christians and Catholics, and pledged support to any movement which may be established to safeguard the interests of the Catholics in Spain, came before Cashel Urban Council at their meeting on Tuesday night, the resolution was unanimously adopted, on the motion of the chairman, Francis Phillips, seconded by Mr. Price. 

Mr. Price said the Council should not only adopt the Clonmel resolution, protesting against the barbarities of the communists in Spain but, he thought, the Council should pass a resolution asking the Government of the Free State to prohibit any communists meetings in the country. They should go further, and request the Government to prohibit all communist literature and publications.

Tipperary GAA Football Board

I was disappointed that Michael Power was not elected chairman of the Tipperary GAA football board at the recent AGM. It makes it harder to take when one knows that most of those who did not vote for him never supported a Tipperary Gaelic football team in their lives.

Michael has given more than 30 years of his life to the promotion of Gaelic football in Tipperary. He did this in good times and bad—mostly the latter except for the last two years when the minor footballers achieved something that some of us have dreamed of for more than 60 years: a cherished All-Ireland followed by a second in a row Munster title, both secured under the management of Michael's son David.

Shane McEntee TD RIP

The tragic and untimely passing of Shane McEntee T.D.—a man of the highest integrity—was made so much more sad by the fact that he became so affected by the bile being spewed out by faceless cowards through Twitter and other means. They should be treated with the contempt of silence: "click delete".

They mainly consist of terrorist and communist lackeys who are facilitated by certain sections of the media. Their efforts to cause anarchy in the past failed. They are now trying more insidious methods to cause chaos. They will fail again as long as the decent people stay united and focused.

As sad as it was to witness Shane's funeral, I felt great pride to see this noble Irish man's coffin draped with the national flag. The flag has been abused and demeaned for many years by evil terrorists.

Sadness and Pride

It was with a certain amount of sadness that I became aware that those two great exponents of Gaelic Football, Padraig Joyce of Galway and Brian McGuigan of Tyrone, had decided to leave the county scene. They were two brilliant players and exemplary sportsmen. When we witness the behaviour of many of the grossly overpaid participants at the highest level in the major cross-channel game we should appreciate all the more the positive example that Padraig and Brian have been to the youth of the country. I feel proud to have been around during their playing days.

I would like to comment on Dr.Crokes (Kerry) 0-19 to 0-12 victory over Castlehaven (Cork) in the Munster senior football club final played at Pairc Ui Caoimh on Sunday last. Crokes played football as it should be played. They did not engage in "circular"passing. They were capable of giving foot passes of 40 or 50 yards into a colleague's arms: reminiscent of MickO'Connell, Tom Long and Seamus Murphy at their best. Their hand passing was always going forward with players getting into space to take the pass. While I would love to see St.Brigids (Roscommon) winning the All-Ireland club championship, the presence of Dr.Crokes is a tonic for the game. If every club and county team in the country tried to emulate their style of play the G.A.A.need have no worries about the game.