9 August 2008

Loughrea, Co. Galway




Loughrea, Co. Galway
Photograph provided by Neil Mc Dermott

Following description provided by Colm Moorehead, June 2009
The LOUGHREA 60/30 was built in the mid 1940s by WILLIAM MCDONNELL a local contractor.From that time until the mid 1980s it was in frequent use by young and old at all competitive levels.Some successful names include PAT and JOE BARRETT, JOE COADY, MIKE KEARY, EAMONN RABBITTE, GERRY SCULLY, MIKE SHEIL.The court was roofed in 1985 and ironically the interest in handball declined despite all the years we cursed the weather for interfering with games! Racquetball is played there more often now .The building is in good condition generally and hopefully handball will return.
Nearby there is the remains of an old ENGLISH police three walled alley.

1 comments:

Colin Mitchell said...

Well done on a very well put together and very interesting blog - well interesting to handballers anyway.

Just to update your post handball has indeed returned to Loughrea. We currently(2013)have 38 juvenile members and 10 adult members. The juvenile players are in action every Saturday afternoon from 2.00pm till 5.00pm and occasionally during the week. The alley is busy most weekday evenings with both racquetball, 60*30 and one wall handball being played.

The alley itself is being maintained in a good state of repair. Internally the walls have been cleaned and repainted earlier this year. Last year the south west facing sidewall was plastered externally to put a stop to water that was weeping through. Further remedial works are being planned.

You can learn more about the Loughrea Handball Club by checking out our Facebook Page.

Colin Mitchell
Secretary Loughrea HBC

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