GALWAY BOHEMIANS, THE EARLY DAYS

by Tom Kenny

John O’Dowd got the inaugural juvenile soccer league (for boys under-16) underway in Galway in1931-2. The clubs competing included Crusaderrs, Hotspurs, Reds United, Emmetts, Unknowns, Bective Rangers and Hibernians. The swamp was the only soccer pitch available in Galway at the time. The league was a big success and this prompted the organisers to run a minor league in the 1932-33 season.

In the season 1934-5, the Free State Minor Cup was introduced and was the beginning of under-age soccer at National level. John O’Dowd decided that Galway should be represented in this competition and so Galway Bohemians A.F.C. was formed with a team selected from the best players from Crusaders and Hotspurs. Their good showing in the National competition prompted John O’Dowd to suggest to the players that they should stick together as a fully-fledged Bohemians club and enter junior competitions in Galway and Connacht. After agreement was reached with Hotspurs and Crusaders, the new club was formed.

John O’Dowd was the first chairman, Jim Murphy was elected as treasurer and Eugene Shaw as secretary. The contribution these three men made to the game of soccer in Galway was immeasurable.

The team made an immediate impact on the junior soccer scene beating established clubs like Rangers, Rovers, Celtic, Wanderers, City and Collegians on their way to winning trophies. Their minors won the Connacht area of the Free State Cup in 1936-37. In 1941, Bohs made it to the final of the Free State Junior cup only to be beaten by St. Pats by 2 – 0.

The club became a kind of nursery for young aspiring soccer players, it was the ambition of many young Galwegian boys to play for the ‘legendary Bohs’. They had great mentors like Jack Begley, Jack and Frank O’Donnell, Paddy Murphy, Charlie Smith and Jim Lydon who played in goals and who would make time to talk to you if you stood behind the goals. In 1947, the club won the Juvenile League and Cup with the following team – Nick Kelly, Seán Finnegan, Andy Ruane, Pádraig Joyce, Padraic (Bullocks) McHugh, Joe Kineen, Tony O’Sullivan, Brod Long, Willie Walsh, Bert (Slipper) Begley and Larry Conneely. Bohs became the team every other soccer club in Galway wanted to beat.

The club is still very active today and focusses mainly on junior and juvenile competitions.

Our first photograph today was of a group of players and alickadoos in the C.Y.M.S (which was a kind of unofficial clubhouse for Bohs). in 1953 after another successful season, if one is to judge from all the trophies n show. They are, back row, left to right; Patsy Finnerty, Raymond Coyne, Joe Ryan, Mickey Joyce, Richie McDermott, Noel Gahan, Mick Deacy, ‘Slipper’ Begley, Jimmy Mannion, Martin McGrath, Ned Ruane, Billy Shaw. Brod Long (An Irish international), ‘Fionn’ Finnegan who played outside left and Michael Dooley from Bohermore.

Second row; Jimmy Lydon, Da Long, John Joe Joyce, Tim Colleran, Noel Carpenter, Dermot Dooley, Harry Begley, Tony O’Sullivan, Pádraic Joyce. In the front row are Mick Beatty, Gerald ‘Danno’ Matthews, Michael Staunton, Jimmy Joyce, Eamonn O’Donoghue, Johnny Beatty and Martin Hopkins. Seated are Tim Murphy and ‘Bubbles’ Flaherty.

Our second image (thanks to Terry Small) is of a hastily put together juvenile team taken in September, 1959 when they travelled to Milltown Park in Dublin to play against the United Churches League in a game they lost 5 – 3. The players came mostly from Woodquay and Bohermore and they used to practise in the ‘plots’. They are, back row, left to right; Jimmy Joyce, Larry O’Donnell, Paddy Murphy, Frank Heaney, Michael Keady, Sean Langan. Billy Herterich and Dermot Dooley. In front are Terry Small, Gay Gilmore, Maurice Peters, Aidan King and Brian Langan. As you can see, Dermot Dooley smoked.