80-year-old on athletics honours
HE RECENTLY CELEBRATED HIS 80TH BIRTHDAY, BUT THAT CERTAINLY ISN’T STOPPING ACLARE’S PADRAIC IN HIS QUEST TO ADD TO ATHLETICS HONOURS
BEFORE the Covid-19 restrictions became the ‘norm’, one south Sligo man was not only looking forward to celebrating a special 80th birthday, he was also busy competing at indoor athletics in Athlone.
Padraic Maye from Aclare is no stranger to beating the competition either, he has a whopping 171 titles to date, and is aiming to add many more.
With the apprehension and anxiety that understandably people, particularly the elderly, are feeling during the coronavirus crisis, Padraic is certainly not dwelling too much on the fear in these times, instead his focus is on the future.
Although with social distancing measures meaning there was no party as such, he was still able to enjoy his significant birthday alongside Terry, his wife of 52 years, and their 2 daughters, Coleen and Erin, 8 grandchildren and one month old great-granddaughter all toasting nearby.
“It was my wife’s birthday the week earlier too. At our age, we are not supposed to be out, but we went into the garden alright. We really have been very lucky, the weather has been amazing. We are finding cocooning alright, we are luckily surrounded by our family. I don’t find it that difficult, I’m out in the garden and walking lots every day,” Padraic told The Sligo Champion. “Although it is scary enough what you’re hearing (about the coronavirus),” he adds.
Row back three months to when we were lucky enough to still have sporting activities, Padraic was in Athlone doing what he does best, winning medals in a range of athletics competitions.
“I was at the Irish Indoors in Athlone. I usually go for 5 competitions but I went for the High Jump and came 1st in it, while I came 2nd in the Long Jump and also second in the Shot Put.” He was competing in the 75-80 age category and the Sligo man was beating fellow athletes 5 years his junior!
“Some were saying to me when are you 80, because then I’ll be in the 80-85 group,” he laughs.
With 171 titles already in his stellar career, it’s not solely in athletics that Padraic has been a force to be reckoned with.
Back in his school days, he was part of the St Nathy’s College Gaelic football team that won an All-Ireland Hogan Cup in 1957, the only time in the school’s 200 year history.
The Ballaghderreen school defeated Newry’s St Colman’s by 1-7 to 0-4 to clinch their first, and only Hogan Cup title.
“I was in 3rd Year in 1957, I was the corner forward. Then in ‘58 St Jarlath’s beat us by four points to two and they went on to eventually win it, while in 1959, when I was in my Leaving Cert, we were in the final winning by 4 points over St Joseph’s from Fairview, but they came back to beat us by four in Croke Park. They had a lad playing centre field for them who had already won a Railway Cup at just 18 years.”
From secondary school Padraic relocated to the bright lights of Dublin, studying to become a teacher in UCD. It was here that his love for athletics began to flourish.
“I didn’t do any athletics at all in 1st Year, we had our own football team with lads from Sligo, we were called Innisfree and played Junior B but it was great. I got to see the UCD Athletics Championships and I thought I would give it a go next year.
“I won the Long Jump and saw people going for maybe three or four events so that give me the idea to compete in more.”
The following years saw Padraic adapt to life in Africa no less, as he became a volunteer in the poverty stricken region of West Africa for a few years.
“I went off to Africa for 2 years, there was a local priest, Fr Connolly who worked in West Africa and Nigeria.
“He came in to see if anyone was interested in going over volunteering so about four or five of us went and after 2 years you came home and your way back was paid.
“However, I stayed on an extra year which was kind of foolish because Eastern Africa had formed Biafra and then the Civil War began between the regular government and the other government.”
Obviously with such unrest going on it wasn’t the safest place to be but Padraic did take some satisfaction with him upon leaving to head back to Ireland. “I actually won a Long Jump competition out there! I competed in 3 events in Nigeria, the Triple Jump, Long Jump and Shot Put. Imagine a white guy competing with the locals!”.
He contracted malaria twice and was advised to go home. “Having malaria wasn’t a nice experience at all, you’re perspiring and shivering at the same time.”
Overall though, Padraic reflects that he really enjoyed the whole experience of life in Africa. “I suppose because I grew up in a pub that my family ran here in Aclare, I was used to listening to people. It seemed so exciting in a way to get the opportunity to go to Africa.”
Having a brief spell working in construction in the UK, Padraic decided he wasn’t just ready to go back teaching and instead America was calling. Although only initially planning to stay for a short period, love would have other ideas. “I went to Chicago and met an Irish girl from Dublin, Terry. We’re together over 52 years since December 14th,” he adds.
While working in construction in the Windy City, Padraic was also playing GAA with McBride’s, a club that included many inter-county players from Ireland who were visiting for the summer months.
Padraic recalls: “McBride’s had a very good team, there were star footballers who were out for the summer when they were knocked out of the Championship and they got jobs, money and a place to stay.
“I started teaching in a Catholic School in the inner city from ‘69 to 1980, it was called the Our Lady Help of Christians. I completed a Masters Degree in Guidance and
Counselling when I was there too. Sure I went to Chicago for just 3 weeks before I met my wife, I never had intended to stay! I was only supposed to be going on a holiday but ended up staying a lot longer. I suppose with Vietnam, they were stuck for teachers.”
Terry and Padraic’s two daughters, Coleen and Erin, were both born over there, 11 months apart.
“The Irish twins,” he jokes. “Coleen lives in Sandyhill just outside Charlestown and Erin lives in Aclare so we are very lucky to have them near us,” Padraic says.
On the family’s return to Ireland in 1980, he got a job teaching in nearby Banada Abbey, another school in which sport played a significant role. “I got involved in football in a big way. I was teaching English, History and Geography.
Banada was very big into sport, I also spent a year and a half in St Attracta’s another great school and very good at football.”
In the meantime, he was still travelling to athletics events, Padraic has 31 British medals too from both Indoor and Outdoor Championships, mainly for the Long Jump and Triple Jump.
You might think that having such athletics success, coaching was a big part of this, but he says he never got any coaching. “I never did any coaching or practise, I suppose I was lucky to have natural ability. I think it’s easier to be good nowadays with all the great coaches there are.”
He says one of his memorable titles was when he was still in UCD. “The college’s athletics team were going to Gorey to compete. I wasn’t allowed though because I was part of the Innisfree team and I had my wrist in a cast. I ended up paying my own way down there and won Gold in the Triple Jump!”.
You would assume Padraic couldn’t fit in time for any other sports, but he is also an All-Ireland Handball doubles champion. “Paddy Walsh from Sligo and myself won the All-Ireland doubles on August 26th 2000.”
In terms of his sporting abilities passing onto his 2 daughters, Padraic laughs and says they were not really into athletics but proudly states granddaughter Cora (Gilligan) is on the Sligo ladies U14 team. “My wife and I enjoy going to the games in the likes of Cloonacool and so on.”
He has fond memories of growing up in Aclare although it’s a changed place now, he adds. “Back then, there were 7 pubs and 19 houses! I had four brothers and the street was our own backyard, there was no traffic then and you could play football on the street. At the time there was no underage in Aclare, so I played with Mullinabreena, Tommy Kilcoyne (rip) from Tubbercurry was on that same team.”
Tourlestrane GAA Club is flourishing now and Padraic taught Eamonn O’Hara, All-Star winner for Sligo too. “His uncle, Fr Eamonn O’Hara was recently died was captain of the ‘57 St Nathy’s team,” he adds.
Speaking with Padraic, his vast recollection of dates, titles and so forth is astonishing. “I’m a holder of information, I’m good for keeping things.”
Having such a successful sporting career to date, he has made some great friends and he recently enjoyed catching up with a former St Nathy’s teammate. “A lad by the name of Conor Maguire, we were the two 3rd Years on the Senior team.
“We hadn’t met until recently, after school he went to the UK and I went off to university. It was the first time since 1959 that we met. “He’s now living near Shrule. I passed him on newspaper cuttings and all from back then, he hadn’t any of them so he was glad.”
Although sport is at a standstill for the time being, once the restrictions are lifted Padraic is relishing the chance to get back competing and adding to his shelf full of trophies once more.