School: Clochar na Trócaire, Cill na Mullach (roll number 11855)

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1. Local Heroes (continued)

   

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   upheld the athletic prestige of Buttevant and neighbourhood in the romantic past, to contemplate the doings of parish athletes who have flourished within living memory.

   Compared with Freeman's supposed great leap, the best efforts since his time have been very moderate, but little less than their contemporaries even among world beaters. For a decade around half a century ago. J.M. O'Connor of Ballyclough was clearing from 5 ft. 10 ins. to 6 ft. 2 in.; and during the 1888 athletic invasion of America beat all comers. He was a dapper little fellow, about 5 ft. 5 ins. in height, and it was a treat to watch him get over a bar, placed from seven to nine inches higher than himself, in the pretty upright Irish style which is so universally admired in contrast to the gymnastic wriggling which passes for high jumping nowadays. When on the U.S.A. tour, an opponent jumped 6 feet 1 1/2 ins. on one occasion, and it looked like defeat for J.M. whose previous best

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. agents (~1)
      1. historical persons (~5,068)

   Language

   English

   Informant

   Mr Thomas Neenan

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   61

   Address

   Ballymague, Co. Cork