Search Results for 'Cormac Greally'

Kevin Francis O’Byrne was born in Galway on December 2, 1934, the second son of Seán and Mary O’Byrne. He had an older brother, Brendan and a younger sister, Máire. He received his education at St Patrick’s National School and St Joseph’s College (The Bish). He was a very good student and a brilliant all-round sportsman. He featured strongly in the Patrician Brothers’ Hurling Leagues and in the school’s athletics events. Rugby was his favourite game; he played scrum half for his school, for his various clubs and twice for Connacht, both times against Ulster. He was also a fine soccer player, and with Johnny Dooley starred in the match when UCG won their first ever Collingwood Cup by beating UCD by three goals to two in the final, which was played at the Grammar School grounds in 1955.

The first team to represent Connacht in rugby played against Leinster on December 8 1885. At that time, the game in the west was played by just a few schools. In the city, it was really only UCG and the Grammar School who played with any regularity. By the beginning of the last century the Jes, the Bish, and St Mary’s were competing. The growth of the game was interrupted by World War I and by the War of Independence, but it improved a lot after the truce.