Tailteann Games
Encyclopedia
The Tailteann Games were an ancient sporting event held in Ireland
in honour of the goddess Tailtiu
. They ran from 632 BC to 1169-1171 AD when they died out after the Norman invasion
.
The site of the games was in County Meath
, perhaps in the townland of Telltown
. The games were held over a 30 day period each year.
in Croke Park
in 1924, 1928, and 1932 and was open to all people of Irish
birth or ancestry, with participants coming England, Scotland, Wales, Canada, the USA, South Africa and Australia as well as Ireland. Chess Competitions were held in conjunction with the Irish Chess Union
as part of the Tailteann Games.
The Sailing event of 1924 was sailed in Kingstown (now Dún Laoghaire
) on Saturday evening on the second week of August, using the dinghies designed for use on the river Shannon, the Shannon-One-Design. Seven boats took place.
Result: 1st. S47 Major Edgar H. Waller, 2nd. S32 N. + Lionel Lyster, 3rd. S.35 Major A.G. Waller, 4th. S36 Mr. R. White, 5th.S34 Mr. Walter Levinge, 6th. S45 Mr. Tom Feely, 7th. S43 Major Jocelyn H.De W. Waller.
The Motor Boat event of 1924 took place in Dublin Bay.
The Motor Boat event of 1928 took place at Ballyglass, Co. Westmeath, home of the Lough Ree Yacht Club, and Motor Yacht Club of Ireland, on 16th. August.
Races took place in various classes:
Race 1. Free for all sweepstakes.
1st. 'Fiend' J.W. Shillan. 2nd. 'Irish Express' Major H. Waller. 3rd. 'Miss Chief' J. C. Healy.
Race 2. Handicap for boats with outboard engines not exceeding 350cc. Boat min. weight 120 lbs.
1st. 'Miss Chief' J.C. Healy. 2nd. 'Busy Bee' Lt. Col. Mansfield. 3rd. 'Imp' D. Tidmarsh.
Race 3. Handicap for boats with inboard engines exceeding 20'-0".
1st. 'Shrike' Lt. Col. Mansfield. 2nd.'La Vague' Dr. V. S. Delany. 3rd. 'Janet' J. C. Healy.
Race 4. Handicap for boats with outboard engines of unlimited cc. Boat min. weight 140 lbs.
1st. 'Baby Costume' L. Hogan. 2nd.'Fiend' J. W. Shillan. 3rd. 'Busy Bee' Lt. Col. Mansfield.
Race 5. Free for all scratch race. Outboard engines.
1st. 'Fiend' J. W. Shillan. 2nd. 'Miss Chief' J. C. Healy. 3rd. 'Busy Bee' Lt. Col. Mansfield.
Race 6. Handicap race for boats with inboard engines, length not exceeding 20 ft.
1st. 'Udra' Dr. V.S. Delany. 2nd. 'Mermaid' Mr. J. Ryan.
This revival meeting of the Irish race was announced by Éamon de Valera
in Dáil Éireann in 1921 however due to the Anglo-Irish War and Civil War it was not held until 1924. The meeting was launched to celebrate the independence of Ireland. The Hogan Stand
was built and opened for the 1924 games.
The Games coincided in timing with the Olympics, so many athletes participating in the Paris and Amsterdam Olympics came to Dublin to compete, including Harold Osborne, the American High Jumper, who won the High Jump titles at Paris 1924 and Tailteann Games 1924.
, and is organised as an inter-provincial
competition.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
in honour of the goddess Tailtiu
Tailtiu
Tailtiu or Tailltiu is the name of a presumed goddess from Irish mythology. Telltown in County Meath, was named for her.-In Irish mythology:...
. They ran from 632 BC to 1169-1171 AD when they died out after the Norman invasion
Norman Invasion of Ireland
The Norman invasion of Ireland was a two-stage process, which began on 1 May 1169 when a force of loosely associated Norman knights landed near Bannow, County Wexford...
.
The site of the games was in County Meath
County Meath
County Meath is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Mide . Meath County Council is the local authority for the county...
, perhaps in the townland of Telltown
Telltown
Telltown is an outdated place name in County Meath, Ireland, for the area between Navan and Kells. It was named for the Irish mythological figure or goddess, Tailtiu...
. The games were held over a 30 day period each year.
Revival attempts
A sporting festival bearing the same name was held by the Gaelic Athletic AssociationGaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
in Croke Park
Croke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...
in 1924, 1928, and 1932 and was open to all people of Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
birth or ancestry, with participants coming England, Scotland, Wales, Canada, the USA, South Africa and Australia as well as Ireland. Chess Competitions were held in conjunction with the Irish Chess Union
Irish Chess Union
The Irish Chess Union , formed in 1912, is the governing body for chess in Ireland and a member of FIDE since 1933 and the European Chess Union. The ICU promotes Chess in the Republic of Ireland and maintains the chess rating for players in the Republic of Ireland, which are published three times a...
as part of the Tailteann Games.
The Sailing event of 1924 was sailed in Kingstown (now Dún Laoghaire
Dún Laoghaire
Dún Laoghaire or Dún Laoire , sometimes anglicised as "Dunleary" , is a suburban seaside town in County Dublin, Ireland, about twelve kilometres south of Dublin city centre. It is the county town of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County and a major port of entry from Great Britain...
) on Saturday evening on the second week of August, using the dinghies designed for use on the river Shannon, the Shannon-One-Design. Seven boats took place.
Result: 1st. S47 Major Edgar H. Waller, 2nd. S32 N. + Lionel Lyster, 3rd. S.35 Major A.G. Waller, 4th. S36 Mr. R. White, 5th.S34 Mr. Walter Levinge, 6th. S45 Mr. Tom Feely, 7th. S43 Major Jocelyn H.De W. Waller.
The Motor Boat event of 1924 took place in Dublin Bay.
The Motor Boat event of 1928 took place at Ballyglass, Co. Westmeath, home of the Lough Ree Yacht Club, and Motor Yacht Club of Ireland, on 16th. August.
Races took place in various classes:
Race 1. Free for all sweepstakes.
1st. 'Fiend' J.W. Shillan. 2nd. 'Irish Express' Major H. Waller. 3rd. 'Miss Chief' J. C. Healy.
Race 2. Handicap for boats with outboard engines not exceeding 350cc. Boat min. weight 120 lbs.
1st. 'Miss Chief' J.C. Healy. 2nd. 'Busy Bee' Lt. Col. Mansfield. 3rd. 'Imp' D. Tidmarsh.
Race 3. Handicap for boats with inboard engines exceeding 20'-0".
1st. 'Shrike' Lt. Col. Mansfield. 2nd.'La Vague' Dr. V. S. Delany. 3rd. 'Janet' J. C. Healy.
Race 4. Handicap for boats with outboard engines of unlimited cc. Boat min. weight 140 lbs.
1st. 'Baby Costume' L. Hogan. 2nd.'Fiend' J. W. Shillan. 3rd. 'Busy Bee' Lt. Col. Mansfield.
Race 5. Free for all scratch race. Outboard engines.
1st. 'Fiend' J. W. Shillan. 2nd. 'Miss Chief' J. C. Healy. 3rd. 'Busy Bee' Lt. Col. Mansfield.
Race 6. Handicap race for boats with inboard engines, length not exceeding 20 ft.
1st. 'Udra' Dr. V.S. Delany. 2nd. 'Mermaid' Mr. J. Ryan.
This revival meeting of the Irish race was announced by Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera was one of the dominant political figures in twentieth century Ireland, serving as head of government of the Irish Free State and head of government and head of state of Ireland...
in Dáil Éireann in 1921 however due to the Anglo-Irish War and Civil War it was not held until 1924. The meeting was launched to celebrate the independence of Ireland. The Hogan Stand
Hogan Stand
Hogan Stand is a Gaelic games magazine, published monthly and distributed throughout Ireland. The magazine is named after the main stand in Croke Park, where the trophies are presented to the winning captains. It is the most widely distributed Gaelic games magazine in the country at present and was...
was built and opened for the 1924 games.
The Games coincided in timing with the Olympics, so many athletes participating in the Paris and Amsterdam Olympics came to Dublin to compete, including Harold Osborne, the American High Jumper, who won the High Jump titles at Paris 1924 and Tailteann Games 1924.
Modern athletics meetings of the same name
A modern athletics meet of the same name is held every year under the auspices of Athletics IrelandAthletics Ireland
Athletics Ireland, officially the Athletics Association of Ireland or AAI, is the governing body of Athletics in Ireland, where Athletics is defined as including Track and Field Athletics, Road Running, Race Walking, Cross Country Running, Mountain Running and Ultra Distance Running...
, and is organised as an inter-provincial
Provinces of Ireland
Ireland has historically been divided into four provinces: Leinster, Ulster, Munster and Connacht. The Irish word for this territorial division, cúige, literally meaning "fifth part", indicates that there were once five; the fifth province, Meath, was incorporated into Leinster, with parts going to...
competition.