Patsy Horkan

Patsy Horkan talks about his informal introduction to Gaelic Football when growing up in Castlebar, Co. Mayo. He talks about the place of sport in school routine and the reasons for the pre-eminence of Gaelic football. He also insists on the importance of the town leagues and how it was played. Horkan mentions the strongholds of Mayo football in the 1930, 40s and 50s. He talks about his time playing minor football for the club and reflects on his team-mates, the training methods, the grounds, travelling to matches... Patsy also mentions being a member of the Castlebar Mitchels five in a row winning championship team in the early 1950s. Then he explains how he retired from playing but maintained his involvement in the club through various adminstrative roles. At the end of the interview he gives a critics on how the GAA is currently run but also expresses good feelings about his GAA career such as his affection for his club, the sociability of the games and the friendships he has made.