Glory days

The family of Galway sporting hero Colum Corless, who died in 2015, are reflecting on a lifetime of success through his memorabilia. FRANCIS FARRAGHER tells of the Kinvara man’s involvement in hurling, football and athletics from Colum’s early years until he finally hung up his spikes in 2006 at the age of 84.

HE’S one of the legendary names in the annals of Galway GAA – and if Colum Corless was alive today, he’d have celebrated his 100th birthday on Thursday last, May 12.

The Kinvara native who passed away in February 2015, in his 93rd year, hurled with Galway through the 1940s and early 1950s, winning practically all honours in the game – apart of course from that elusive Celtic Cross senior All-Ireland medal.

Now his son, Aidan, has put together an amazing collection of Colum Corless’s memorabilia including a scrap book of newspaper cuttings, old sliotars, pictures, medals and cups.

“I suppose he was a pretty amazing man. He just loved sport whether it be football, hurling or athletics and he won a county junior hurling medal with Athlone’s Southern Gaels at the age of 56,” Aidan recalls.

According to Aidan, even when his dad reluctantly retired from hurling in his mid-50s, his insatiable urge to be involved in competitive sport drew him into the world of long-distance running.

It’s almost hard to credit that he began his marathon career in 1984 at the age of – wait for it – 62, and completed 11 marathons including major international events such as Boston, New York, The Hague, Belfast and Dublin.

Better he seemed to get with the passing of time, also competing in a series of 10ks while in 1999, at the tender age of 77, Colum Corless took part in his first National Veterans Championship in Tullamore, winning gold in the 100 metres, 200m and 800m as well as taking silver in the shot putt and a bronze in the 400 metres.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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