Date Published: 24-Mar-2011

IT may not be Croke Park, but even among a sea of table tennis tables, former All-Ireland football referee and Co-ordinator of the County Galway Local Sports Partnership, Michael Curley cuts a striking figure.

Although the Tribune has checked in with Curley and County Galway Local Sports Partnership from time to time, it has been all of six years since this column caught up with one of the most familiar faces of Galway sport.

Since then, Curley’s life has moved on immeasurably, from retiring as a Garda Superintendent in Salthill to subsequently taking up a role that, arguably, he was born to do – co-ordinator of a sporting body. It’s a role he thoroughly enjoys.

“What the Sports Partnership does is that it promotes sports and recreation across all sectors of the community, regardless of how old or young you are,” says Curley. “It does this in a number of different ways, working with different organisations, such as the Active Retirement for the older people and clubs and organisations for the younger and, indeed, middle aged people.”

On this day, Curley stands in the magnificent Kingfisher gym in NUI Galway; the sound of table tennis balls whipping from the bats creating a symphony of sorts. “In this particular instance, we have organised with Top Spin, which is the table tennis club here in Galway, to coach the sport in five schools around the county.

“Tom Shaughnessy of Top Spin – he is also with the Irish Table Tennis Association – has been coaching the schools for the last number of weeks, and today is the culmination of that coaching,” notes Curley, as he surveys waspish competitors buzzing around the sea of tables.

Those five schools, as it happens, are all in the Connemara area, namely Cornamona, Spiddal, Oughterard – primary and secondary – and Carna. All, with the exception of the primary school, attended the second-level tournament at NUI Galway last week.

“So, we have brought four of those five schools together in a blitz. We have 60 students here from the four schools. They will take part in a blitz throughout the day and there are prizes for the winners.

“After today, we hope to set up table tennis clubs in those four areas where they can continue to play this sport afterwards. Most of those you see here today are very interested in table tennis, and that is why they are playing it. This is another sporting outlet for them. So, I will be working with the communities in the four areas concerned – and with the schools – and we hope we will be able to set up those clubs.”

In truth, most people who have played the game at one stage or other will agree – be they closet fans or not – that table tennis is a thoroughly enjoyable game to play. The Glinsk native agrees, but he notes that the game also encourages a certain degree of movement and activity.

“It is a very active sport without it requiring extreme fitness or anything like that,” says the Sports Partnership co-ordinator. “Also, it is a great alternative for those who don’t play other sports (such as GAA, rugby or soccer) and that is one of the pillars of the Sports Partnership’s work. To try and promote the minority sports, as well as everything else. This is one of them.”

Surprised by the level of interest – “it was even greater than we thought” – Curley says it underlined the demand for these activities among young people. “In fairness, the likes of Gaelic games, soccer and rugby, they look after their people very well and provide plenty of opportunities for them,” continues the 57-year-old.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.