Dungarvan
Leader 16 August 1952
Very Successful Gala and Water safety Championship held at Dungarvan.
A
record crowd attended the Tenth Annual Gala of the Dungarvan Swimming Club
which was held this year in conjunction with the Munster Championships of Water
Safety under the auspices of the Irish Red Cross Society at the Swimming Pool
Dungarvan, on Sunday Last.
The day was ideally fine and the large
attendance thoroughly enjoyed a grand evening of aquatic sport, many voting it
one of the best galas ever held.
Highlight
of the programme was the swimming of Miss Tess Nagle and Paddy Arrigan of the
home club. Both made unofficial attempts on the Irish record times for the
Ladies 100 yards, breast-stroke and Men’s 100 yards back-stroke. Miss Nagle paced Miss Mary Lewis, Newport
S.C., Wales and on the last lap by Miss M O’ Donnell clocked 89 seconds over
the distance which we understand is faster than the Irish record time and
certainly about four second faster than the Munster record time for that
distance. Paddy Arrigan making his solo
attempt equalled the Irish Backstroke record time as he flashed over the two
lengths of the pool in 67 seconds. The
exhibitions given by the lady members of the Dungarvan S. C. under their coach
Mrs. B. Hooper, Newport S.C. in their Water Ballet showed the grace and ease of
rhythmic swimming. On the diving side
there were exhibitions by Paddy Arrigan, nine year old Jocelyn Hooper, Newport,
and young Johnny Butler Dungarvan, which drew great applause from the fans.
Subsequently
the swimmers and water safety teams were entertained at Lawlor’s Hotel. Later in the evening a very enjoyable short
Gala Dance which was largely patronised was held at the Town Hall, where all the
dancers had a merry time dancing to the strains of the Brideside Serenade Band.
