Meets held at Terenure
| Date | Championship | Host | Results | Races | Athletes | Note |
|---|
| 27th May 1933 | T&F | UCD | View | 16 | 43 | This was to be the last Intervarsity Championships that QUB would contest until 1967. The 1933 championships were the first intervarsities to be affected by the North/South split in the administration of athletics in Ireland, a schism based essentially on political rather than athletic grounds. The N.A.C.A.I. maintained that it was the internationally recognised athletic body affiliated to the International Amateur Athletic Federation for the governance of athletics on an All-Ireland basis. The A.A.A. had formally set up a Northern Ireland branch on 3 September 1930 and regarded itself as the internationally recognised athletics body for Great Britain and Northern Ireland. On the 11 March 1933 the Central Council of the N.A.C.A.I. passed the following motion: "That all those who have competed or officiated at any sports meeting in Ireland not held under its auspices are suspended from membership of the N.A.C.A." On June 10 at a meeting of the Ulster Council of the N.A.C.A.I., delegates from the Antrim County Board raised the matter of the participation of Queen's University in the Intervarsity Competition at the University College grounds in Dublin. The Athletic Club of QUB had affiliated to the Northern Ireland branch of the A.A.A. After discussion a motion was passed demanding an explanation from the Central Council of the N.A.C.A.I. as to how Queen's University had been given permission to compete in the Intervarsity Sports Meeting. Furthermore, the motion demanded that, if permission had not been granted, all athletes who had competed against QUB be suspended and that, if permission had been granted, those responsible for granting same be suspended. The promoters of the intervarsity meeting contended that because the competition was a school or college sports event and in its nature an annual social gathering of athletic undergraduates of the Universities, it had not been necessary to take any action against QUB in light of its membership of the Northern Association. Furthermore, representatives of the N.A.C.A.I. had been present at the Terenure Park grounds on the morning of the meeting and, when the position of the organisers had been fully explained to them, they had waived the "irrevocable decision" which the organisers had come to, thereby allowing the intervarsities to take place in a non-confrontational manner. Thus, while no suspensions were imposed on the athletes, organisers or officials, the Central Council of the N.A.C.A.I. at its meeting on Saturday 17th June 1933 passed the following resolution to clarify its position vis à vis intervarsity athletics: "That Queen's University, or any Athletic Club attached thereto, be not allowed to take part in any competition, tournament or match under the auspices of the N.A. and C.A. so long as they remain affiliated to an illegal body [N.I.A.A.A.], and that all Universities and University Colleges be notified of this intention. Further that no University or Athletic Club attached to a University in Ireland be allowed to compete against Queen's University so long as they remain affiliated to an illegal body". |
| 1st Jun 1929 | T&F | UCD | View | 14 | 41 | The meeting attracted a large number of spectators. The weather in the morning was bad, but conditions improved during the afternoon. Despite the unfavourable conditions underfoot and overhead, the championships were highly successful with four new records and one equal record in the 10 events. The participation in the colours of UCC of Dr Pat O'Callaghan, Gold Medalist in the hammer throw at the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam, added great aura to these championships. O'Callaghan (Shot Putt and Discus), P.C. Moore (440 yards and half-mile) and J.B. Eustace (100 yards and 220 yards) each took well-served doubles. The championships were attended by Mr James O'Neill, 2nd Governor-General of the Irish Free State (1 February 1928 - 1 November 1932). Mrs. O'Neill presented the prizes. The Inter-'varsity function attracted over 500 attendees to the Metropole Ballroom for an evening of "revelry and dancing". The music was provided by the Rogers-May Band. |
| 28th Jun 1927 | Internationals | IUAA | View | 11 | 30 | The inaugural athletics match between Irish Universities and the Atalanta Club, the combined Scottish Universities Select team from Edinburgh, Glasgow, St. Andrew's and Aberdeen, took place on the sports grounds of University College Dublin in Terenure. The Irish Universities team was selected by the Irish Inter-University Committee which organised and ran the Intervarsity Championships. This new international event in the athletic life of both countries was mooted as a fixture that would strengthen the ties between Ireland and Scotland. The Scottish team included R.D. Allison, the Scottish Universities 100y and 220y champion and ex-440y champion, A.F. Clark, Scottish 120y hurdles champion, R.B. Hoole, the Scottish 440y champion, and Dr A.P. Spark in shot putt and discus who was a member of the British Olympic Team in Paris in 1924. Based on Irish, British and world records, the Irish Times had commented the day before this contest on the backward condition of athletics in Ireland in that there were few men capable of holding their own with the front rankers of other countries. The newspaper welcomed the inauguration of the international inter-universities contest as "an important and marked advance in the development of athletics in Ireland". In its report on the contest the Irish Times further commented: "Athletics and various other branches of sport have always received a considerable amount of attention in our universities and colleges, which have given to sport athletes whose feats of skill, courage and endurance have reflected credit on their institutions... The successful launching of the [international inter-universities] contest should act a great stimulus to all who have the welfare of athletics in Ireland at heart... Thus we have in this inter-universities contest a strong incentive for our 'Varsity athletes to redouble their efforts on the training ground... And who can at the moment doubt that out of this modest beginning may emerge a regular international University contest." The outstanding performance of the Irish Universities team was that of Sean Lavan in winning the 220y and 440y, placing 2nd in the discus and anchoring the one-mile relay team to victory. The Irish and Scottish teams were entertained to supper. While the contest was scored on number of wins across the 11 disciplines, had the contest been scored as 2 for a win and 1 for the runner-up as in the next contest in 1929, Ireland would still have won by 18 pts to 15 pts. |
| 6th Jun 1925 | T&F | UCD | View | 14 | 41 | |
| 4th Jun 1921 | T&F | UCD | View | 14 | 39 | The 1921 Championships were to have been held in Cork, hosted by U.C.C. However UCC was unable to host the event due to the prevailing conditions in Cork. The peak of violence during the Irish War of Independence occurred from December 1920 through July 1921, including the Crossbarry Ambush involving the Cork brigade of IRA volunteers on 19 March 1921, 20 km south west of Cork City, the burning of the income tax offices at South Mall and South Terrace in Cork and of the Togher RIC barracks in Cork city on 5 April 1921, and the shootings of several Royal Irish Constabulary members in Cork during this period. University College Dublin stepped into the breach at short notice. The championships took place in 'glorious weather' with 'a record attendance at the beautiful grounds at Terenure Park'. Due to various causes QUB and UCC were not as well represented as they might have been. The championships were described as an 'athletic, financial and social' success. The meeting 'was excellent in every respect, and the arrangements reflected the greatest credit on all concerned with its management'. The outstanding athletic performances were the wins of Denis J. Cussen in the 100 yds and 220 yds, equaling the 'varsity records in both events, and in the long jump, improving the 'varsity record from 6.68 m to 6.96 m. It is noteworthy that Denis J. Cussen won the same three titles at the IAAA championships at Lansdowne Road on 16 May 1921.The medals were presented by Professor Denis J. Coffey, first President of UCD (1908 - 1940). |