Putting sport in perspective

There were plenty of glum faces coming out of Terryland Park on Friday night and even more leaving Pearse Stadium on Sunday, and from those I spoke to, leaving Ravenhill on Friday night was pretty grim for Connacht people.

Sport does matter and the performances, wins, defeats and traumas of our teams all impact on us but no matter how much importance we place on them, even professional sport is not a matter of life and death and never will be.

The whole thing was put in perspective when we awoke on Monday morning to find that one Connacht rugby fan who had gone to support his side against Ulster, was on a life support machine in a Belfast hospital with his loved ones by his bedside.

There is nothing at this stage to suggest that Paul Newton — a brother of former Roscommon footballers John and Des — was attacked in the early hours because he was a Connacht supporter, but it is inescapable the only reason he was in Belfast was for the match.

Following Connacht and the other provinces since the game went professional has proven to a great short-break for groups of lads and girls, couples, parents and individuals looking for a getaway. I have got to know many of them over the years but being the worst in the world for names, I cannot be sure if I ever met Paul Newton.

Somehow, like many others, I am unlikely to forget his name now. Our involvement in sport at the weekend might have created its own traumas, but a sense of perspective should never be lost.

Looking for gold

Waterford-based television company Nemeton are looking for assistance for a series cataloguing the history of Gaelic games in Ireland which will be broadcast on TG4 in 2009.

GAA President Nicky Brennan launched the initiative last year and Nemeton are asking the general public to submit photographs, memorabilia and video footage which will help them to tell the story of the GAA.