I will read this for you in English.
AONACH TAILTEANN.
August 3rd—13th (inclusive).
Emerald Chambers,
Abbey Street,
8/6/'22.
"A Chara,
"The last report on Aonach Tailteann was submitted to An Dáil about the end of March. At that time we were still discussing the possible programme and little or no headway had been made in the way of tapping the athletic resources of our people in foreign countries, and it was generally believed even in the ranks of those directly concerned that the time at our disposal was altogether inadequate to do justice to the rebirth of this ancient festival.
"In the meantime, however, very good progress has been made and the Main Council composed of direct representatives from the Departments of Sport, etc., plus a few specially selected men responsible for sections incidental to the programme is satisfied that the situation is now well in hands.
"The problem of accommodating visitors is still giving much concern to the Council notwithstanding that some twenty sub-committees are endeavouring to hammer out a scheme designed to obviate the unfortunate experiences of those who visited Antwerp, Athens, and other cities on the occasion of the great Olympics.
"The Council is therefore composed of the Chairman of each of the following main Committees:—
"(1) Instrumental Music; (2) Camogie; (3) Rounders (Women); (4) Athletics and Cycling; (5) Hurling; (6) Football; (7) Handball; (8) Rounders (Men); *(9) Billiards; *(10) Arts; *(11) Motor Cycling; *(12) Rowing; (13) Boxing; (14) Tennis; (15) Golf; *(16) Chess; *(17) Yachting; *(18) Shooting— Clay Bird; *(19) Shooting—Rifle Miniature and Revolver; (20) Dancing; (21) Swimming; (22) Catering; (23) Transport; (24) Industrial; (25) Trophies; (26) Decoration; (27) Ambulance; (28) Legal; (29) Publicity; (30) Accommodation— Visitors; (31) Accommodation— Athletes; (32) Finance; (33) Social; (34) Ceremonial; (35) Massed Choirs.
"At the outset it was intended to include only those events which would draw International Competitors but after careful consideration this was found to be impracticable and as it now stands the Programme consists of (1) International; (2) National; (3) Partly national and partly international.
"Those under No. 2 are starred in the foregoing list. Physical drill was eliminated because of the lack of competitors, and motor car racing under the absence of a suitable course. The outstanding features of the different departments are summarised hereunder:
"(1) Instrumental Music included seven Band Sections and Union Pipes and Harp. (2) Camogie has been organised on a scale hitherto unknown. (3) and (8) Rounders are now being taken up as a real live game. (4) Athletics and Cycling involve about thirty-six events and are on all fours with Olympic Programme. This section alone will occupy two-and-a-half hours per day for six days. (5) Hurling v. Shinty.—In order to bring about a union of the Scottish and Irish Gaels a Hurling-Shinty match will signalise the opening of the games."
Mr. Walsh at this stage in the report, said:
There is a marked resemblance between shinty and hurling. Shinty is the great national organisation in Scotland. We are endeavouring to co-ordinate shinty and hurling and I believe we will succeed in doing so. It will help to consolidate the two races very much.
"(7) Handball is now taken up vigorously throughout the country as a consequence of Aonach Tailteann. (10) Arts—the Arts department is providing for 47 different sections and will easily eclipse anything hitherto attempted. (11) Motor-Cycling includes three fifty-mile races. The absence of a charge for admission to the Phoenix Park deprives the Games Committee of over two thousand pounds revenue. (12) Rowing—This is a two full-day Programme of seven Championships with an average of thirty boats to each event. Such competitions were never known, hitherto, in the Rowing records of this country. (17) Yachting.—A two full-day programme is also arranged here—practically every yacht in Ireland entering. (21) Swimming—This four-day programme is fixed for the Zoo, control of which we have taken over for the necessary period. (22) Catering has been taken in hands by the Dublin City and County Caterers Association and in addition to the maximum utilisation of every available resource huge marquees are being erected in public places. In order to meet the requirements it is found necessary to buy 60,000 sets of ware at a cost of £1,500. (23) Transport facilities are very complete and special steamers are being run from Britain and America. (24) Industrial displays and pageants will cover this section. (25) Trophies—Over eleven-hundred medals will be needed for winners. Medal and statuette-casting industries will be started in Dublin as a consequence of this impetus. (31) Accomodation of Athletes.—With the assistance of the military we hope to accommodate at least 1,000 competitors and for this purpose it is necessary to purchase 1,000 beds at about £3 per bed. Not one of the Residential Colleges could be got to accommodate competitors—home or foreign—though it would cost them nothing. This fact should be borne in mind when the nation's money is being spent on these anti-Irish institutions."
We made every effort to get the foreign competitors properly housed and fed. No country can take the risk of bringing men from 'Frisco and other far off places without at least seeing to their welfare in the interval. And we were hoping to get accommodation in some of the big colleges here but, unfortunately, we have not succeeded. We found it necessary to take over one of the big barracks and furnish it. There was no other alternative.
"Foreign Representation—At least six countries will be represented in Aonach Tailteann. The number may probably reach nine or ten. Had the necessary time—say two or three years—been at our disposal there is no doubt whatever but Australasia instead of not being represented would have had a full compliment of competitors. Industrial depression has deprived us of many more men from Canada, Newfoundland, and Wales.
"It is only proper to state that our capital city lacks a stadium such as capitals generally enjoy, but as a temporary measure to meet the present situation the Provisional Government were good enough to make a grant of £10,000 towards the improvement of Croke Park— otherwise the Aonach would in all probability have been abandoned.
"The immediate result of An Dáil's assistance to the games and pastime of the nation will be the production here in August of the biggest athletic carnival held in any country in modern times."
Mr Walsh added:
As a matter of fact the Aonach Tailteann is more than twice as large as the Greek Olympic which it includes and provides in addition for a great many matters which were not included in the Greek Olympic or in the ancient Tailteann games of this country.
The report went on to state:—
"The training and equipment of an athletic team to compete against the principal European countries in their respective capitals next summer; a highly developed combination to perform in Paris at the Greek Olympics in 1924 and representation at the Aonach Tailteann possibly in New York in 1925.
"Whether Aonach Tailteann will remain confined to the Irish race henceforth or blossom out as an international feature like the Greek Olympic is a matter which representatives of the various countries will decide when they meet to discuss such matters in August next."
We have got representations from America to the effect that it would be advisable to depart from the idea of confining the Tailteann games to the Irish race and seeing that they predated the Greek Olympic by a thousand years we should be justified in entering upon a more varied programme. We believe that up to yesterday the Greek Olympic Committee would have excluded Germany, Russia, Scandinavia, and other countries and from their inclusion by us in a few years' time we would have been able to go forth in the international sphere as a going concern. We now find that they have included all these countries. And we will have to reconsider, therefore whether our programme henceforth will be international in the full sense or whether it will be confined to the Irish race. At the outset we didn't know how much would be required to finance the Tailteann Games. It is pretty much a leap in the dark to suggest a certain sum. I said I hoped we could get the programme through on £5,000; So far the Dáil has voted £4,000 and to-day I am asking for a further grant of £1,000 four-fifths of which is required for the equipment of our catering department and the furnishing of the barracks to which I have referred. The receipts from this programme which covers something like ten days will be very big. I should not be surprised if the nett financial results will be at any rate £7,000 or £8,000. By the action of the Dáil and the Dáil Cabinet much has been done for Irish games, and I must say the most enthusiastic backer of the Tailteann Games when the matter was introduced at our meeting was Mr. de Valera. I must say you have done for Irish athletics what we believe would never materialise in our time. It is a matter of great importance to the nation that it should be well represented in these international competitions. Our people in the past, while producing the athletic stars of the world, got no compensation because of the fact that they were picked up and utilised and exploited by other nations. Now you are recognised to-day by this Greek Olympic Council and you have your own programme stretching out into the universe, and you have placed Irish athletics on a footing which will ensure their absolute success in the future. I will ask the Dáil not to look upon this programme in any sense as a political one. You have not done so so far and our Committee is composed of men of both political sides, but the question of politics has not arisen. And though it is hard on the financial resources of the Dáil I will ask you to support us by passing this unanimously.