One of the most famous volleyball coaches in Schools and community games.
John King
I had seen volleyball played in Drumshanbo Vocational from 1974 and got involved in 1975. And we played schools in Sligo , Leitrim and Donegal. We were fairly successful. Then in 1988 I trained Drumshanbo boys and girls in community games a first venture for me. I thought our girls, who beat Carrick in Leitrim were good, and then we were drawn against Loughrea. I could not believe the standard of their spiking (we didn’t spike much at all!). They annihilated us and won Connaught. Years later I found out that they won the All-Ireland in Mosney as well. On the side of the court was this nun!
Our boys did better, beating Belmullet Mayo, in the semi-final, and lead Loughrea (not as strong as their girls) maybe 14-10. Then Sister Bosco (yes it was her!) called a time out. Loughrea came back, won 16-14 and won the 2nd set at their ease. Thus, they won Connaught. Years later I also found that those boys also won the All-Ireland.
In the school season, of 88/89 Drumshanbo Vocational entered schools volleyball (under 15/16) for the very first time. With an older and stronger boys team than community games, we thought we could do well. The matches were in Portumna, (It turns out that volleyball took off there 10 years before when Sr. Bosco started it! ) and also playing were Raphaels Loughrea A and B. Again we were dumfounded watching Raphaels A play their first game. Their serves were out of this world! Again, they annihilated us. Again, they went on and won the national title. Again, Sr Bosco conducted the riot. I thought Sr.Bosco was God!
Eventually Drumshanbo learnt but I’ll never forget meeting her at a match a few years later and she said “hello John” to me. I felt elated. God knows me!
Eventually the vast success of Sr. Bosco became known to me.
What she told me years ago, was she was behind Portumna Community games and there were Portumna -Connaught girls Champions in 1979 and 1982.
There followed her unbelievable success in Loughrea community games. 13 Connaught titles from 1984 to 1999 including an unbelievable 10 in a row 1987 to 1996. Records for All Irelands are patchy until 1993 but Loughrea under her guidance won in 1987,88,93,99, and 2008,09 and 2010.
Boys achievement was also unbelievable: 9 in a row Connaught 1984-1992 adding 2 more in 94 and 96 and winning 3 national titles in Mosney.
In schools, Junior records are also patchy but she guided St.Raphaels to at least 5 A National titles from 1988 to 1994 with the boys also winning in 1994.
In cadette A girls Raphaels won a fabulous 7 titles from 1986 to 1995.
The year 1987/88 was probably a peak. She finally broke through in Senior A girls (retained in 1989). Her former boys won the boys A the same year and she herself guided the cadette boys to their first A tile also in 1989.
Sr. Bosco’s final encore was in her 70s in the 2010s when she was back involved with St. Itas Primary school Loughrea. Indeed, one day during that decade, I remember walking by St. Itas and they had balloons and bunting out proclaiming they were all Ireland champions in volleyball/spikeball.
Once I got to know her, she was always friendly as the opposition coach whether winning or losing and often shared the ups and downs of her life. She was enjoying her special needs work in her later years.
The training she did in her top years was phenomenal, as some former players mentioned on RIP. As for playing matches, I remember one trainer saying she could suggest any time, any day, even Saturday night!
She was a special lady and I was very sad to hear of her passing. May she rest in peace.
