Check out the Gardaí sports day from the 30s

Yesterday British Pathé released their entire back catalogue of news reel to Youtube with over 80,000 videos going up.

The company was launched in 1896 in Paris and moved to Britain in 1910, it captured ever major news event up to its closure in 1970.

We have found some nice footage of the ‘Dublin Garda Sports’ that took place in 1937 at Croke Park.

Ned Tobin would seem to be the all-star athlete at the time winning four of the events. We also see the cycle race take place at the home of the GAA.

Digging around there is a nice video of bicycle polo from 1938 being played in the Pheonix Park, with the Irish team defeating a side from London 6-3 (good job lads).

The dangers of bicycle polo are described quite elegantly in the video, when compared to normal polo.

“There is the same risk of a crack over the cranium,” we are told.

The library was digitised in 2002 and it offers a fascinating look back to life in the early-to-mid twentieth century.

Oh and bring back bicycle polo it does look like fun!

Hat tip: @rroddy