Front Row. L. to R.: Patrick Beirne, Joe Callaghan, Paul Newton, Michael King, Tom McGrath, Eamonn McHugh. 
Back Row. L. to R.: Martin McKeown, Sean Brehony, Tommy Naughton, Gerard Barrett, Declan Fitzpatrick, Peter Noone, Michael Beirne, Roger McHugh, GerryYoung, Johnnie Brennan, Missing from photo: John Harrington, Ciaran Fitzpatrick, Johnnie Harrington, Enda Harrington.

The origin of T.O.W. in Kingsland date back to the mid 30's. They had an eight-man team which mainly pulled at sports in Boyle,Breedogue, Ballymote and Killaraght. The rules at that time allowed the pullers to dig in and pass the rope through their hands with the only man moving out of his tracks was the anchor-man. The rules also allowed every second man to pull either side of the rope. The new rules completely reverse this as the whole team leave their tracks and move backwards. The team members were Mick Roddy, Eddie O'Connor, Joe Lenehan, Paddy O'Connor, Eugene Forde, Eugene Drury, Francy McKeon, Jim Forde, Mick Kelly (captain). After this successful team younger members joined and claimed on the sport until the late 40s. 

After this period the sport went into decline until the autumn of '87 when Sean Brehony and Pat Beirne, returning from a sports in Ballinafad approached me with the idea of organising our own team. 

I placed an ad in the Herald the following week for anyone interested in forming a club to attend. There was a huge turnout with 25 members enrolling and a committee elected on the night: Michael King, chairman; Sean Brehony and Pat Beirne, joint treasurers; John Harrington, secretary. Our immediate task was to organise the Kingsland Sports and T.O.W. tournament in two weeks. 

The following Sunday we all gathered at the crossroads with a frayed rope and about 50 people to witness the spectacle. Into Hanleys long garden and it was clear at this stage who were interested in training and who were the spectators. 

It was obvious from this training session that a lot more was required if we were to be successful and so we organised further sessions for the following Tuesday and Thursday. The highlight of the next evening was a new T.O.W. rope which I sponsored. 

On the Sunday of the sports held in Micky Ward's field, we had a downpour, but this did not dampen the enthusiasm of both participants or spectators. We had a huge turn out with teams from Longford, Elphin, Ballinafad, Ballinagare and Rock of Doon, with large crowds of supporters. with each team. We fielded two eight-man teams on this occasion. We had a display by the All Ireland champions ladies’ team "The Ross Rangers" from Roscommon, coached by Seamus Beirne from Ballinameen. Something the Kingsland men would like to forget about that day was the fact that the seven-a-side ladies team defeated our six-man team in a challenge. 

We had two other outings that year to Knockcroghery and Oldcastle. We continued training all through the winter on Tuesdays and Thursday nights, coached by Michael King. The first training sessions were held in adverse weather conditions at the rear of the pub. This was very convenient for access to the watering hole was very close at hand when the huge thirsts needed quenching after the strenuous training sessions. When conditions deteriorated here, we moved to the angle at the old bridge besideBreedogue Hall for a short period until we had a gantry erected in the Priests field. 

A local man passing by in the fading light of a December 's evening remarked there must be someone hanged in the Priests field. But on closer inspection he found it was the new gantry which had a wire rope hanging from a pully twenty feet high with a barrel of concrete on the other end. 

The year of 1988 was mainly pulling at sports and inter pub tournaments. During this year for most occasions we fielded two eight-man teams with great success. That year we won at the Dromod sports by defeating the Mohill team which had won outright in Oldcastle in 1987. Indicating the benefit of the winter training. Also, now at the Boyle Festival they won the event outright which was sponsored by Heineken. That year we were allowed to pull against affiliated teams in Foxford, which was further experience for us.

After the success of 1998 it was decided at our A.G.M. to become affiliate d for 1989, buy jerseys and erect a shed for winter training. Training was intensified during the spring of '89 in preparation for the Connacht championships which would begin at Easter. By being a member entitled us to stage one event in the championship which was held at Breedogue in May. At this stage things became serious and teams were categorised into novice, intermediate and senior grades. Also, in these grades’ teams participated at different weights from 5.60 kg., 6.00 kg., 6.40 kg., 6.80 kg. and 7.20kg.

Our most ideal team was the 6.40 kg. weight in the novice category. In the Connacht championships held in Breedogue there was 6.00 senior, 6.80 novice and 7.20 senior. Kingsland took the 6.80 novice, Glendale from Co. Leitrim, European champions in 1987 at Wexford took the other two events. On the Sunday previous the Kingsland team were runners up in the 6.00 novice, 6.40 intermediate at a tournament in Kiltimagh.

We also participated at the Budweiser Derby in the Curragh with five other teams as an exhibition after working up a thirst we certainly sampled the Budweiser and enjoyed the day's racing.We also took part in an All-Ireland in Cooley in Co. Louth later on that year. We competed in the 6.00 novice and 5.60 senior. Some of our members took part in both events which amounted to 27 pulls in all. We were up there with the cream of Irish T.O.W. teams and pulled against world champions Killelough from Co. Monaghan, which needless to say won the 5.60 event that day.

At this stage we must pay tribute to the team members for each man received either a winners or runners-up medal in the championships. The team members are Joe Callaghan, John Morris, Eamon McHugh, Enda Harrington, Tommy Naughton, Tom McGrath, Vincent Harrington, Michael Beirne, Peter Noone, Johnny Harrington, David McDermott, Johnny Brennan, Ciaran Fitz., Declan Fitzpatrick R.I.P. Team coaches, Michael King, Pat Beirne, Junior Brady. Also, a thank you to the people who provided the sponsorship over the years.

After the tremendous success of '89 we continued to participate in sports and inter pub tournaments to date. At any of the events we contested there were great expectations from us because of our recent success. I'm afraid to say we had varied success in recent times because of the lack of training.

Then at the Kingsland annual sports 1992 not taking from our teams’ great success in field events, we had probably our greatest achievement of all in our contribution to mankind when we raised the sum of £1,100 for famine relief in Somalia.

Over the years the club has organised its own dinner dance. The club has been involved in many fundraising activities. We had great pleasure in organising the Kingsland annual sports over the past seven years and hope to continue in the future. John Harrington, Michael King.