Mexican Runner Abroad

 

We had a foreigner in our midst during yesterday's training. The individual concerned was one Juan Luis Barrios. I can't say that this is a name that meant anything to me although perhaps it should have. After all I still participate in athletics and he is an athlete. It is however a matter of standard. Juan Luis is a full time international athlete almost at the height of his powers. I on the other hand am the club athlete who is trying desperately to hang on to youth or even middle age as I slide inexorably through the age categories of masters' athletics.

 

In so far as one can judge someone from a few minutes conversation he seemed both affable and modest. He has already competed for his native Mexico in the 5,000m at two Olympic Games and his aim is qualify for the next two Olympics. I suspect that he will move up in distance to the marathon. His first outing over that distance was in 2011 when he ran 2hr 14min. 20sec.

 

On Friday night he competed at the Morton Games in Dublin running 7.44.21 to win the 3000m. In less than another hour he will be toeing the line in a mile race in Letterkenny which is likely to be won in under four minutes. Several of the competitors (including him) already have a, "sub 4," on their CV. Thereafter he heads to Belgium for a 5k race. He regards this weekend's efforts as his, "sharpeners."

 

 

 

Ballymacool House, Letterkenny - A Name and Arms Clause

Grant of Arms to William Henry Porter d 1st June 1891

Ballymacool House and its surrounding estate was purchased by John Boyd in 1798. It then passed to his son, also John Boyd, a barrister by profession. Upon his death in 1836 the property passed to his son John Robert Boyd who died on 30th March 1891 without issue. The Estate then passed to the latter's nephew, William Henry Porter, but conditional upon him taking the name and arms of the Boyd family.

Such testamentary clauses would not have been unfamiliar to the nineteenth century solicitor. As with the strict settlement such devices had as their aim the retention of land within the family. Unfortunately the estate passed out of the Boyd family in 1941. The purchasers, Kelly by name, sold off a lot of the timber and disposed of the property for development in the mid 1980's.

The Grant of Arms in favour of William Henry Porter DL, JP, (pictured above), confirms that he and his issue, "may take and henceforth use the surname of Boyd and instead of that of Porter and bear the Arms, Crest and Motto of Boyd.' It is signed and sealed by Sir John Bernard Burke, Ulster King of Arms and Knight Attendant on the Illustrious Order of St Patrick.

An interesting, "by the by," is that one of the Boyd family, one Patti Boyd, married George Harrison and subsequently Eric Clapton.

Case for the Grant of Arms