In February 1958 I transferred in my employment from St Arnaud to Wodonga. I boarded in the Carriers Arms Hotel, which happened to be the 'watering hole' for members of the Wodonga bowling club. As a boarder or lodger (as officially known), I became acquainted with many of the 'regulars', and so, many lawn bowlers.
It is easy to imagine, then, that I was encouraged to join the bolowingclub when the season began in September.
I had never been known for my sporting prowess, and so it came as a surprise to me that I had a talent for lawn bowls. I found myself, even as a first year bowler, being occasionally selected to play in the club's A1 pennant team in the Ovens and Murray competition.
One of the A1 skippers took me under his wing and we regularly played, and won, in the Sunday tournaments in southern New South Wales and north-eastern Victoria. I willingly entered all the club's activity and was soon appointed Assistant Secretary, a position I still held until the transfer in my employment in May/June 1961.
I transferred my accommodation to Prahran, in Melbourne. Because I lacked self-confidence, I did not join a Metropolitan bowls club.
In 1963 I transferred again, this time back to Benalla where I had initially commenced my working life.
Being more relaxed in a country setting, I joined the Benalla Bowls Club and became very active in both the game of bowls and the administration.
From the beginning I played in the club's A1 pennant team. This continued for something like twenty years until it was threatened that Benalla would be disassociated from the Ovens and Murray Association because of its geographical location.
In anticipation of this move, Benalla entered a senior pennant team in the Goulburn Murray league. I was selected in this team and we were runners-up in our one and only year in this association. The threatened dis-association did not materialise.
On return to the Ovens and Murray association I played in lower grades and was a member of three premiership teams. I continued to enjoy pennant bowls for a number of years. Over a lifetime I have played in excess of 700 pennant games. I retired from pennant in approximately 2009, and from bowls generally in, I think, 2014. I am still a member of the Benalla Bowls Club, having been awarded a Life Membership in 2004.
Other than pennant bowls, I have competed in Country Week competition for six or seven years. In the most successful years I played in finals of the 'fours' and 'pairs' championships.
Let me not forget also that social bowls was predominant and provided me with more enjoyment than I can ever say.
My involvement in the administration of the club has been significant, both in the bowls section and the Board, which oversees the whole of the club activities.
I served as Deputy Chairman of Directors for two years, Finance Director for four years, Secreatry of the Bowls section for four yers, General Committee and Finance Committee for over twenty years in each.
When the club did extensive refurbishments in 1979 I formed and administered the Co-Operative Society which was required in financing the operation.
In all I have been a member of Bowls Victoria for sixty years; fifty eight in Benalla and two in Wodonga. Bowls Victoria have acknowledged this with a Fifty Year Certificate.
In writing "My other life' I acknowledge the support of my wife Bernadette, and her hard work in looking after the family in my absences. She will never let me forget, though, that she gave me a new set of bowls for my 80th birthday and that I have played only one game competitively with them
Shame, Ray!
Ray O'Shannessy
5 June 2021
It is easy to imagine, then, that I was encouraged to join the bolowingclub when the season began in September.
I had never been known for my sporting prowess, and so it came as a surprise to me that I had a talent for lawn bowls. I found myself, even as a first year bowler, being occasionally selected to play in the club's A1 pennant team in the Ovens and Murray competition.
One of the A1 skippers took me under his wing and we regularly played, and won, in the Sunday tournaments in southern New South Wales and north-eastern Victoria. I willingly entered all the club's activity and was soon appointed Assistant Secretary, a position I still held until the transfer in my employment in May/June 1961.
I transferred my accommodation to Prahran, in Melbourne. Because I lacked self-confidence, I did not join a Metropolitan bowls club.
In 1963 I transferred again, this time back to Benalla where I had initially commenced my working life.
Being more relaxed in a country setting, I joined the Benalla Bowls Club and became very active in both the game of bowls and the administration.
From the beginning I played in the club's A1 pennant team. This continued for something like twenty years until it was threatened that Benalla would be disassociated from the Ovens and Murray Association because of its geographical location.
In anticipation of this move, Benalla entered a senior pennant team in the Goulburn Murray league. I was selected in this team and we were runners-up in our one and only year in this association. The threatened dis-association did not materialise.
On return to the Ovens and Murray association I played in lower grades and was a member of three premiership teams. I continued to enjoy pennant bowls for a number of years. Over a lifetime I have played in excess of 700 pennant games. I retired from pennant in approximately 2009, and from bowls generally in, I think, 2014. I am still a member of the Benalla Bowls Club, having been awarded a Life Membership in 2004.
Other than pennant bowls, I have competed in Country Week competition for six or seven years. In the most successful years I played in finals of the 'fours' and 'pairs' championships.
Let me not forget also that social bowls was predominant and provided me with more enjoyment than I can ever say.
My involvement in the administration of the club has been significant, both in the bowls section and the Board, which oversees the whole of the club activities.
I served as Deputy Chairman of Directors for two years, Finance Director for four years, Secreatry of the Bowls section for four yers, General Committee and Finance Committee for over twenty years in each.
When the club did extensive refurbishments in 1979 I formed and administered the Co-Operative Society which was required in financing the operation.
In all I have been a member of Bowls Victoria for sixty years; fifty eight in Benalla and two in Wodonga. Bowls Victoria have acknowledged this with a Fifty Year Certificate.
In writing "My other life' I acknowledge the support of my wife Bernadette, and her hard work in looking after the family in my absences. She will never let me forget, though, that she gave me a new set of bowls for my 80th birthday and that I have played only one game competitively with them
Shame, Ray!
Ray O'Shannessy
5 June 2021
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