The recent rugby social at the Devon Inn was a splendid affair and a marvellous occasion, as the club celebrated the 50th anniversary of its foundation.
Denis Murphy acted as MC, and easily has his best game for Abbeyfeale since single-handedly winning the Munster Junior Plate for them back in 1978. He should follow Bill Clinton and Bertie Ahern and join the After Dinner Speakers circuit where there is a mint of money to be made. (We may publish the speech in full at a later date)
Denis gave a detailed account of the history of the club since its foundation in 1959 and introduced some of the founder members. Among them was Mattie Tobin who was at that first historic meeting which bravely (or foolishly) decided to form a rugby club in the hinterland of the GAA. Bernard Broderick, a native of Dromtrasna (another hotbed of unbridled GAA activity) captained the first winning junior cup team in 1964.
Club President, JD Harnett, welcomed the large attendance which included the president of the Munster Branch, Declan Madden, and said that he was looking forward to the next fifty years at the club. (Maurice Flynn had obviously helped him with his speech.)
Former Irish Captain, Philip Danaher, recounted some amusing anecdotes from his all too brief playing days with Abbeyfeale, and Seamus Dennison told of the street league medal that he won but never received.
By co-incidence, I happened to be seated at the same table as Seamus, and his remarks reminded me of a somewhat identical incident in my own singularly unspectacular but mercifully short playing career.
In 1964 Abbeyfeale juveniles reached the final of the West. I played at half back in the semi-final, and held my man scoreless, as indeed did every other back that day, because the final score turned out to be something like 10-10 to 0-1. (I think our full-back kicked the ball over his own crossbar in the end out of pure boredom!)
Anyway, we played Askeaton in the final. Before the throw-in, the team and subs (we never called ourselves a squad) assembled on the sideline so that the selectors could run the rule over us and decide who was playing where. Among those charged with the onerous task of sending out the best and soberest among us, would have been Tommy Mann, Tammy Connell, Dan Cullinane, Fr Greene, Do Do Wrenn, Billy Aherne, etc. – all guys who had given great service to Fr Casey’s down through the years without probably receiving the credit that they deserve. (However, that is for another day and another scribe)
As our names were called out we were handed the appropriate jersey and lined up in our selected positions. I was given the no 5 shirt and told to get out there and draw blood – but without fouling my man.
Having received our final instructions, we raced out onto the pitch like young colts let loose in a field of fresh oats, and began to limber up. I gave my man a belt of a shoulder, which was the customary handshake in those days. He retaliated by giving me a dig in the ribs before informing me that I was wanted on the sideline.
“Hi, young fellow!” came the call from the Abbeyfeale dugout. “Come on away out of there. We won’t be starting you today.”
I trotted obediently to the line and handed my jersey to an incoming player who had obviously been overlooked during the original selection process, while all the time wondering if I was the first player in the history of the GAA to be substituted before the throw-in?
The game ended in a draw, and the replay was scheduled for Newcastlewest the following Sunday.
As we headed for the dressing room I was approached by one of the selectors. “You should have been on from the start,” he admitted. “but you are a certainty to play next Sunday.”
The following Sunday we lined up on the sideline and I was again handed the no 5 shirt and commanded to “spill plenty blood out there!”
I raced out and gave my man (the same man) a good dig in the ribs. “How’s the going?” I asked.
“Not too bad.” he replied, giving me an almighty belt of a shoulder. “I think they might be calling you from the sideline again.” he added.
I looked towards the line. “Hi, young fellow,” came the shout, “come on out of there. We won’t be starting you either today.”
Again I trudged slowly from the field of play, convinced that I must now be an entrant for the Guinness Book of Records after having being substituted before the ball was thrown in for two Sundays in a row .
I peeled off the jersey and handed it to the incoming player – who just happened to be a certain Seamus Dennison!
We won the replay, Dennison won man of the match. – and I never received my medal.
So, if there are any GAA lads reading this, you might pass on the word that there are a still couple of medals owed to Seamus and myself.
However, I won’t hold my breath. If a former Garryowen, Munster and Ireland player who stopped Stu Wilson and the mighty All Blacks in Thomond Park, can’t collect an ordinary street league medal, then what chance has a humble scribbler like me of claiming a gong for winning The West?
And I never made the Guinness Book of Records either, despite investing most of my life (and all of my savings) into sampling their product.
Happy Birthday, Arthur. (or should that be Martha?)
*Sean O’h-Airtneide composed a poem about the 1964 juvenile team that won The West. Scroll through our poetry section to find it.
LIMERICK ASSOCIATION; The Limerick Association London Dinner Dance will take place on Friday, October 9th and the venue will be St Augustine’s Catholic Club in Fulham Palace Road, Hammersmith, London W6. The guest band for the event will be the very highly acclaimed “KIMS PEOPLE” from Galbally, Co. Limerick. Tickets are currently available at £25.00 for a great evening’s entertainment. For further information and ticket enquiries please contact Association secretary John Giltenan on 0044-7956855957.
RACE NIGHT: The race night in aid of Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin which was held in Jack O’Rourke’s Bar was very well attended and the organizers would like to thank everyone for their generous support.
VOTING; A reminder that voting on the Lisbon Treaty takes place on this Friday 2nd October. The usual polling booths will be in operation.
ANGLERS; The Abbeyfeale Anglers’ Association will be holding a social this year at the end of the fishing season. The venue will be at the GAA pavilion on the Kerry Road on Saturday, October 10th. Meal time is set for 8.30 PM and tickets cost €25.00. Music afterwards will be provided by Martin Murphy. Tickets may be purchased from any of the committee members, and also at Ryan’s Shoe and Tackle shop at New Street.
PILOT: Peter O’Rourke, The Square, Abbeyfeale has been promoted from first officer to captain of a Ryannair Boeing 737. Peter, who is son of Jack and Angela O’Rourke, has been a pilot with Ryannair for the past four years, and his promotion makes him one of the youngest captains in the Ryannair Fleet. (see “latest pics” in PHOTOS section)
BOOK; A limited number of copies of “One More For The Road” are still available from various outlets in the town with proceeds going to St Ita’s Day Care Centre. The book briefly topped the best-sellers list in Grogeen before being toppled from the top spot by Old Moore’s Almanac
GAA; Fr Casey’s are through to the county senior football final following a 0-14 to 0-5 win over Pallasgreen last Saturday. The will face Drom/Broadford in the decider which is due to be played under lights at the Gaelic Grounds on October 10th.
SOCCER; Abbeyfeale Utd A defeated Carrig Celtic 3-0 in the Munster Junior Cup
RUGBY; Abbeyfeale defeated Corca Dhuibhne 11-10 in the quarter final of the Martin O’Sullivan Cup in Dingle on Sunday. They play Kilrush in The Grove on the 10th October in the Munster Junior League.
MARATHON; Well done to twins, Marita and Leanne Riordan who competed for charity in the Cork Ladies Mini Marathon at the weekend. They are daughters of John and Margaret Riordan, and nieces of Cllr Francis Foley. Well done, girls!