HEADING FOR HOME TERRITORY
A significant crowd, estimated to be in excess of 300, gathered at The Pound, Kildinan in early September for the unveiling of a monument to remember the athletic tradition and prowess in the Kildinan area in years gone by.
Adrian Budds, monuments sculptor, completed work on the monument some days prior to the unveiling, with a committee consisting of John Arnold, Michael Barry, Batty Dorgan, John Fitzgerald, Donal O’Donnell, Donal Murphy, Gerard Murphy and Sean O’Leary, steering the project to fruition.
The committee also erected a plaque on the last remaining pier at the entrance to the old Phibbs’ homestead in Bridestown. The siblings, Bill and Con, were brilliant athletes.
The formal unveiling ceremony was followed by a social gathering in The Rathcormac Inn.
The following is an account of the day, penned by Noreen Fitzgerald from Midleton, wife of committee member, John Fitzgerald. John's father, Jerome, was one of the Kildinan AC founders and a club stalwart.
'We drove, leaving Midleton on a journey and quest to honour the past. 22.5 degrees in Midleton. Thunderstorms and heavy showers as a Status Yellow warning was issued.
“It’s always worse as we head for the Hill” we said, still anxious for fine weather. On and on and on and no rain! Fingers crossed, please God….. We reached Watergrasshill, no rain… yet! John next to me was building up in anticipation. “I hope they’ll be a crowd there, surely fifty to one hundred?” he verbally mused.
Meeting a large agricultural contraption we slowed to a crawl, John heading for home territory. Padraig’s house, and Jerry’s and that dreaded dump. Save Ardnageehy Woods and the life there in! That’s McHugh home territory and they are at their utmost in efforts to protect and maintain it. Their spot, their area and their community!
The large machine turned off the road and we headed for the banks of the Bride. Home territory for John of the Bridestown Fitzgeralds. Keame Bridge with its ford and hidden right of way, Keame Hill. It is a tranquil spot of pastoral elegance. Quietly beautiful, yet off the beaten track, revered by very few artists. Such an enchanting spot, rediscovered by locals with children during
Covid lockdowns. All home territory for John as we took the Ballyhooly Road.
Now in Bridestown, John was back in bygone days, to a time when he raced from school with Garrett Piggot and his late brother, Tom. Garrett always won. Tom was second and John, himself, third. Bridestown Runners in the making! We drove on, passed Maighread’s house and on towards Coola Cross. Such changes, such progress, such growth, such agriculture and such maintenance! John was impressed as we headed for the pillar and rusty gates. Memory entrapped, we drove on. Who would be at the pier? We were early and waited.
Soon we were joined by other family representatives in ones and twos, all, happily smiling and glad to be part of what was to be a memorable coming together of Kildinan people, of which Bridestown was a part.
We were at Phibbs’ pier and rusty old gate. The Phibbs family long dead and gone, we were remembering them and especially Con and Bill. Not just remembering them, we were honouring them and celebrating them. Brothers of national and international running and athletics’ fame in the late 1800s; they lived in Bridestown and inspired a country with their fame. This evening at 5pm we quietly and proudly unveiled a plaque to mark those brothers on Phibbs’ pier for posterity. Later, the Phibbs’ grave in Glanworth would be tended to and restored.
'WHAT A PLACE'
The evening was heady and close. The place was still remote and the crowd were quietly chatting and reminiscing. Murphy’s said their old aunt remembered Julia Phibbs, the boys’ sister, running after the Phibbs’ horse and butt. Taking a hop, step and jump from the road, she landing inside the butt, long before women were competing athletes and long before Fanny Blankers-Koen, not to mention modern women athletes. Most of all, there was almost a reverence in memory. A proud gathering, a humble group of gentle folk all celebtating who they were and why they were gathered. Athletics grew in the Kildinan/Bridestown area, nurtured by the example and prowess of Bill and Con and filtering down through Cahills, Murphys, Fitzgeralds, Dorgans and the many subsequent runners from the area. Quietly proud and humble, this was a community honouring itself and its past, acknowledging its spirit and coming togetherness, bonding once more on a remote country road. This community survived Famine, hardship, poverty and the darkness of pre electricity rural areas. It grew and thrived and spread its wings and still stayed rooted, like the memory of its famous Phibbs sons.
Commerations had begun and the little gathering at Phibbs’ pier with its newly erected plaque, moved on, down the road to The Pound. Another gathering! Another unveiling, another celebration, another local community and its associates far and wide gathering, gathering, gathering, a few hundred of them all happy and smiling, humbly acknowledging its own and its achievements.
Martin Kennedy had opened his field for parking. It was needed. Ditches were cleared and trimmed. Plants were planted. Areas were tarred and gravelled. The Tricolour was in furl. The Pound as it was never seen before, all done up for the big occasion. What a place to choose! The Pound got its name from an area where cattle were confiscated and impounded for rent payment failure in times past. The Pound “platform”, a wooden stage was erected, where in later post war years functioned as a place for outdoor dancing. People arrived on bikes from surrounding areas and parishes to dance the night away, old time and céilí dancing was the norm.
Fields at the Pound were used for Kildinan Athletics’ members and teams training sessions prior to the 1943 victory. Now, The Pound was the place chosen to honour the athletics’ legacy of the Kildinan Athletics Club and all it involved, while celebrating the winning All-Ireland cross country team of 1943 and all others who achieved county and other victory successes, both in earlier times and during its 1960s revival.
The Pound was buzzing. Everyone had a smile and a story. The Gods favoured the crowd and occasion by keeping the thunder and rain at bay. People met people. Those older in age sat on chairs. Young and old shook hands, hugged and greeted. A tremendous and fitting turnout! Commemorative stones unveiled, were blessed. A wreath was laid. Commemorative booklets were distributed for later perusal. The Cork cross country perpetual cup was on display showing years of Kildinan’s success. Speeches were made.
Relations of athletes from far and near congregated. Faces were recognised. The young were introduced. All easy and comfortable with each other; a coming together, a community was alive and well and remembering. Pride of place and people were foremost. Nothing boastful, a sense of old fashioned honouring and acceptance brought closeness among runners, families and friends. Neighbours all, still thriving, gave voice to accompany the piper playing Amhrán na bhFiann.
QUIETLY PROUD
On arriving we met a lady, Mrs Twomey, a widow. On introduction the first thing she said was “We met here, me and my husband, dancing at the Pound”. My son on hearing this said “If Kat, my wife were here she’d be fascinated. Rural Ireland and its traditions bemuse her, a city woman born and reared”! That was it! This gathering brought out what was strongest in Kildinan and its sporting past; community, ownership and pride of place and birth. The legacy of the Phibbs brothers, the teams of Kildinan A.C., all belonged somehow to the quietly proud commemorative gathering of people who got together, ran and played, danced and met, lived and had their being or beginning in Kildinan.
Athletics and sportsmanship of all sorts has come down the line in the Kildinan area. It’s in the bones/earth/psychie, call it what you will, of these people. Reminders of Carrignavar poets, Ballyduff Drama groups, Midleton 'Squirting' day, Biddie and Wren Day mummers, road bowling in Ballincurrig and hurling in Cloyne, amongst just a few areas who perpetuate and preserve tradition nationwide. Oidhreacht, heritage, dúchas, genetics, any and all of these make us custodians of the skill, long may it run'.