Death of former chairman, Mike Murphy
It was with a great deal of sadness that we learned of the death in Dublin of our former club chairman, Michael W Murphy. Living in Dublin with many years, Mike never lost the love of his native place in Rathcormac.
Mike was the youngest of six children born to John Denis Murphy, Main St, Rathcormac and his wife Margaret Woods of Bartlemy village. Mike was born in 1942 and was just four years old when his brother Con won a Senior All-Ireland hurling medal with Cork in 1946. Mike’s other siblings were Colm, Jim, Jerry and Maura. Educated at Rathcormac NS and St Colman’s College, Fermoy, Mike was a very promising hurler from a very young age, strong, skilful and determined. In 1957 Mike was a member of the Bride Rovers U16 team which reached the East Cork hurling and football finals. Cobh won the football but the Rovers had a great win in the hurling. In 1958 the Rovers drew with Sars in the final but were beaten in the replay. The following year the teams were level 2-0 to 2 at halftime but Bride Rovers added 2-1 in the second half and held Sars scoreless.
The late 1950s was a period of upheaval with no Bride Rovers team affiliated for a few years. Then the club came back as St Bartholomew’s and Mike played with this side. He was wingback on the Cork Minor team in 1959 when the Rebels beat Waterford by 6-4 to 1-2 in Fermoy in May. A month later Cork lost to Tipperary but Mike was not on the team. It seemed he had ‘ helped out’ the
Doon Minor hurling team in their Limerick championship winning campaign! Mike often played at wingback or centre back and later in his career as a forward.
The club had little championship success but tournaments kept the season going. The St Bartholomew’s lineout for one such game against Fermoy was: Jimmy O’Brien, Tom Barry, Paddy Murphy, Paddy O’Sullivan, Willie Sheehan, Michael Murphy, Mike Gubbins, Paddy O’Regan, Joe Browne, Mossy O’Regan, Tony O’Brien 2-2, Sean Leahy 0-1 Gerald O’Sullivan 2-0, Paddy O Brien 3-0, Dinjoe Buckley 2-0. Sub: John O’Brien 1-0.
ST BARTHOLOMEW’S WON THAT GAME BY 10 – TO 4-6.
When we had no Minor hurling team, Mike and Seanie Barry, Francis ‘Matty’ O'Sullivan, Eddy Heskin, Gerald O’Connell and Jimmy O’Brien played Minor with Sars. In 1962 and 1963 we had no team affiliated from the parish but in December 1964 the Bride Rovers Club was on the road again. At the first meeting in Bartlemy Hall Mike Murphy, Tony Walsh and Dick Foley were appointed assistant secretaries for Donal Ó Liatháin NT.
In 1965 the Rovers reached the East Cork JBHC semi-final but lost to Castlelyons. Mike was centre back between John Meade and Dick Shelley.
For 1966, Mike was elected as club chairman - what a year it turned out to be! The B grade championship was won for the first time ever - Mike played in the forwards v St Catherines and scored a goal. He as wingback for the final against Youghal. Seanie Barry brought an All-Ireland Senior hurling medal back to the Parish that September. The Junior A grade title was won in 1968, but Mike Murphy was in Dublin by then, but he was back to win an A grade medal in 1969 after a replay v Carrigtwohill.
That was 55 years ago and working as an educationalist, writer and Gaeilgeoir in Dublin, Mike always maintained an interest in Bride Rovers. When we started the lotto he joined up and joyfully in 2013 his daughter, Muireann, won a sizeable Bride Rovers lotto jackpot.
A brilliant scholar, Mike was fluent in Irish and English and was one of the few people that could sing ‘Molly Malone’ in Latin! He wrote extensively - articles, pamphlets and books in Bearla and Gaeilge and was an accomplished pianist. Truly a man of endless ideas and restless speculation. Since his death some of his former team-mates, Henry, Willie, Seanie, Paudie and Tom, have recalled with joy his playing days with Bride Rovers. From their recollections, Mike was an absolutely superb hurler who even by his own admission ‘wasn’t over-fond of training’.
We extend our deepest sympathy to Mary, Grainne, Muireann and Sorcha, his grandchildren and extended family. Mike was a proud Rathcormac man, proud of his parish and his club and we were proud of him. Rest in peace, Mike.
WEEKLY CLUB LOTTO
The lotto results for the first draw of 2024, held on 2nd January – the numbers drawn were were 3, 5, 9 and 23 and there was no jackpot winner. Congratulations to our lucky dip €30 cash winners: Leon O’Flynn, Ballybrowney Upper, Betty Boyce, Garrynacole, Will Daly, Castlelyons, Brian Browne, Bartlemy and Pat O’Connor, Corrin. This week's jackpot was an incredible €14,400 on Tuesday, January 9th. If your ticket has expired we would appreciate if you would enter again. Thank you again for all your support.
2024 FIXTURES
We have been asked by Cork County Board to host 5 County Championship games as follows; Friday, July 26th Mitchelstown v St Vincents IFC 7.45pm. Friday, August 2nd Fermoy v Castlelyons SAHC 7.45pm. Saturday, August 17th IFC Mitchelstown v Ballinora 2 o’clock. Sunday, August 25th SAHC Ballyhea v Killeagh 4pm. Sunday, September 8th PSHC Sars v Bishopstown 4pm. These are all big games which should attract fine crowds.
CORK V LIMERICK
Fog caused the Cork v Limerick Munster SHL game in Mallow last Sunday to be called off. They were lucky in Páirc Esler in Newry to get the Glen v Kilmacud Crokes Club SF semi-final played (see below). Sadly, Castlehaven were pipped by St Brigids (Roscommon) who now face Watty Grahams of the Glen (Derry) in the final on
January 21st.
GREAT LOCAL SUCCESS IN THE HILL
Last Sunday, January 7th was a great day at the races for locals with two winners from the Parish and of our young Senior hurlers claiming his first victory. Ballindenisk was the setting for the Lisgoold point-to-point meeting. After a foggy, frozen morning it turned out a grand afternoon for the huge crowd present. Congratulations in a very special way to 19 year old Josh Ahern from Monanig, Bartlemy who rode his first ever winner on the French bred Salsero trained by his father Garrett. Local wins like this are great for the community and for local trainers.
Well done also to Michael Trixie Barry on training Bartlemy Boy to win the fifth race for his wife Mary Hayes. Trixie too has strong Monanig connections, as his grandfather Patsy Barry taught in Monanig National School at the end of the 1800s and the beginning of the 1900s.
BEST OF LUCK NEIGHBOURS
We extend sincere best wishes to both St Catherines and Castlelyons in their bid to bring a historic All-Ireland double back to East Cork on Saturday evening. Back in the 1940s when both the Castlelyons and St Catherines clubs were founded, winning an All-Ireland wasn’t on anyone’s horizon. Denis Walsh, Cathal Casey, Johnny Sheehan and Timmy McCarthy have all brought home All-Ireland medals with Cork but a national title at club level would be something very, very special. It’s only twelve months ago since Ballygiblin won the Junior title so keeping the cup in Cork is the aim and the goal of St Catherines when the sliotar is thrown in at 5pm. The Conna/ Ballynoe side are well capable of finishing their campaign in style.
Likewise with Castlelyons, who face Thomastown at 7 o'clock - it’s a huge challenge but also a massive opportunity for ‘ hurling immortality’. Kilkenny club sides are always strong but no other county brings out the best in Cork sides like those hurlers from the banks of the Suir that flows down by Mooncoin. There are so many family links with players on both sides with Bartlemy, Rathcormac and Kildinan roots.
The atmosphere in and around
Croke Park from around midday next Saturday will be mighty. The Castlelyons accents will mingle with those who nearly roll their Rs like their Waterford neighbours! By now all the hard training and physical work will be well finished. This week has seen arctic weather conditions - so unlike the dust flying in the square we associate with real summer hurling. No one is complaining in the two clubs, however, as plans for travelling to GAA Headquarters on Jones’ Road are finalised.
On behalf of the Bride Rovers GAA Club, may I wish the very best of good luck to our neighbours for this very unique occasion.
RAYMOND'S REPORT FROM NEWRY
“Arctic and eerie” were the words used by Raymond Hegarty to describe the scene in Páirc Esler, Newry on last Sunday afternoon. Raymond was on umpiring duty with Conor Lane, who refereed the All-Ireland Club football semi-final between Kilmacud Crokes and Watty Grahams from the Glen in Maghera, Co Derry. A heavy blanket of freezing fog gave a surreal appearance to the grounds and the game. These two sides had met in a controversially ended club final in January of last year but in fairness there was no ‘needle’ or anything like that on Sunday.
Standing by the goalpost, Raymond and his three fellow umpires felt the sub-zero conditions more severely than anyone else. Watty Grahams looked likely winners all through but then a late goal put the All-Ireland champions a point ahead. Glen went up four after a goal of their own but the Derry side got a bizarre goal to win by a point. They will meet St Brigids of Castlerea, Roscommon, in the Final in Croke Park on Sunday week.
FIRST 2024 CLUB MEETING
Because of the Lighting Up Ireland Walking Initiative in the pitch last Monday night’s first club executive meeting was held in the Old School. ‘Wow’ was the only way to describe the gathering! Thirty six men and women on a bitterly cold night with a common purpose - it was mighty. Chairman Pa O’Driscoll presided. Reports from various sub-committees were heard after the runais and cisteoirs reports were read and adopted. As is normal practise for the first meeting of the year the membership of the subcommittees was announced. This year we have 13 sub-groups; 1. Grounds, 2. Finance, 3. Development, 4. Lotto, 5. Coaching, 6. Match Day organising, 7. Child Safeguarding, 8. Fixtures, 9. Healthy Club, 10. Child Protection, 11. Juvenile, 12. Catering and 13. IT.
Denis Ahern reported on the first of the new fields as being very dry with the grass growing well. The plan is that before 2024 is out the second new field will be laid out. Discussions took place re U21 and Junior C football - to be finalised by weekend. Brian Murphy will manage the Junior football team. The transfer of Shane Walsh to the Cormac McAnallen’s Club in New South Wales, Australia was noted and Shane was wished well. Joanne Scollard was appointed as Children’s officer. Other matters discussed were extra concrete driveway, the price of sliotars, new gym equipment, Affiliations for the East Cork Board, Garda vetting for all mentors.
Juvenile events coming up included a meeting with the Cork GAA coaching officers in the Midleton Park Hotel on Wednesday, January 17th and a special Bride Rovers meeting about coaching ‘the pathway forward’ is on Wednesday, January 31st with an open invitation.
Tributes were paid to former club chairman and player, Michael W Murphy, to the Sweeney and Prendergast families on their recent bereavements. The meeting finished by extending best wishes to St Catherines and Castlelyons for the All-Ireland finals next Saturday in Croke Park.
CAR BOOT SALE
The next Parish car boot sale in Sunday, January 28th and Billy Finnegan asked for as many volunteers as possible. If you can give an hour or two please contact Billy, Mossy or Tom. Help is also needed on Saturday morning, the 27th, for the preparations. LIGHTING UP FOR IRELAND
The 2024 series of Monday night walks in the pitch started last Monday night. On a bitterly cold night we had around 100 which was great. The Lighting Up For Ireland continues for the next 7 Monday nights starting at 7.30pm. Walk as fast or slow and as much or as little as you want and are able to. UMPIRES NEEDED
We now have five referees active in the club and on match days they need umpires. All our refs would like to have four of their own umpires with them for every game so a panel of umpires is needed. If you can do umpire for even one match a week or a fortnight it would be of great help. If interested contact club runai, Mike Carey.
BRIDE ROVERS CLUB SPONSORS
Rathcormac Tyres, Fermoy Print & Design, Gerard Gubbins Construction and Veolia.