Congratulations Fr Seanie
Last Sunday, April 11 was the Golden Jubilee of Fr Seanie Barry’s ordination to the priesthood in 1971. Half a century is a long time and everyone in the Bride Rovers GAA Club and I’m sure the wider parish community send our warmest congratulations on a great achievement.
Fr Seanie has given fifty years of his life in the service of the Kiltegan Fathers. He has served the Order in many roles both on the Mission fields in many parts of Africa as well as in Kiltegan itself. At present based in Kenya, Fr Seanie has been a tremendous ambassador for his Missionary Society, his family and community. When the name of Bride Rovers Hurling Club is mentioned anywhere around this country people always say “Oh yes Seanie Barry played with ye”. Indeed he played with us, in truth he was the inspiration in our club and our hurling teams from 1965 for nearly two decades. Winning two East Cork B grade championship medals in 1966 and 1975 and in between never to be forgotten A grade titles in 1968 and 1969.
With Cork Seanie won senior All-Ireland medals in 1966 and 1970 as well as intermediate in 1965 and U21 in 1966. In 1997 when based in Kiltegan Fr Seanie took on the job of coach to our junior A grade hurling team. We lost the East Cork Final that year but the following year will never be forgotten. With Seanie as coach we won the East Cork for the first time in 29 years and then went on to win the county title. Unfortunately Seanie had gone back to Africa before the November county final v Freemount. That day in Páirc Uí Chaoimh when team captain Donal Ryan got the County Cup his first words were “Fr Seanie, this is for you”.
The Bride Rovers Club are so proud of the deeds of Fr Seanie and to this day he is rightly remembered and revered by all in this parish. Hopefully later in the year when he is back home in Rathcormac we will be able to honour his Golden Jubilee in a special way. At our club executive meeting on Monday night members were delighted to be associated with congratulating him on this very special occasion.
PLAYING SEASON ON THE HORIZON
Well we’re nearly there as regards returning to training for teams U18 years of age. At the club executive meeting on Monday night Covid Officer Mike Carey outlined the protocols we all must follow again this year. Mike has arranged a Zoom meeting on Thursday, April 22 for the Covid Officer of all the underage teams to explain what will be required.
U9s
Our club U9s return to the pitch on Wednesday, April 28 at 6.30pm. The U9s this year will be based on the main pitch and will train on Wednesdays from 6.30 to 7.30pm and on Saturday mornings from 10 to 11. No games are on the horizon yet so we will spend the first few weeks playing games to reintroduce the boys to each other and have a bit of fun. The boys will be reintroduced to some key movement skills in the games which can be used both with the small ball and the big ball. Return to play protocols from the club will follow. As always, we welcome any new members to join our club.
U16 HURLING AND FOOTBALL
The U16 will commence training from Thursday, April 29 in the main pitch at 7.30. Even if you have not been involved before now with Bride Rovers if you are in the 15 to 16 age group do come along and join us.
U11s
The U11 boys will return to training (hurling) on Wednesday, April 28 at 6.30 in the lower half of main pitch and we will also have training on Saturday mornings at 10 o’clock.
U12s
We are starting back with training in our new juvenile pitch on Wednesday, April 29 at half 7. Saturday morning training will be in the same pitch at 10:30am. With no games on the horizon just yet the next month or so will be about getting the lads back to running around and enjoying themselves while improving basic skills. We will have some restrictions due to the ongoing Covid pandemic on each session and these will be outlined closer to our return.
CÚL CAMP 2021
We’re delighted to announce that our camp for boys and girls this year will take old place on the week of July 26 to July 30. We haven’t had a camp since 2019 so this will be eagerly anticipated by kids who’ve never had the opportunity to participate before. There is currently no online bookings for any camps in Cork just yet as we are awaiting final confirmation on restrictions that will inevitably be part of the week. Once the booking schedule is confirmed we will contact all groups via WhatsApp. In recent years the Cúl Camps are just tremendous as they combine great fun with learning the basic skills of Gaelic games.
IT STARTED WITH US
For several years in the East Cork GAA Division there was just one adult grade, junior A in hurling and football. It was actually Motions from our club in 1933 and 1952. That resulted in B grade championships being introduced. The 1933 Convention was held in Carrigtwohill on Sunday, January 8. The Bride Rovers delegate Billy Barry (Hightown and Mondaniel) proposed “That a B Grade Junior Hurling championship be formed in the Division in the coming year.” The motion was passed.
It was 1966 before we first won the competition. In 1951 the GAA club in the Parish was based in Bartlemy. On June 3rd of that year Midleton defeated Bartlemy by 6-8 to 0-5 in the East Cork junior A grade football championship in Ballincurrig. Bartlemy were captained by Jim Ryall with
Finn Adams vice-captain. That heavy defeat led to a motion to the East Cork Convention in early 1952 asking that a B grade football championship be started. 29 years later, in 1981 Tom Kearney captained Bride Rovers to its first ever B grade football title.
CLUB LOTTO
The jackpot for last Tuesday, April 6 was €20,000. The four numbers drawn were 8, 24, 26 and 28 and there was no winner. The lucky dip winners of €30 each were Liz Patterson Castlelyons, Martin McHugh, Sean Quirke, Kevin O’Keeffe, Bartlemy. Aidan Johnson. You can join the Bride Rovers weekly lotto online at or purchase tickets from any of the retail outlets locally that are open. Tickets can also be got locally from Bride Rovers GAA Club members throughout the parish. Your support of the weekly lotto draw is deeply appreciated. If you’re not in you can’t win and each €2 is a help for our club.
NEW CLUB GEAR AVAILABLE
As we gear up and hope for a return to the playing fields in the near future we must all look our best! Be smart and proudly wear the green, white and gold, the club colours. Several new product lines in our colours with the club crest are now available from O’Neills at very reasonable prices. To look at the items go to the O’Neills website www.oneills.com.
THE SPLIT SEASON
Last week I outlined reasons why the split season has been welcomed in the GAA. This week I outline my personal opinion and give the reasons why I think it would be a disaster for the GAA.
1 - With a split season intercounty activity will go on until late July and club championships will then commence, therefore for the months of May, June, and July the months of the finest weather and longest daylight hours no club championship games will take place.
2 - If there is no ‘summer’ games’ there will be a mass exodus of young players to the USA and Australia each year and clubs will find it difficult to field strong teams for league games.
3 - In the past a club player could play well in a club championship game in April or May or June and as a result get a call up to the county panel. With a split season if a player isn’t on the county panel the previous November he will never get a chance.
4 - With club championships being run off from August until November the whole ethos of the GAA will change because instead of being summer games hurling and football at club level will be autumn and winter games.
5 - ‘Player Burnout’ is a big issue yet with a split season intercounty players will train with Cork from November and then be expected to train with their clubs for another three to four months. Is this semi professionalism or just the GAA following the ‘Munster Rugby’ template?
6 - The GAA is supposed to promote GAA games yet with the split season there won’t be a major GAA game on TV during August, September, October, November, December, January or February - is that what you’d call promotion?
7 - Giving the summer season to 3% of the players (intercounty players) whilst confining the 97% of club players to autumn/winter only is a disgrace.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN BRIDE ROVERS GAA CLUB IN 2021?
Are you a hurler, footballer, camogie or ladies football player, builder, painter, flag-maker, gardener, ticket seller, IT specialist, singer, poet, dancer, quiz fanatic, carpenter, bookbinder, plasterer, floor sweeper, writer, lawn-cutter or just a willing and enthusiastic community worker? Well if the answer is ‘yes’ to even one of these questions then the Bride Rovers GAA Club needs you. We are always anxious to get new members to help out with the running of the club. Fingers crossed that the new season for 2021 will commence shortly and then it will be a case of all hands on deck.
Maybe you could give an hour a week to help with some aspect of the club’s varied and enjoyable activities. Many hands make light work so if you want to help out with any aspect of our club you will be very welcome indeed. If you are interested please contact our club rúnaí Daniel Lane at 087 2070100.
1966 U21 TEAM
Having won the senior All-Ireland final in September 1966 Seanie Barry was then involved in three great games at U21 level. Twice Cork and Wexford drew in the All-Ireland final. In the third game at Croke Park on November 13th Cork won by 9-9 to 5-9.
The winning team was J Mitchell, W Murphy, T Falvey, P O’Sullivan, C Roche, Jack Russell, D Coughlan, J McCarthy, Gerald McCarthy captain, Seanie Barry, T Browne, P Curley, C McCarthy, A O’Flynn, E O’Brien. Subs B McKeown, T Maher.
That U21 final was just a week after Seanie had starred in the East Cork B grade final in Midleton when the Rovers beat Youghal in the final by 6-12 to 6-3.
BRIDE ROVERS GAA CLUB 100 SCHEME NOW OPEN FOR 2021
Our Club 100 Fundraising Scheme is now in its 3rd year. It provides an income stream to guarantee us finances to carry out further development work as we head towards our Centenary in 2028. There are three options for joining the Club 100, gold, silver and bronze. Joining Club 100 combines paying club membership, supporting the weekly club lotto and joining the Cork GAA Monthly Draw. Payment is on a monthly basis. Full details from any club officer.
B GRADE FOOTBALL
In last week’s edition we dealt with the great win in the 2019 junior B football final. In response to a request here are the details of our other final appearances over the years.
1981 Bride Rovers 1-10 Youghal 0-4. 1989 Bride Rovers 1-6 Aghada 1-7. 1993 Bride Rovers 1-8 Glanmire 1-4. 2008 Bride Rovers 0-6 Carrignavar 1-4. 2009 Bride Rovers 4-8 Russell Rovers 2-2. 2014 Bride Rovers 1-7 Castlelyons 0-9. 2018 Bride Rovers 0-11 Russell Rovers 2-9. 2019 Bride Rovers 0-17 Ballinacurra 0-14.
B grade football final teams over the years;
1981; Paul Murphy, Declan Kearney, Tommy O’Flynn, Liam Cahill, Anthony Cahill, Tom Kearney (Capt), Tadgh O’Donovan, Paudie Collins, Moss Dooley, Cyril Johnson, James Maye, Tom Mulcahy, Jimmy Johnson, Richie Cotter, Connie Barry.
1989; P Mannix, D Ahern, T Kearney, JJ Barry, O O’Connor, P Collins, T Mulcahy (Capt), B O Connell, John A Murphy, B Hazlewood, M Hogan, B Hogan, H Kelleher, A Cahill, D Mulcahy.
1993; Pat Mannix, Tom Kearney, Mike Hogan, Liam Barry, Barry Hogan, Anthony Cahill, John Joe Barry (Capt), John A Murphy, Tom Mulcahy, Pat Barry, Batt O’Connell, Pat Walsh, Dermot ‘Georgie’ Johnson, Andrew O’Flynn, John O’Dowd.
2008; Vincent O’Keeffe, Alan Broderick, Batt O’Connell, Barry Murphy, Padraig O’Brien (Capt), Mike Hogan, Mark O’Connell, Kieran Manley, Brian Murphy, Tomas Kearney, Gavin O’Flynn, Michael Collins, Daniel Dooley, Alan O’Keeffe, John O’Dowd. Subs: Garry Prendergast, Jason Campbell.
2009 final played in Feb 2010: Georgie Johnson, Alan Broderick (Capt), Trevor Moloney, Pat Barry, Podge O’Brien, Barry Murphy, Tomás Kearney, Barry Johnson, Sean Ryan,
Jason Mannix, Michael Collins, Brian Murphy, Padraig Murphy, Donal Ryan, Jason Pratt. Subs: Shane Murphy, Barry Hazelwood, Declan Quinlan.
2014 team and scorers; Frank Hogan, Tadhg O’Sullivan, Brenny O’Driscoll, Gavin O’Flynn, Shane Walsh, Barry Murphy, Shane Kearney, Liam Forde, Brendan Walsh, Donncha Carr, Sean Ryan, Barry Johnson, Captain, Jerome O’Driscoll, Cian O’Connor, Daniel Dooley. Subs Jason Pratt, Terry Broderick, Sean O’Brien, Stephen Pratt.
2018: Frank Hogan, Tadhg O’Sullivan, Shane Walsh, Jason Mannix, Shane O’Connor, Jason Pratt, Barry Johnson, Daniel Dooley, Brendan Walsh, DJ Cahill, Liam Forde, Ryan Prendergast, Damien Buckley, Éinne Ó hEochaidh, Terry Broderick, Jordan Mannix, Griffin O’Keeney, Shane O’Flynn, Cian Howard, Shane O’Connor, Ben Hogan, Dylan Browne, Conleith Ryan.
SYMPATHY
The club extends its sympathy to the family of Oliver Parsons of Ballinacurra. Oliver was proud Tipperary man but devoted his life to the Ballinacurra GAA Club in East Cork. ‘ The Village’ as it is known has a proud GAA history and as a player, officer and Board Delegate Oliver gave decades of service to the club. We in Bride Rovers extend our sympathy to his wife and daughters. On Sunday morning last every GAA club in East Cork was represented when the Main Street of Ballinacurra was lined at both sides in a moving farewell to Oliver.
Bride Rovers Club sponsors are; Rathcormac Tyres, Fermoy Print & Design, Veolia.