<span class="postTitle">What Happened Since 1989</span> North Division G.A.A. S.H. Final Program 1996

What Happened Since 1989

North Division G.A.A. S.H. Final Program 1996

The last time Lorrha won the North final was in 1989. They had a successful year in the North that year, beating Borrisokane in the league final by 2-12 to 3-6 and overcoming Toomevara by 1-14 to 1-12 in the championship. With a bit of luck that year they might have won their first-ever county championship.

By defeating Toomevara in the North final, Lorrha qualified by play Carrick Swans in the county quarter­final. They won by double scores on a scoreline of 4-14 to 2-7. Kieran Hough was in brilliant form on the day, scor­ing 1-10 from frees and play.

In the semi-final Lorrha were pitted against Holycross-Ballycahill. In a dramatic game the North champions had a goal and a point disallowed by referee, George Ryan, in the space of only two minutes of the second half. Both were scores by Aidan Mclntyre and, on both occasions, the referee gave a free out for what he deemed to be square infringements. Lorrha protested, especially when they lost by the minimum of margins, 0-12 to 0-11, their arguments and protests proved fruitless. Holycross had snatched the winning score with a Tonto' Lanigan point in the dying moments. What might have happened had Lorrha got through is anybody's guess. Holycross lost the final to Clonoulty-Rossmore by two points.

In the following year they beat Shannon Rovers by 0-18 to 2-8 in the first round and qual­ified for the winners' group but were beaten by Newport 2-12 to 1-12 and lost their chance of improving on the previous year. There wasn't much joy in 1991 either. Getting a bye in the first round Lorrha beat Newport convincingly by 1-15 to 1-7 but lost the semi-final to Toomevara by the minimum of margins on a scoreline of 2-8 to 1-10.

In 1992 Lorrha qualified for the North final after playing five games in the champi­onship. They beat Newport, 2-6 to 0-9 in the first round and went on to defeat Borrisokane by 2-9 to 1-9 and qualify for the semi-final. This turned out to be a marathon against Toomevara. The teams drew 2-9 to 0-15 the first day, were still locked together 3-13 to 1-19 after extra time the second day and Lorrha eventually came out on top by 2-7 to 1-5 after the third attempt. Alas, for the men in blue and white the exhaustion, mental and physi­cal, of the three-game saga took its toll and they lost badly to Nenagh in the final by 1-18 to 0-8. Any progress they might have made outside the division, was halted by defeat at the hands of Toomevara, in the play-off between the losers and the winners of the league.

There wasn't much to shout about in 1993. After a comprehensive defeat of St. Odhran's - a combination of Silvermines and Templederry - by 4-16 to 1-15 in the first round, Lorrha were defeated, 4-9 to 1-9, by Nenagh in the winners' group. They won the first round in 1994, beating Borrisokane by 1-15 to 1-8 in the progress. They met Toomevara in the sec­ond round, drew the first day on a scoreline of 1-11 to 2-8 but were beaten in the replay by 1-16 to 1-12. Toomevara went on to win the county final and were beaten by Kilmallock in the Munster club final.

Lorrha played four matches in the 1995 championship. In the first round they drew 0-12 to 1-9 with Newport and were beaten in the replay by 0-11 to 0-10. Qualifying for the losers's group they drew with Moneygall, 0-8 to 1-5 but were beaten in the replay by 0-12 to 0-10.

And so the record since 1989 looks like this: Lorrha played 28 championship matches, won 14, drew 5 and lost 9. It will be interesting to see what will be added to that record after today's game.

<span class="postTitle">The All-Ireland Junior Hurling Championship</span> Munster J.H. Final Program, Cashel, June 25, 1996

The All-Ireland Junior Hurling Championship

Munster J.H. Final Program, Cashel, June 25, 1996

In the early days of the G.A.A. there was only one grade in hurling. Gradually, with the increasing popularity of the game and the growing num­ber of players, it became apparent that a grade other than senior was neces­sary. Dublin became the first county to establish a junior competition. A junior league was formed in the county in 1901 and so successful was it that a decision was taken to set up a minor competition also.

Limerick has the distinction of organising the first county junior champi­onship. A junior board was formed at the county convention on February 28, 1901 and, as well as establishing a junior championship, it also inaugurated the first juvenile competition. The next step was the organisation of inter-county games and the first such games, in junior and minor grades, were contested by Limerick and Dublin and took place at the Thatch Grounds, Drumcondra on August 14 1904.

The first national recognition of the junior grade was at the annual conven­tion or congress of the Association at Thurles at the end of 1903. At the adjourned convention on December 13, on the proposition of A. Murphy (Dublin), it was decided to establish a junior All-Ireland championship in hurling, the teams to consist of players who had not played hurling in a senior county championship, provincial championship or an All-Ireland championship since the year 1901. It was to be nine years before the deci­sion was implemented.

The first province to make a start was Leinster, where a provincial champi­onship commenced in 1905. The first winners were Kildare. Munster fol­lowed suit in 1910 when Tipperary took the first title. Ulster participated in 1913. Congress in that year graded Ulster counties junior for hurling and Antrim won the first provincial championship. They were beaten by Kilkenny in the All-Ireland semi-final. Connacht also fell into line in 1913 and Galway contested their first All-Ireland final in 1924, going down to Tipperary.

The first All-Ireland junior hurling final was played at Jones' Road on February 23 1913. It was the final of the 1912 championship. The finalists were Cork and Westmeath and the Munster champions became the first winners of the competition by 3-6 to 2-1. The successful Cork side was: C. Hallahan (capt.), J. Long, J. Hallahan (Ballincollig), W. Finn, D. Aherne (Cobh), P. Prior, J. Murphy, W. Lombard (Douglas), S. Salmon, J. O'Brien (Emmets), T. O'Riordan, J. Cahill (Blackrock), J. McDonnell (Emmets), P. Singleton (Kanturk), W. Fitzgerald (Collegians), P. Vaughan (Blackrock), C. O'Connell (Sunday's Well).

Between 1912 and 1995 the championship was played on seventy-four occasions. It was suspended during the periods 1917-22 and 1942-45. During the period 1961-73 the championship was run in conjunction with the National League Division 3 and a limited number of counties compet­ed. The counties which opted out took part in a new intermediate champi­onship. The original format was restored in 1983. An important decision was taken in the 1927 Congress which was to permit teams from Britain to participate.

Twenty-one counties have won the All-Ireland junior hurling championship. Six more, Carlow, Laois, Longford, Antrim, Monaghan and Fermanagh, have unsuccessfully contested finals. Only five counties, Sligo, Leitrim, Donegal, Cavan and Tyrone, have failed to reach a final. As well, two English counties, London and Warwickshire, have won the champi­onship. Two other English counties, Lancashire and Hertfordshire, have contested finals without success. This success and participation rate compares more than favourably with the senior hurling championship in which only twelve counties, plus London, were successful and one, Antrim, unsuccessful.

<span class="postTitle">Eddie Ryan (1962-1992)</span> West Senior Hurling final program, July 1995

Eddie Ryan (1962-1992)

West Senior Hurling final program, July 1995

West final day is an appropriate time to remember a young man who made a significant contribution to the sporting life of Cashel and who infected all around him with his great joie de vivre.

Playing in the 1980 west final against Sean Treacy's at Dundrum Eddie Ryan ensured victory for Cashel King Cormac's by scoring the insurance point in the dying minutes of extra time in the replay. Still only eighteen years of age he played an important role in bringing a county minor title to the club the same year. It was the culmination of a successful underage career in hurling and football which saw Eddie win under 12 and under-14 titles, at divisional and county levels, between 1972 and 1975. He was to continue playing at under-21 and senior levels in the early eighties but probably never realised the promise of his earlier years.

Part of the reason was his departure from Cashel to study Agricultural Science in U.C.D. During his first year he played on the college team and also showed his prowess as a sprinter by winning the 100 metres in the college sports. However, of a relaxed nature and more interested in the craic and the joy of living, training began to take second place in his life and the hurler or footballer he might have been never got the chance to develop.

As well as G.A.A. rugby played an important part in his life. From the age of about sixteen he played with Cashel, either at scrum-half or first centre, and in the course of time won a Garryowen and a Mansergh Cup with the club.

A further interest was the Cashel Gun Club. For him November 1 was a sacrosanct day when everything else had to play second fiddle to a day's shooting. This aspect of his life is remembered lovingly every year on the first day of the shooting season by Tom Hayes, who places a pheasant's feather on his grave.

By your friends you shall be remembered. Eddie had a load of them both in Cashel where he never lost touch with the local scene and whereto he regularly returned to watch and support the local teams, and in his job as agricultural adviser with Bayer (Ireland) Ltd. Last year his friends in Bayer contributed in order to establish a fitting memorial to his name. They had a trophy specially sculpted, which they presented to West Bord na nOg and which replaced the Caiseal Ri Chormaic Cup for the divisional under-14 'B' hurling championship. The money outstanding after the commissioning of the trophy was presented to Cashel Bord na nÓg for the promotion of youth activity in the town.

It was a fitting way to remember Eddie Ryan, who had such a successful career as a young player with Cashel. The trophy was presented to Bord na nOg last year and the first winners were Lattin-Cullen. The second name to be inscribed on the trophy is that of Eddie's own club, Caiseal Ri Chormaic, who succeeded in beating Eire Og in the final last Sunday night. It was the club's first victory in the competition since 1983, a sign of the decline in underage success in the town since the glory days of the seventies when Eddie was in his prime.

<span class="postTitle">Cashel King Cormac's</span> All-Ireland Club Hurling Quarter-Final, London, February 2, 1992

Cashel King Cormac's

All-Ireland Club Hurling Quarter-Final, London, February 2, 1992

When Cashel won the county senior hurling championship of Tipperary in 1991 it was the first time the club achieved this honour in its 101 years history. During that long period it contested four other finals. Three of these were played in 1937, 1939 and 1940, and the fourth in 1989. 

A team from Cashel did contest a county final before 1937.  This was in 1910 when a team from the parish, Racecourse, beat Toomevara in the county final by 3-0 to 2-2.  The losers objected and Racecourse counter-objected.  Eventually it was decided that the final be replayed and Racecourse decisively won by 5-2 to 0-3. Toomevara again objected, claiming that no fewer than seven of the Racecourse team had played with other teams in the 1910 championship. The north side were awarded the match but the verdict wasn't well received in Cashel, where Toomevara were referred to as the 'paper champions.'

The Cashel Gaelic Club  was founded in 1888 after a few abortive earlier attempts. The first chairman was Dr. Tom Wood, the father of the present chairman of the Cashel U.D.C., Richard Wood. One of the rules of the new club was that the members pay one penny per week to meet the expenses.

Since the west division in the county wasn't formed until 1930, Cashel played either in the south or the mid divisional championships. The club won the south senior hurling championship in 1913 and 1914, and a junior hurling championship in 1924.  In the latter year Cashel also won a mid junior football championship.  The west division came into existence in 1930 and since then the club has won 14 senior divisional championships in hurling.  Leading the roll of honour with seven senior medals is Mickey 'The Dasher' Murphy. 

The first players from the club to win All-Ireland medals were Mick Devitt, Tom Connors and Mick Dargan. They were on the Tipperary team that won the first junior football All-Ireland in 1912.  Tom Connors son, Michael, has spent the last 40 years of his life in England and is presently living in Didcot.  He is the proud possessor of his father's medal.

The first All-Ireland senior hurling medal winner was Jimmy Hickey, who was on the Boherlahan selection in 1925, having won a junior medal the previous year.  Later winners were Jack Gleeson in 1937, Jim Devitt in 1945 and 1949, Peter O'Sullivan in 1964, 1965 and 1971, and the Bonnar brothers in 1989 and 1991.

Probably the greatest period of success in the club's history, before the present time, was in the seventies, when there was tremendous success at underage level.  For some reason this never translated into senior success until the present and it is significant that six of the current panel first achieved success at county level over twenty years ago.  At the present time the club has won county titles in all grades except in intermediate and senior football.

<span class="postTitle">A Cashel London Connection - Jack Gleeson</span> All-Ireland Club S.H. Championship Quarter-Final Program, Ruislip, London, Feb. 9, 1992

A Cashel London Connection - Jack Gleeson

All-Ireland Club S.H. Championship Quarter-Final Program, Ruislip, London, Feb. 9, 1992

London won their first junior All-Ireland in 1938 when they beat Cork in the junior hurling final. The game was played at Harrow Meadow, Eltham, London on October 30. Cork came to London with tradition and an impressive championship campaign behind them, which included victories over Tipperary, Limerick, Clare, Offaly and Antrim. However, there was a shock in store for them as they were defeated by 4-4 to 4-1 in a game that finished in semi-darkness. 

The main reason for London's success was the quality of the players on the team. They benefitted from having four or five players who were obviously above junior standard. They included 'lovely Johnny Dunne' who had scored the winning goal for Kilkenny versus Limerick in the 1932 All-Ireland senior final, and Jack Gleeson, who played centrefield for Tipperary in the All-Ireland final at Killarney the previous year. The 1938 victory gave him the chance of putting two AlI-lrelands, a senior and a junior, back to back. 

Mention of Jack Gleeson brings up the Cashel connection. He was born at Shanballa, three miles from Cashel in 1910. His sister Helena still lives in the home place. Jack started hurling with Rockwell Rovers but later transferred to Cashel where he won a junior divisional medal in 1933 and a senior in 1934. He transferred to Roscrea in 1936 when he went to work at Roscrea Meat Products and won a north divisional medal with the club 

in 1937. As luck would have it Cashel were west champions the same year and played Roscrea in the county semi-final at Borrisoleigh. Cashel were behind by nine points at half-time but came storming back to win by a goal. Gleeson got plenty of slagging from the Cashel supporters that day. In the same year Jack was picked for the county and won his All-Ireland senior medal when Tipperary beat Kilkenny by 3-11 to 0-3. According to one newspaper account Gleeson vindicated his selection at centrefield beside the more famous Jimmy Cooney. 'Perhaps too much was expected of Cooney but, whatever it was, Gleeson stole most of his thunder and justified the confidence of the selectors. A ragged rather than a spectacular worker, he revelled in the hard exchanges and staked a very strong claim to a permanent berth on the team. 

London 

Jack Gleeson didn't get a permanent place on the team because he emigrated to London at the end of 1937 and was, apparently, drafted into the London side for the All-Ireland junior championship. According to the report of the final London were well served by their county players, including Jim Shaughnessy of Cork and Jack Gleeson of Tipperary. The latter may not have started the game because the teams I have to hand does not include his name. It reads: J. Shaughnessy, J. Dunne, T. Walker, E. Eade, J. Hickey, E. Foulds, L. Moran, J. Dwyer (Capt.), J. Farrell, M. Regan, J. Hardiman, T. Reaney, B. Hickey, N. Noonan, D. Hoyne. That may have been the original selection and Gleeson may have started the game or come in early on. It is certain, however, that he played. 

There were two other Cashel men on that team, Batt and Johnny Hickey. Batt was one of the finest hurlers in Cashel in the thirties, playing junior and senior hurling with the club before emigrating in 1937. His usual position was in the backs. Johnny was a younger brother. They had a more famous older brother, Jimmy, who was at the height of career in the twenties. He won a junior All-Ireland with Tipperary in 1924 and was on the Boherlahan selection which won the senior All-Ireland in 1925 thus making him the first Cashel man to win an All-Ireland senior medal. Jimmy was a very tall man, about 6 I 4" and was reputed to jump his own height for the ball. His All-Ireland and Munster medals were in existence until a few years ago when his sister donated them to the Parish Priest of her parish in England to be used in the making of a chalice. 

But, to get back to the final! The match was of a very high standard although the pitch was slippery. After the victory the Michael Cusack Cup was presented to the London teams by Jack Shalloe, chairman of the Provincial Council of Britain. The Cork trainer, Jim Barry, admitted it was the best junior final he had ever seen. Finally, Eddie Foulds of Dagenham, the only Englishman on the London side, made a fine contribution to his side's victory.

<span class="postTitle">The West's Awake</span> West Tipperary Division Senior Hurling Final Program at Emly, August 20, 1989

The West's Awake

West Tipperary Division Senior Hurling Final Program at Emly, August 20, 1989

Senior Hurling Final day in the West is a good day to reflect on the contribution of the division to the fortunes of the county at a senior level. Whatever may have been the story in the past there isn't a shadow of doubt that the West has contributed enormously to the present revival of Tipperary's hurling fortunes.

Most commentators on last Sunday's victory over Galway have made the point that the most impressive line on the field of play was our inside forward line, which scored 1-12 of the team's total of 1-17. And,everyone reading this today is aware that the three forwards who made such an impression were Pat Fox of Eire Óg, Cormac Bonnar of Cashel King Cormacs and Nicholas English of Lattin-Cullen.

But the contribution of this division didn't end there. Of the total panel of twenty-three, no fewer that nine players came from the West, representative of five clubs. As well as those mentioned above, Clonoulty-Rossmore were represented by Declan Ryan, Joe Hayes and John Kennedy, Golden-Kilfeacle by John Leamy, and Cashel had two more Bonnars, Conal and Colm.

Significantly, all of them, with the exception of John Leamy, made their contribution to victory on the field of play.
 

Late Arrivals
 

Observers from other division are wont to make the point that the West was a late arrival on the hurling sene and that much wasn't heard from the division before the eighties. There is a certain truth in the observation but it is by no means the whole truth.

Since the division was formed in 1930 its hurlers have made a respectable contribution to the county's senior hurling victories. During that period Tipperary won twelve senior All-Irelands and the men from the West had a contribution to make in eleven of them.

The exception was 1930 when the division had no representative. However, there were two who played their part in the 1937 victory over Kilkenny at Killarney. Jack Gleeson of Shanballa, Cashel and Bill O'Donnell of Golden and Eire Óg, Gleeson played at centrefield, went to London later the same year and won an All-Ireland junior medal with London the following year. O'Donnell played corner-forward and was to help Eire Óg to become the first team from the division to take the county senior hurling title six years later.

In 1945 the West had two representatives again. At right-corner back was the ten and a half stone Jim Devitt of Cashel, a most improbable occupant of the position. Declining health meant that he retired after getting a second medal in 1949 at the age of twenty-seven years.

At the other end of the field was the Clonoulty-Rossmore star, Tony Brennan, playing at full-forward. It was to be the first of four All-Irelands for Tony. He was the only representative (excepting Jim Devitt in 1949) from the division on the successful three-in-a-row teams of 1949, 1950 and 1951. In these All-Ireland he changed ends and gave sterling service at full-back, providing maximum cover for Tony Reddin in the days when Michael McGrath's indescretion against Conor Donovan would have been regarded as a mere passing irritation.

There's a bit of a blank in the 1958 team. The man between the posts in that All-Ireland was John O'Grady of 'Culbaire' fame. However, his shadow on the occasion was Terry Moloney from Arravale Rovers. Terry had made his name with St. Flannan's College, won an All-Ireland minor medal with Tipperary in 1957 and, still a minor, beaten unexpectedly by Limerick in the first round of the 1958 championship. His prowess with the minors was sufficient to have him drafted in as cover for John O'Grady in the 1958 senior campaign.
 

Goalkeeping Tradition
 

Terry Moloney started a great tradition of West goalkeepers on successful Tipperary teams. He himself wasn't quite so successful. He took over from O'Grady, who retired because of faulty vision, in the 1959 championship but Tipperary were massacred by a rampant Waterford in the Munster semi-final. He was again unfortunate to be on the losing side against Wexford in the 1960 All-Ireland. So, he had to be satisfied with his 1958 medal because he was out of favour by the following year.

His place on the 1961 team was taken by Kickhams player, Donal O'Brien. Donal had a shorter innings between the posts but became the proud possessor of two All-Ireland medals when Tipperary succeeded against Dublin in 1961 and against Wexford in 1962.

The remarkable supply of goalkeepers from the West division, begun by Terry Moloney in 1958, was to continue until 1972, with the exception of 1963, when Toomevara's Roger Mounsey occupied the position. (Interestingly the tradition is revived in the 1989 side with John Leamy of Golden-Kilfeacle holding the position of sub-goalie.)

John O'Donoghue of Arravale Rovers took over in 1964 and guarded the net in that year's All-Ireland victory over Kilkenny and in the 1965 success against Wexford. He might have had four-in-a-row had Tipperary not been beaten in the 1967 and 1968 finals.

John was replaced by Peter O'Sullivan of Cashel King Cormacs during the 1970 championship and held the position until 1972. He was on the last All-Ireland winning side in 1971 and had two other West players for company in the victory over Kilkenny. John Kelly of Cappawhite played at full-back on that successful side and Dinny Ryan of Sean Treacys played at wing-forward. It was the biggest representation the West ever had on an All-Ireland winning side and may have been an omen of future developments in thecounty.

Therefore, our present players, who will represent the division on September 3, can carry into the All-Ireland final a great belief in their own contribution to the present revival of the county's fortunes but also the knowledge that they are the bearers of a very repectable tradition, which has contributed significantly to the county's senior hurling success since the division was formed.

<span class="postTitle">Slievenamon</span> County Hurling Quarter-Finals, Leahy Park, Cashel, September 20, 1987

Slievenamon

County Hurling Quarter-Finals, Leahy Park, Cashel, September 20, 1987

Charles Kickham's song has always been popular in the county - it could be called the County Anthem. But it has achieved a new significance this year with Tipperary's emergence from the Munster championship after sixteen years in the wilderness. Richard Stakelum's rendering of the song after receiving the Munster Cup in Killarney touched responsive chords in the hearts of Tipperary people everywhere. 

The rousing reception to the song was an understandable response after so many years of defeat and frustration. It gave vent to the county's relief and exhilaration after such a succession of failures. It carried a tone of triumphalism that rang out over Fitzgerald Stadium and teased the ears of Cork supporters as they made their hurried exits. I experienced a similar full-blooded rendering of the song in Patrick McGrath's pub in Drumcondra on the morning of the All-Ireland semi-final at Croke Park. 

The song holds a similar position in Tipperary as 'Boolavogue' does in Wexford or 'The Banks' in Cork or, more recently, 'You're a Lady' in Limerick. 

The strength of 'Slievenamon' must rest on its very fine melody. Even without the words it's a great tune. It represents the Romantic Ireland that W.B. Yeats thought was 'dead and gone'. Kickham was the great exponent of Romantic Nationalism in his writings and 'Slievenamon' was one of the finest expressions of the feeling. 

The song's association with Kickham makes it all the more attractive. The Mullinahone writer endured hardship and want, ill-health and imprisonment, during his relatively short life of fifty-four years. Yet, in his great novel 'Knocknagow', which he sub-titled 'The Homes of Tipperary', he gave us the story of the indomitable spirit of Matt the Thresher and pride in one's place. 

I thought the singing of 'Slievenamon' brings some of these thoughts and feelings to our minds. We have returned from the wilderness to the edge of hurling greatness again. We have triumphed over the failures and frustrations of the past number of years. We have come again into our own, back, almost, to our rightful place as the premier county in hurling. We can again take pride in our county. The name of Tipperary is once again a name to be feared and respected, as it was in the great fifties and sixties. 

The interesting thing about this development is that is also touches those who don't remember the glory days. It's amazing the resurgence of interest in the county among the young. The number of teenage boys and girls who made the journey to Croke Park on August 9th was staggering. They were finding out for the first time what it was to be from Tipperary just as the rest of us were re-discovering the indescribable pleasure of being Tipperary men and women. 

All of this may seem somewhat remote from to-day's county quarter-final clashes at Pairc Sean Ui Laochadha. But it isn't. Johnny Leahy, better known as Captain Johnny Leahy, after whom this field is named, represented the same indomitable spirit about which Kickham wrote. The great writer himself was born in the parish of Cashel, about a mile out the Fethard Road. According to the story his mother came in from Mullinahone to shop in Cashel in 1828 and went into labour on her way home. Charles was born in her parents' place in Mockler's Hill. And, in the distance, as one looks at it, it is tempting to imagine the scene on the morning that Fionn Mac Cumhail chose his bride, a marathon of women labouring up the sides of the mountain and their disappointment of finding Deirdre in Fionn's arms when they scaled the peak. 

Alone, all alone by the wave-washed strand
And alone in the crowded hall
The hall it is gay and the wayes they are grand
But my heart is not here at all! 
It flies far away, by night and by day
To the times and the joys that are gone. 
And I never shall forget the sweet maiden I met
In the Valley near Slievenamon .

It was not the grace of her queenly air
Not her cheek of the rose's glow
Nor her soft black eyes, nor her flowing hair
Nor was it her lily-white brow.
'Twas the soul of truth and of melting ruth
And the smile like a summer dawn
That stole my heart away one soft summer day
In the Valley near Slievenamon

In the festive hall, by the star-watched shore
Ever my restless spirit cries: 
"My love, oh my love, shall I ne 'er see you more? 
And, my land, will you never uprise?" 
By night and by day I ever, ever pray
While lonely my life flows on
To see our flag unrolled and my true love to enfold
In the Valley near Slievenamon.

<span class="postTitle">Tommy Butler</span> County Senior Hurling semi-final progam, Sept. 30th, 1984

Tommy Butler

County Senior Hurling semi-final progam, Sept. 30th, 1984

Surely the best-known Drom Inch man must be Tommy Butler! If for no other reason, he was our sole All-Star in 1978. Or, that he was the only Tipperary man to win the RTE Goal of the Year Award. It may be that the present generation have heard of no other Drom Inch county senior hurling players.

Perhaps people have forgotten about a great predecessor of Tommy's, Seamus Bannon, who won senior All-Irelands in 1949, 1950 and 1951. Another great Drom Inch man was Mick Kennedy, who starred on the great Limerick team of the thirties. In the same decade Phil Farrell was on the Dublin winning team of 1938 and, in the previous decade, Tom Barry of Dovea won two All-Irelands, also with Dublin, in 1924 and 1927. Coming nearer to the present Tommy's brother, Eamon, captained the county intermediate team to victory in the 1971 All-Ireland. On the same team was another brother, Seamus, and two clubmates, Oliver Quinn and Jim Carey. On today's team for the replay of the quarter-final is Pat Looby, who has the distinction of winning a minor All-Ireland in 1976 and an under-21 in 1979. In all not a bad record for a parish of eleven hundred people.

Family

It coul be said that the Butler name is synonymous with Drom Inch. With six boys in the family, and they all hurling, it was bound to be so. All six brothers were on when the club won their first senior mid-final in 1974. (The date was September 9 and, coincidentally, they won their second on September 9, 1984.) That was a great victory for the club but Tommy remembers a victory over Borrisoleigh the previous year with even greater delight. They had been beaten by Thurles Sarsfields in the mid-final and went out the following Sunday against Borrisoleigh in the county championship without much hope. At half-time they had even less hope and it continued so into the second half when Drom Inch were twelve points down. Then things began to change as they started to score goals and they continued scoring to the consternation of Borrisoleigh to go home winners by a goal. Bonfires were lit in the parish that night in celebration of this victory over the neighbouring giants. It didn't matter, as Tommy said, that they had won nothing at all. Instead they had achieved the impossible.

School

Tommy went to school to Templemore C.B.S. And the high point of his hurling career there was to win three competitions, the Croke and Kinane Cups and Corn Phádraig, in 1968. He was captain of one of the teams. The next year he did the Leaving Certificate. 'That was the year the papers were stolen and we had to repeat the examination.' He went to work in Drombane Creamery soon after and has been there since. An Inch man, he is married with two children and lives near the Ragg.

He doesn't like admitting it but he got fourteen trials for the county minors in 1969 and failed to make the team! He remembers counting up the number for his father. However, it may have been the selectors were at fault because he proved his mettle the following year by making the under-21 team and he retained his position in 1971 and 1972. These weren't the most successful years but he did win a Munster medal in 1972 only to be beaten by Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final at Nenagh.

County Seniors

Tommy's career on the county senior team stretches from 1974, when he came on against Limerick in the last match of the league, to 1980. They weren't the best of years to be on the Tipperary senior team. He missed a League medal in 1975, when Galway defeated them in the final at Limerick. He won one eventually four years later, when Tipperary reversed the 1975 result. In between there wasn't much to shout about in the line of victories. There was a Railway Cup medal in 1978 at wing-forward and an All-Star Award at number 11. Probably his greatest display was in the Munster championship of 1976, when he got the better of John Horgan, until the latter was taken off.

A Club Man

Tommy is, above all, a Drom Inch man with a long number of years of service to the club: he first played senior with them in 1966! He came in as a replacement goalkeeper against Thurles Sarsfields that year. He believes that the present team has something that previous teams hadn't, a faith in themselves. He is unreserved in attributing this to their trainer, Brother Daithi Fitzgerald, a Doon man teaching in Thurles C.B.S. Allied to that is a commitment that gives an hundred percent turnout for training. Br. Fitzgerald has been with them since May and has changed their traditional training to concentrating on man-to-man combat for ball possession. Everything in training revolves around these tussles for the ball. Another inspiration has been their new curate, Fr. Ryan from Newport, who played a couple of games until injured earlier this year. He is full of enthusiasm and has inculcated it in the team.

Success

Success hasn't been confined to the seniors this year. In minor and under-21 hurling and in junior football the club is also having a successful run. Though the parish is small it has two playing pitches. One is near the Ragg and it's in the hands of the club since the thirties, but has never been developed: 'I suppose we've always been hoping to get one nearer the cross.' This is the field the seniors train in. There's another field in Drom and more underage games are played there.

Tommy is quietly confident that Drom Inch will win today's replay. 'We played way below our best in the drawn game and were still too close to the exertions required to win the Mid the previous Sunday.' In that Mid final Tommy was the hero and he was again the toast of the parish with his equalising point against Éire Óg last Sunday. There is no doubt that his contribution with be crucial to today's outcome. 

<span class="postTitle">Hurling in the Eighteenth Century</span> County S.H. Quarter-Final Program, Cashel, Sept. 16, 1984

Hurling in the Eighteenth Century

County S.H. Quarter-Final Program, Cashel, Sept. 16, 1984

Looking through the records of some hurling matches in the eighteenth century, we find that hurling in Ulster is not a modem sport. Two centuries ago Antrim had hurlers. It is recorded that in the severe winter of 1740 there was a hurling match on the ice on Lough Neagh. 

We find, however, that about this period the game was more extensively played outside of Ulster. Records exist of strenuous contests like the "grand match of hurling in May 1748, on Crumlin Commons between the Provinces of Leinster and Munster, in which the former came off victorious. Munster unsatisfied with the result sought a replay, and about a week later they met on the same grounds. Keen on winning Munster picked "a chosen set" but "their utmost efforts were all to no purpose, for Leinster after about an hour's struggle, gained a complete victory." Not yet satisfied, Munster asked a further trial, and "the greatest match of hurling ever played in this Kingdom" was promised, but after the necessary preparations were made, "Munster thought it proper to decline the combat." 

Hats Were Lost

In September, 1775, there was a match between Co. Tipperary and the Lower Ormond "band of hurlers" on the Commons of Ballingarry, near Borrisokane, when after an hour and fifteen minutes trial, the "invincible Lower Ormonians, according to their usual methods, put out a fair and undisputed goaL" It was computed that there were 10,000 spectators at this match "who quietly separated in the evening without the least accident or irregularity, except a few hats that were lost in the huzzaing." 

In September, 1755, there was a hurling match at Lyons, Co. Kildare, between the gentlemen of Kildare and Dublin, at which the Marquess of Hartington (then Lord Lieutenant) and "a most brilliant appearance of nobility and gentry were present. Yes, the Gentry played the game of hurling then, for it is recorded that in a match about this period between the Counties of Kilkenny and Tipperary the teams were mainly composed of "gentry of the highest respectability from both Counties." 

Horsemen as Stewards

"In honour of their illustrious country, and to encourage reward and honour, bravery and hardihood from whatever part of Ireland they might come." a hurling match was played in July, 1814, on Kensington Commons, London, by some gentlemen of Ireland, the teams (18 a side) being named St. Giles and Wapping. The Duke of Wellington and staff formed portion of 20.000 interested spectators. Gentlemen on horseback acted as stewards, and the dexterity of the players amazed the onlookers. The match was for 200 guineas, and the result was a draw. 

In July, 1792, a cricket match, held in the Phoenix Park, was described as a form of 

Irish hurling, but the latter ''was much more strenuous." It was not safe to be a spectator at these strenuous matches, for in September, 1756 a woman got her eye knocked out at Crumlin, and another got her leg broken. Nor was it advisable to interfere between players, for at a match at Glounanere, near Cashel, in 1774, James Raighelly (was he the referee?) in attempting to make peace between two players, was killed with a stroke of a hurley. 

Phoenix Park 'Scenes'

In July, 1779, complaints were made "that a mob of people assemble on Sundays in the Phoenix Park, adjoining the residence of Mr. Gardiner, High Sheriff, to play football and hurling matches, and most horrid profanement of drunkenness, riot, and fighting are practised, and these Sabbath breakers are permitted to remain unmolested in defiance of the law, divine and human." 

A century and a half has passed since these complaints were made, and the conduct of the game has greatly altered, but if some of those spirits could return to life and hear the "huzzaing" on an All-Ireland Final day at Croke Park, they would conclude that during their long retirement those "wild Irish" had become even more enthusiastic over their national game. 

<span class="postTitle">Phil Shanahan - Toomevara</span> County S.H. Quarter-Final Program, Cashel, Sept. 16, 1984

Phil Shanahan - Toomevara

County S.H. Quarter-Final Program, Cashel, Sept. 16, 1984

When one mentions Phil Shanahan one is talking about one of the great centrefield players that the county has produced down the years. He holds his place in the company of other names who have made that part of the field their own, players of the calibre of Tommy Treacy, Jimmy Cooney, Theo English and Mick Roche. Phil was a fine centrefield player, a real Toomevara Greyhound, who could stay going all day, a man with a tremendous workrate. A powerful man, he could hold his own with the best and he was always in tip top shape. He played at a time when centrefield play was much more vital in the scheme of hurling things than it is today.

He was centrefield on the three-in-a-row teams of 1949, 1950 and 1951, alongside different partners in each year, Sean Kenny, Seamus Bannon and fellow-Toomevara player, John Hough. He was one of eight players who played in the same position for the three championships.

Born in the parish of Toomevara in January 1928, Phil showed early promise making his debut at senior level with his club in the 1945 championship, while still only seventeen years of age. Toomevara were back in senior ranks for the first time since 1938, when they failed to field a team in the first round of the senior championship. In 1946 Phil won his first divisional medal when Toomevara defeated Roscrea in the North final, their first victory since 1931.

He made his county debut with the minors in 1946. In the Munster final against Cork he collected a mis-hit seventy-yard free near the end of the game to score the winning goal and win the match by a point. Galway were well-beaten in the All-Ireland semi-final but the final was lost to Dublin in the infamous Billy O’Brien goalmouth incident. In the last few minutes the Dublin forwards succeeded in getting the ball over the goal line for a goal, which was only awarded after a three-minute consultation between the referee, M. J. Flaherty of Galway, and the umpires. Both the umpires claimed that the goalie, Billy O’Brien of Nenagh, had been fouled before the goal was scored but the referee didn’t see the foul and allowed the goal. Dublin won by 1-6 to 0-7.

Phil’s first entry into senior ranks was to be selected on the 1948/49 National League team at. Tipperary qualified for the final against Cork at Thurles in February. They won by two points and Phil had a good game at centrefield, partnered by Pat Stakelum. It was Tipperary’s first victory in the competition since 1928 and a great boost for the championship.

Tipperary were drawn against the same opposition in the first round of the championship and it took them two-and-a-half hours to achieve victory. It was the start of three glorious years during which Phil played a pivotal role at centrefield. As well as winning three Munster finals and three All-Irelands he also won two more National League medals, in 1950 and 1952 respectively. Another medal was to be won in 1957. As well as the medals, there were two trips to the U.S., in 1950 and again in 1957.

Other achievements from this period include an Oireachtas medal in 1949 and successive Monaghan Cup medals between 1949-1953. Thomond Feis medals were won in 1949 and 1951. He was on the successful Ireland teams in the Representative Games series in 1952 and 1953, winning the Sports Star of the Week award in 1952 for his display on Joe Salmon of Galway. Four Railway Cup medals were won in 1950, 1951, 1952 and 1953. He was long puck champion of Ireland in 1951.

Early in 1950 Phil left his father’s farm to work in Johnson Mooney and O’Brien bakery in Dublin and play hurling with the Young Irelands club. He continued playing for Tipperary until 1953, moving to centreforward in the latter year. He played for Dublin in 1954 and 1955, partnering Norman Allen in the former and Con Murphy in the latter year at centrefield. Dublin were beaten by Wexford in the 1954 Leinster final and by Kilkenny in the 1955 Leinster semi-final. 

In 1956 he changed jobs and joined Esso (Ireland) Ltd. and started working at Clonmel. He started playing for Toomevara and Tipperary once again. He won his fourth National League medal in 1957 and got his second trip to the U.S. in October. In the meantime Tipperary lost the Munster championship semi-final, defeated 5-2 to 1-11 in one of the most tantalising defeats ever suffered by the county. It was a game that Tipperary should have won and it was lost through a combination of adverse circumstances together with a share of ill-luck.

Phil retired from inter-county hurling after returning from the league trip to the U.S. Then began a very fruitful period of his career with Toomevara. He played in seven consecutive North finals from 1957-63, winning four and losing in 1957, 1959 and 1963. He captained the team in 1958. There were three county final appearances, with defeats in 1958 and 1961, and a great victory over Thurles Sarsfields in 1960, a victory that prevented the Thurles club winning six in a row.

Phil eventually retired from club hurling in 1966 after a career of over twenty years. He turned his attention to training and coaching. His training career began with Portlaoise, where he helped the club to five senior football titles between 1966 and 1971. He attained a coaching certificate in hurling in 1977. When he retired from Esso in 1982 he trained and coached Killenaule to win three South Tipperary intermediate championships in hurling, in 1983, 1985 and 1986.

Married to Joan Power in 1958 and with a family of three sons, Phil Shanahan has contributed enormously to the G.A.A. at club and county level. He believes passionately in the game of hurling and has put that belief into practice through his coaching and training. He is very articulate on the G.A.A. and can speak at length of his playing days and the great players he met. He was always professional in his approach to the game and his dedication to training and preparation made him a man before his time. The Tipperary county board couldn’t afford county training before the 1949 league final and the players had to train themselves. Phil recalls: ‘I used to get up at seven o’clock in the morning and run and sprint in our field at the back of the house in order to achieve the required standard of fitness to beat this great Cork team.’ Such dedication is remarkable and was reflected in the many great performances he gave for his club and his county.

<span class="postTitle">Lorrha's Six Senior Hurling Titles</span> North Division S.H. Final Program, Aug. 19, 1984

Lorrha's Six Senior Hurling Titles

North Division S.H. Final Program, Aug. 19, 1984

Lorrha succeeded in winning the North Tipperary Senior hurling championship on six occasions, 1905, 1914, 1924, 1948, 1956 and 1966. 

The club's first participation in the county championship was in 1889. The club first played in the North championship in 1903. They achieved their first success in 1905 when they defeated De Wets 3-5 to 2-1.

From start to finish Lorrha held the lead, their opponents not heing able to equalise at any point of the game, and the conclusion was received with amazement, by De Wets more than anybody else. On their way to the final Lorrha accounted for Toomevara, Youghalarra and Templederry. The final was played at Terryglass on April 8, 1906. De Wets had won the North fimal since it began and were quite confident of victory. The Lorrha team, according to a contemporary photograph, was as follows: Jack Burke, Dick Gardiner, Jack Carroll, Paddy 0' Meara, Pat O'Meara, Jim Hogan, Major Sammon, Michael O'Donoghue, Paddy Hogan, Tom O'Donoghue, Bill Bollard, John Lambe, Joe Sammon, Pat Sammon, T. F. O'Meara. (capt.) , Jim O'Meara, John Quirke. 

Lorrha didn't affiliate any team in the senior championsnip for the three years prior to 1914. The club got a bye into the second round of that year's championship and played Borrisokane in the semi-final. The match was played at Terryglass on October 11 and seldom have spectators seen such a brilliant display of the caman. The result was 2-2 to 0-2 in favour of Lorrha. The North final was played at Ardcroney on November 22 and Lorrha's opponents were Templederry. There was a fine crowd but the game did not live up to expectations. At half-time Lorrha were ahead by 2-2 to nil and went on to win by 4-2 to 1-0. In winning this championship Lorrha interrupted Toomevara's sequence of victories just as they had done with De Wets in 1905. The winning team was: M. O'Donoghue (capt.), F.X. Cronin, Tom Duffy, John Lambe, Pat O'Meara, T. F. O'Meara, J. J. Madden, Con Sherlock, Mick Needham, Tim Sullivan, Jack Carroll, Joe Carroll, Tom Burke, William Harding, Jack Dillon. There are also claims for the inclusion of Johnny Gaynor in the team. 

Ten years later Lorrha won their next senior championship. This time their opponents in the final were Nenagh. They defeated Ballymackey and Cloughjordan in earlier rounds and had a convincing win of 7-3 to 0-3 in the final at Terryglass on September 25. Jim (the Private) O'Meara played for Nenagh that day and his brother, Bill, played for Lorrha. No Lorrha lineout was given with the report of the game but the probable team is as follow: Paddy Gaynor, Johnny Gaynor, Mick O'Meara, Dinny O'Meara, Bill O'Meara, Tom Burke, Bob Young, Jack Kennedy, Mick Cronin, Paddy Hogan, Dan O'Donoghue, Willie Carroll, Nick Forde, Con Sherlock, and Tom Duffy. 

Twenty-four years were to elapse before Lorrha were to capture the senior title again. The final was played at Nenagh on August 22 before a crowd of 8,000 people in appalling weather. Their opponents were Borrisoleigh and Lorrha won by 5-4 to 2-4 on a day when Tony Reddin had an outstanding game. On their path to the final Lorrha defeated Borrisokane, Roscrea and Kiladangan. The lineout was as follows: Tony Reddin, Paddy O'Sullivan, Dan O'Donoghue, Michael O'Meara (Lisballyard), Tom Lambe, Mick Brophy, Jim O'Meara, Eugene O'Meara, Paddy Guinan, Mick O'Meara (Blakefield), Tommy Ryan, Dan O'Meara( capt.), Brendan O'Donoghue, Michael O'Meara (Roughan), Billy Hogan. 

Lorrha won their fifth title in 1956 when they defeated Borrisoleigh at Nenagh on September 9 by 4-8 to 0-18. The score itself tells a tale of the loser's respect for Tony Reddin's goalkeeping ability. Lorrha lost the first round against Kilruane when they were defeated 1-14 to 1-2 at Borrisokane on May 13. Entering the loser's group they accounted for Moneygall and Toomevara on their way to the final against Borrisoleigh. The team for the final was: Tony Reddin, Seamus King, Paul Slevin, Billy Hogan, Johnny Larkin, Davy O'Sullivan, Paddy O'Meara, Hubie Hogan, Phil McIntyre, Eugene 0'Meara, Mick Brophy (capt.), Sean O'Meara, Paddy Madden, Paddy Guinan, John Moloney. 

Lorrha's last senior title was in 1966 when they defeated Toomevara by the minimum of margins, 3-11 to 2-13, on August 28. Toomevara led by 2-7 to 1-5 at half-time. This was the first time the Frank McGrath cup was won by Lorrha. They had an interesting path to the final that year. They beat St. Flannan's, a combination of Kildangan and Shannon Rovers, in the first round. They took three matches to defeat Eire Óg, before overcoming Kilruane MacDonaghs in the semi-final. The Lorrha divisional champions, that year were: Gerry Moylan, Michael Liffey, Paddy O'Meara, Seamus O'Meara, Liam King, Sean O'Meara, Michael Gleeson, Wilsy Morris, Jim Lane, Noel Lane, Jim Ryan, Peter Hogan, Paddy Madden, Michael Doyle, Michael 0' Meara.

<span class="postTitle">Tony Reddin</span> North Division S.H. Final Program, Aug. 19, 1984

Tony Reddin

North Division S.H. Final Program, Aug. 19, 1984

In a fine nostalgic piece in the 1981 Tipperary G.A.A. Yearbook, Seamus Leahy recalls a visit from his uncle Paddy and Jimmy Maher after Lorrha's defeat by Holycross in the 1948 county final. He produced an autograph- book and his uncle Paddy wrote: 'Sensation: Holycross won county championship 1948. Tipp will win All-Ireland championship 1949. Signed: P. Leahy.' Then he handed the book to Jimmy Maher, who wrote: 'Jim Maher, Boherlahan.'

'Identify yourself!, urged Paddy. 'Jim Maher, Boherlahan could be anyone. Write 'Tipp goalie.' 

'Not after today,' said Jimmy, sadly but signing, just the same. 'Didn't you see your man, Reddin, today? He's your goalie now.' 

Jimmy was right. After eight years as Tipperary's senior goalkeeper he was to give way to this 'unknown' who had shown unusual ability during the North championship.. There hadn't been many players from that remote northern parish who had achieved county status but Tony Reddin was to he an outstanding representative for the next nine years. 

Lorrha had qualified for that county final game against Holycross when they defeated Cashel in the semi-final at Thurles on September 19. On that day Tipperary lost to Cork by 6-10 to 1-7 in the Thomond Tournament. Paddy Fleming of Carrick was on goal. In the previous summer they had gone down to Limerick in the championship by 8-4 to 6-4. According to one report of the game: 'Maher did not. bring off his usual spectacular saves'. There was obviously.a place for a new goalie and Reddin seemed to be the obvious choice for the position. 

He was picked for the first league game against Offaly at Birr on October 24 and had a fine game on goal when Tipperary won by 7-6 to 1-2. The next match was the 1948 league final, which should have been played the. previous spring. Cork won by 3-3 to 1-2 despite ,the 'splendid goalkeeping of Reddin'. Tipperary had three more league games before the final at Thurles on February 27, 1949 when they reversed the. previous October verdict and defeated Cork by 3-5 to 3-2 on a day that Reddin saved brilliantly between the sticks. It was Tipperary's first major victory since 1945 and they had scored 22 goals 31 points and conceded 8 goals and 18 points in the series of games.

Tony did not appear full-blown on the hurling scene in 1948 but had a long apprenticeship to the game which began when he won his only county final medal, -a juvenile wi th Mullagh in 1933. Later he played with Galway juniors and seniors and with the Connaght Railway Cup team. In fact he played full-forward with Galway against Tipperary in the Monaghan Cup game in London in 1946, the year before he came to Lorrha. He also won a Connaght junior hurling medal in 1940.

However, it wasn't until he. crossed the Shannon that his true potential was realised. Probably the man who most helped him to realise that potential was Fr. O'Meara, who arrived in the parish not long before Tony. He first met Tony at Ned Wells' of Derrylahan and established an important rapport with him. Tony was then timid and shy and a little unsure of himself and Fr. O'Meara nurtured and developed his confidence. His influence on Tony was such that he travelled with him regularly to matches and acted in a supportive role as Tony found his feet. lt was Fr. O' Meara who covered Tony in a clerical hat and short coat in order to protect him from disappointed Cork supporters after the Munster final at Killarney in July 1950. 

Tony's innate genius blossomed under this protection. Tipperary played seventeen major games in 1949 with Reddin between the posts. Six of the games were championship, three were league and the remainder were major tournaments. One game. was drawn and the remainder. won and the· total score was 68 goals 167 points for Tipperary and 31, goals 90 points against. During the course of his entire career with the county he played approximately one hundred major games and was. on the winning side eighty-seven times. Whereas this success rate was a tribute to the standard of Tipperary hurling during the period, it was also in no small way due to the brilliance of the man between the posts. 

Another interesting aspect of Tony's career in hurling was the regularity with which he turned out. From the first game he played with the county in October 1948 until he was dropped for the Monaghan Cup after the league defeat in May 1956, I can find only one match, a league game against Limerick at Kilmallock on Fehruary 6, 1955, when he didn't turn out. Having lost his place for the 1956 championship he showed a final flash of brilliance in the county championship of that summer. He was recalled for the league campaign and played three matches, the last of which was in February 1957. He won a league medal that year as a sub, when Tipperary defeated Kilkenny, and played his last game with the county, when Tipperary travelled to New York the following October. 

Reddin's last appearance with Lorrha was in 1958 when the team lost to Roscrea in the championship. One report on the game stated that 'Tony Reddin showed he was by no means a has-been goalkeeper'. He played his first game for his adopted club on Easter Sunday 1947 against St. Vincent's. A month later he won his first tournament, for suit-lengths, at Portumna. It was a seven-a-side competition and Lorrha defeated Kilruane by nine points to one. Eugene O'Meara scored eight of the points and Tony got the other from a goal clearance. On the same day Reddin won the long puck competition with a drive of 106 yards. During his time with the Lorrha team he failed to turn out on only one occasion. That was in a tournament at Borrisokane in June 1951 against Ahane, who included Mick Mackey and Sean Herbert in their lineout that day. During his twelve years with Lorrha Reddin won North championship medals in 1948 and 1956. 

Tony Reddin's list of achievements is impressive by any standards. As well as winning three All-lrelands, six National League, two Brendan Cup medals and one Oireachtas, he also won six Railway Cup medals and four 'Ireland team' cups. He travelled to London on nine occasions and played on the winning Monaghan Cup team on eight occasions. His ninth visit was as a sunstitute in 1957 when Tipperary were heaten. He won one Oireachtas medal.

There is nobady to deny that he was one of the greats of hurling history. He was great in the days when a goalkeeper's fate was to be bundled into the back of the net if the backs gave the forwards sufficient leaway. Tony's greatest asset was, to stop the hall dead so that it rolled down to his chest or his feet. He would leave the ball on the ground until the last moment and then, with the forwards rushing in, he would take it, sidestep them and have loads of space to clear. He claimed to know which side of the goal a ball would come by watching which foot a forward was on when he hit the ball. Whatever the reason for his greatness his stopping prowess was the bane of forwards and a joy to supporters for many a year. 

<span class="postTitle">Hurling in the Eighteenth Century</span> National Hurling League program, Tipperary v Antrim, Cashel, February 12, 1984

Hurling in the Eighteenth Century

National Hurling League program, Tipperary v Antrim, Cashel, February 12, 1984

Looking through the records of some hurling matches of the eighteenth century, we find that hurling in Ulster is not a modern sport. Two centuries ago Antrim had hurlers. It is recorded that in the severe winter of 1740 there was a hurling match in the ice on Lough Neagh.

We find, however, that about this period the game was more extensively played outside of Ulster. Records exist of strenuous contests like the "grand match of hurling in May 1748, on Crumlin Commons between the Provinces of Leinster and Munster', in which the former came off victorious. Munster unsatisfied with the result sought a replay, and about a week later they met on the same grounds. Keen on winning Munster picked "a chosen set" but "their utmost efforts were all to no purpose, for Leinster after about an hour's struggle, gained a complete victory." Not yet satisfied, Munster asked a further trial, and "the greatest match of hurling ever played in this Kingdom" was promised, but after the necessary preparations were made, "Munster thought it proper to decline the combat."

In September, 1775, there was a match between Co. Tipperary and the Lower Ormond "band of hurlers" on the Commons of Ballingarry, near Borrisokane, when after an hour and fifteen minutes. trial the "invincible Lower Ormondians, according to their usual methods, put out a fair and undisputed goal." It was computed that there were 10,000 spectators at this match "who quietly separated in the evening without the least accident or irregularity, except a few hats that were lost in the huzzaing."

In September, 1755, there was a hurling match at Lyons, Co. Kildare, between the gentlemen of Kildare and Dublin, at which the Marquess of Hartington (then Lord Lieutenant) and "a most brilliant appearance of nobility and gentry were present'. Yes, the Gentry played the game of hurling then, for it is recorded that in a match about this period between the Counties of Kilkenny and Tipperary the teams were mainly composed of "gentry of the highest respectability from both Counties."

"In honour of their illustrious country, and to encourage reward and honour, bravery and hardihood from whatever part of Ireland they might come." a hurling match was played in July, 1814, on Kensington Commons, London, by some gentlemen of Ireland, the teams (18 a side) being named St. Giles and Wapping. The Duke of Wellington and staff formed portion of 20.000 interested spectators. Gentlemen on horseback acted as stewards, and the dexterity of the players amazed the onlookers. The match was for 200 guineas, and the result was a draw.

In July, 1792, a cricket match, held in the Phoenix Park, was described as a form of I rish hurling, but the latter "was much more strenuous." It was not safe to be a spectator at these strenuous matches, for in September, 1756 a woman got her eye knocked out at Crumlin, and another got her leg broken. Nor was it advisable to interfere between players, for at a match at Glounanere, near Cashel, in 1774, James Raighelly (was he the referee?) in attempting to make peace between two players, was killed with a stroke of a hurley.

In July, 1779, complaints were made "that a mob of people assemble on Sundays in the Phoenix Park, adjoining the residence of Mr. Gardiner, High Sheriff, to play football and hurling matches, and most horrid profanement of drunkenness, riot, and fighting are practised, and these Sabbath breakers are permitted to remain unmolested in defiance of the law, divine and human:'

A century and a half has passed since these complaints were made, and the conduct of the game has greatly altered, but if some of those spirits could return to life and hear the "huzzaing" on an All-Ireland Final day at Croke Park, they would conclude that during their long retirement those "wild Irish" had become even more enthusiastic over their national game. 

<span class="postTitle">A Tipperary-Antrim Encounter</span> National Hurling League program, Tipperary v Antrim, Cashel, February 12, 1984

A Tipperary-Antrim Encounter

National Hurling League program, Tipperary v Antrim, Cashel, February 12, 1984

On Saturday, December 1, 1928, the first Tipperary team ever travelled to Belfast to play Antrim in the All-Ireland junior hurling semi-final. Tipperary had qualified for this game by earlier victories over Limerick and Waterford in the Munster final. On their way to the semi-final Antrim had a walkover from Cavan and victories over Donegal and Down.

The Tipperary team left Thurles railway station at 9 o'clock on Saturday morning and travelled to Dublin where they had a break for lunch before continuing the journey to Belfast. On arrival at their destination they checked into their hotel and had a meal. No sooner was the latter over than they headed downtown to see what this 'notorious' city was like. As they wandered around looking at the sights some of the lads spotted a policeman who they recognised as a Black and Tan from earlier days in County Tipperary. He had been stationed at Sheverie, near Upperchurch during the 'Troubles'. They became friends and he invited them to his Orange Lodge club where 'a decent attempt was made to set them drunk'. The wag with the team said the attempt failed because there wasn't sufficient whiskey in the Lodge!

The encounter doesn't seem to have had any bad repercussions, The following morning the team were taken for a three hour sight-seeing to the Glens of Antrim. The match was played at Corrigan Park in the afternoon and Antrim gave the visitors a good match. There was only a point between the teams at half-time on a score of 2-1 to 1-3 in favour of Tippeary. The latter added three goals in the second half and then Antrim came with a great rally that was better than the final score of 5-1 to 2-3 would give them credit for.

The teams were: Tipperary - A. Foley (Capt.), W. Matthews, P. Guiry, R. Dwan, P. O'Keeffe, E. Walsh, M. Wright, D. Walsh J. Maher, J. Lowry, J. Heeney, J. Maher, J. Stapleton, T. Smith.
Antrim- J. Hunter, G. McDermott, P. Butler, D. Armstrong, J. McKeown, H. Reid, A. Thornbury, J. McNally, W. Mulvenna, F H. Hill, J. Tuohy, P. Cunning, J. McGarry.

The happiest feature of the Tipperary team's visit was the enjoyable Ceili held in the evening in St. Mary's Hall. The visitors, headed Johnny Leahy, received a tremendous reception from the Gaels of Belfast. A thoroughly Irish-Ireland atmosphere surrounded the function, which was most successful and enjoyable for the merry throng. Many of the visitors were fresh to the North and pre-conceived ideas of their possible reception were happily shattered. They left, after an entertainment in which they were made at home, to carry back the tale of the strength of the Gaelic spirit in the North. They departed for home on Monday morning. In the All-Ireland final at Dungarvan at a later date Tipperary lost to Kilkenny by two points. 

<span class="postTitle">Tom Duffy of Lorrha</span> County S.H. Final Program, Thurles, Oct. 14, 1984

Tom Duffy of Lorrha

County S.H. Final Program, Thurles, Oct. 14, 1984

Cheering on Lorrha last Sunday, in the county semi-final at Nenagh, was Tom Duffy. He followed the play and gave the players plenty of support and much advice as Lorrha's fortunes rose and fell. In the end when the North men had beaten Drom-Inch he was delighted and full of comment. Today, when Lorrha take the field against Moycarkey­Borris in the final, he will be there to cheer them on to victory with as much enthusiasm as any man from the parish. 

It's a safe bet that Tom will be the oldest man in Thurles today. He's on the verge of ninety years and, if the flesh has failed and a walking aid has become a must, the spirit remains un­dimmed. This spirit was seen in his attendance at the launching of the club history at Redwood Castle earlier this year: Tom had to be manhandled up four flights of stairs to the Great Hall but he endured the discomfort to be present. 

Record 

Lorrha have won seven divisional senior hurling championships to date and Tom has the unique distinction of having attended all of them. When it is realised that the time span covered is from 1905 to 1984 the extent of his longevity becomes apparent! He shouldn't have gone to the 1905 final, played against the famous De Wets at Terryglass on April 8, 1906, because he was too young. But he hid up the road from the house and was smuggled aboard the brake that was carrying the team from Rathcabbin. Later he was present at the priests' house in the village when the photograph of the team was taken. 

It's his wife, Emily, who has the better memories of the 1914 championship. Her brother, Bill Harding, was on the team and she remembers the semi-final against Borrisokane, also at Terryglass: 'I travelled in a horse and sidecar with my father. There were a lot of flags and banners and a band played the Borrisokane team on the field. Breege O'Meara­ - she was Lack's sister- she was with me and as the band passed us, she shouted at them: 'You'll play them in but you won't play them out'." And they didn't. Lorrha won and went on to defeat Templederry in the final and give Tom his first North medal. The team didn't play very well and one report had this to say: 'Lorrha played a much better game against Borrisokane but probably since then the players suffered from swelled heads and failed to attend practices." 

Tom won his second medal in 1924 when Lorrha defeated Nenagh in the final. Again, the team travelled by brake. Willie Egan in Birr provided it and it carried twenty-four passengers and was pulled by two horses. Tom remembers someone playing a melodeon and they had a good sing-song. They carried their own sandwiches and had a feed after the game. Nenagh weren't much good and Lorrha won by 7 -3 to 0-3. 

County Finals 

Another memory from those times was a tournament in Shinrone. Lorrha had a shortage of hurleys and when Tom had three broken there was none left. He got a lath off a timber rail, paired the handle with a penknife and, in his words, played as good a game as he ever did. 

Lorrha never won a county final but Tom won three in his time! This might appear strange but there's a simple enough explanation. Toomevara won the north championship in 1923. On their way to victory they had a very difficult time overcoming Lorrha in the semi­final. It was a game in which Tom had an outstanding performance. Later, when Toomevara picked their selection for the county semi-final Tom was included and won a county medal when the team defeated the south selection. 

He won another county medal when Mountshannon defeated Newmarker-on­Fergus in the Clare championship at O'Callaghan's Mills. He's rather vague about the date and he didn't get a medal. He was invited to play by McNamara, who had a pub in Mountshannon. He travelled by motorcar, driven by Bill Smith of Connaght Street in Birr. Nicky Forde also travelled. After the victory they returned to Mountshannon and 'I was barman in McNamaras until six o'clock in the morning'. 

Tom's third medal came from Co. Galway and was won with Tynagh. Ignatius Harney was the contact man. Before the game they were pucking about and Tom was striking very impressively. Harney rushed in and said to him: 'Stop Tom, they'll notice you'. There was an interesting sequel to this game. Tom, alias Joe Hynes, an egg-buyer for the Clanrickarde estate, was picked to play for Galway. He was referred to in despatches as the 'Hen­man for Clanrickarde' and word was sent back to the selectors that 'The hen man is gone away'. 

Ah! them were the days! And surely the memories will come flooding back today as Tom looks out on the blue and white. The scene will be changed by the comforts of modern developments. But the spirit and enthusiasm for the game will be the same that took Tom over fence and style, by brake and bicycle to places familiar and unfamiliar down all those years.

<span class="postTitle">The Lorrha and Dorrha (Davin) Club - A Brief History</span> County S.H. Final Program, Thurles, Oct. 14, 1984

The Lorrha and Dorrha (Davin) Club - A Brief History

County S.H. Final Program, Thurles, Oct. 14, 1984

Not many people know that the Lorrha and Dorrha (Davin) Club is the full title of what is more generally known as the Lorrha G.A.A. Club. Lorrha is included in a list of thirty-four clubs founded in County Tipperary in 1885. There is no record of the foundation meeting or of the people who founded it. Within a short time there were a number of teams in the parish and during 1886, a meeting was held to decide which team should represent the parish. There was a chance of a split and Frank Maloney and J. K. Bracken visited the parish on two occasions to sort matters out. It was decided to amalgamate the clubs and to call the parish club, the Lorrha and Dorrha (Davin) Club. Mr G. O'Brien and Rev. R. Kennedy of the parish are recorded as having attended the meeting. 

There were two Lorrha players, Messrs P. Meara, Snr and P. Meara Jnr, on the North Tipperary team that played South Galway, for nothing less than the "Championship of Ireland", in Dublin, on February 9th, 1886. Lorrha played in the county championship for the first time in 1889 and defeated Hollyford in a most exciting contest at Wakefield, Templederry, On the victorious team were Paddy "The Champion" O'Meara, Tom Carroll of Newtown, Dan Carroll and Dan Donoghue. During the nineties, football was organised and there are reports of games in which Carrigahorig figured prominently. In 1889, there was a big dispute in the correspondence columns of the "Nenagh News" as to whether the Lorrha or the Toomevara clubs produced the better hurlers. 

When the North Board was formed in 1900, Lorrha were one of seven senior hurling teams to affiliate for the first championship in 1901 and they made their first breakthrough when they won the North championship in 1905. There is a record from these years, which was kept by the club treasurer, Tommy O'Meara, and shows the total income of the club in 1902 as £6. 8s. 2d. There were about seventy paid-up members, at one shilling each, and they included one woman, Miss M. Nevin. The hire of brakes for team transport was one of the biggest items of expenditure. 

Lorrha's next championship victory came in 1914 and the team included Tom Duffy, who is still alive and touching ninety years of age. The first Lorrha man to win an All-Ireland was Felix Cronin, who played with the victorious county junior hurling team in that year. The club won another championship in 1924 when they defeated an understrength Nenagh team by 7-3 to 0-3. Jim "The Private" O'Meara played with Nenagh that day and his brother Bill, played for Lorrha. Two other players on the team were Tom Duffy and Mick Cronin. Both were to win All-Ireland senior hurling medals with the county in 1925 and travel to the U.S. on the American tours of 1926 and 1931. Another All-Ireland medal winner from that period was Hugh Burke, who won with Dublin in 1917. 

There's a long break to the next senior championship win in 1948, when the great hero of the hour was Tony Reddin. During the thirties there was little success recorded. The period saw the growth of junior teams like Redwood, and the regrading of Lorrha to intermediate status. The greatest hurler of the period was Christy Forde, who played in goals for Dublin in three All-Ireland and three National League finals. He won one All-Ireland and one League medal. The period culminated in Lorrha's first county championship victory, when they defeated Moycarkey in the 1946 final by 4-4 to 3-3. The match was played at Gaile, on November 22nd, 1947. Admission was one shilling and the sideline was sixpence extra. This team was the basis of the victorious 1948 team. 

The fifties saw another senior championship victory, in 1956, but the high-point of the decade must surely be the success of the juveniles, who won three divisional and two county championships between 1956 and 1958. These players formed the core of the teams of the sixties and saw the club win four divisionc al championships in 1966, in senior, junior and u/21 hurling and in junior football. The junior hurlers also won a championship in 1961 and the footballers were to go one better in 1971 and win the county final.

The u/21 team which won the divisional championship, in 1965, went on to win county honours the following year. Noel Lane and Michael O'Meara figured prominently on the county u/21 team that won the inaugural All-Ireland in that grade in 1964. There was a great lot of hurling talent in the parish during this period and it may not have got the success it deserved. 

The seventies saw two Lorrha men, Liam King and Noel Lane, contribute to the county's last senior hurling championship win. The seventies were marked by many near misses. A number of players achieved county status and won All-Ireland honours: Seamus Kennedy in minor in 1976, Brian Mannion in u/21 in 1979, Joe Kennedy in 1980, John Mclntyre in 1981 and Ken Hogan in minor 1981. At present this talent is coming into its own in the shape of a senior team that is attempting to prove today that it is the best in the county. 

One of the present team, Michael Brophy, whose father before him gave sterling service to the parish, won a National League medal with the county in 1979. Another Lorrha man, Mick Cronin, was on the team that won the first National League for Tipperary in 1927. In between Tony Reddin won six finals, 1949, 1950, 1952, 1954, 1955 and 1957. Sharing that success with him in 1950 was his clubmate Billy Hogan and another Lorrha man, Sean O'Meara, was on the successful 1957 team. 

Finally, a short account of the history of Lorrha club would be incomplete without a mention of Hubie Hogan, who was North chairman for seven years and never missed a meeting and went on to guide the affairs of the county from 1976 to 1979. He was associated with G.A.A. affairs in the parish for over forty years. 

<span class="postTitle">Bill Ryan Laha</span> County Senior Hurling Final Program, Cashel, Oct. 30, 1983

Bill Ryan Laha

County Senior Hurling Final Program
Cashel, Oct. 30, 1983

There are only two players left from the last team to win an All-Ireland football final for Tipperary They are Mick Tobin of Grangemockler and Bill Ryan of Laha. Bill is now eighty-nine years and lost his wife only recently. He played right-back most of his life on the team with the exception of one occasion against Sligo in an All-Ireland semi-final when he played centrefield. On the same day the Tipperary hurlers were beaten by Kilkenny. It was the 1922 championship played in 1923.

Bill was on the Tipperary team for twelve or thirteen years and won three Munster football medals! The other two were in 1918 when Wexford beat them in the final and 1920 when they went ahead to win their last All-Ireland football championship.

His first success was with Castleiney when he won a senior football medal in 1914 when they were combined with Templetuohy. The combination beat Nenagh Institute in the final at Thurles. There were only two drinking on the team. Bill recalls they were taken in to John Maher's after the match by some Gael and there were only two alcoholic drinks in the round. They were beaten in the county final in 1915. They didn't have the full team as some were injured and one of the players had a death in the family. They broke up with Templetuohy after that. A few went with Templemore. In 1925 they beat Fethard in the final at Carrick-On-Suir. Three years later they won the Mid but were beaten by Fethard in the final.

Bill remembers the Munster championship of 1918. Tipperary beat Cork and Waterford and met Kerry in the Munster final in the Cork Athletic Grounds. The result was 1-1 to 0-1 in favour of Tipperary. They beat Mayo by a point in the semi-final and trained at Dungarvan for the final, which wasn't played until February 1919. They spent two weeks in collective training. For the final they were missing three forwards, including Bill Barrett of the Commons, an uncle of Tommy's, because of flu. They got three fifties in the second half and failed to score. At full-time they were a point behind, five to four in favour of Wexford, who made it four-in-a-row on that day. Bill remembers that his Wexford opponent that day, Reynolds, was one of the most elusive players he ever came across.

Tipperary were beaten by Kerry in the 1919 Munster final but they reversed the result in 1920. They overcame Mayo by five points in the semi-final. The All-Ireland against Dublin was played in June 1922. The team trained in Mullinahone, staying in houses for the fortnight. Those from around the area went home at night. Every day there was a regimen of football, running and sprints. There was no compensation for being away from the farm. The final result was 1-6 to 1-2 in favour of Tipperary.

Bill has vivid memories of 'Bloody Sunday' in Novenber 1920. The occasion was a challenge match between Dublin and Tipperary to raise funds for the I.R.A. The team went up on Saturday evening. Bill got the train at Templemore. There were fourteen English soldiers on the train and there was nearly an incident between them and the players on the train. When the train arrived at Kingsbridge there was a large military presence and Bill and his fellow-players expected to be arrested on some pretext. Instead the soldiers were arrested. Seemingly, they had done some damage at the station at Templemore before leaving and the station-master had wired Dublin.

The players stayed at Barry's Hotel. When the team lined out on the Sunday, Mick Hogan was playing behind Bill. They had a discussion about changing positions because the Dublin corner-forward, Frank Burke, was a great forward and a bit of a handful for Hogan. However, they didn't change. Tipperary were defending the Canal End and the game was on about twelve minutes when the attack came. The soldiers came in at the Canal End and there was pandemonium when the firing started. The field also was surrounded because Bill made two attempts to get away and was turned back by the military on both occasions. Eventually, somebody gave him a coat and he made his way back to the hotel where the team had togged out. There was no score at the time of the military incursion and the match was replayed for a set of medals the following year and Tipperary won. Two other members of that team were shot later: Jackie Brett went with the column and was shot and Jim Egan got shot in the Civil War.

Bill was not a big man. In fact he was only 5' 8" and weighed only 11-8 at peak fitness. He relied on speed, which he had in abundance, and high fielding to make up for his physical limitations. The two best footballers he ever saw were Tommy Murphy of Laois and Larry Stanley of Kildare. Bill's I ife wasn't all football. He started hurling with the Clonmore junior team. Later he played with Templetuohy juniors and won a Mid final with them in 1923. He won another medal with Castleiney juniors in 1925 on a team that included, Martin Whelan of Toomevara, who was working on the Council in the area at the time. The team had to go senior as a result of this victory and Bill won a Mid senior medal with them in 1928. He stopped playing in 1932 when his knee went and became a club officer. Himself and Jim Ryan of Loughmore carried the team along for many years after that. Bill is eighty-nine years of age to-day and is still remarkably fit and lively. He's looking forward to a Loughmore-Castleiney victory today with as much enthusiasm as he did to his own great victory in the Mid Senior final in 1928.

<span class="postTitle">Sean Kenny</span> County Senior Hurling Final program, September 30, 1983

Sean Kenny

County Senior Hurling Final program, September 30, 1983

Some commentators would centre the golden age of Borrisileigh hurling around 1950. This was the time of the Kennys, Sean, Paddy and Phil, the Ryans, Eddie and Timmy, Jimmy Finn and that grand old man himself, Philly Ryan. The latter has the distinction of winning two All-Ireland medals with a gap of fourteen years between them, 1937 and 1951. Borrisileigh made a major contribution to the three All-Irelands in a row that Tipperary won in 1949, 1950 and 1951. In the first year Sean Kenny was the sole representative on the team, with Paddy a substitute. The following year the club had four representatives in Sean and Paddy Kenny, Jimmy Finn and Eddie Ryan. Sean was also captain. In 1951 Jimmy Finn was captain as Sean was unable to play because of cartlidge trouble. He came in as a substitute during the game. Also on the team was his brother Paddy, and Eddie and Timmy Ryan. 

Sean Kenny had the unique distinction of winning a Dean Ryan and Harty Cup medal in the same year. That was in 1941 and the team was Thurles CBS. Nearly forty years later two more Borrisileigh youths, Michael and Bobby Ryan, won Harty Cup medals with Templemore C.B.S. Sean was captain of the Tipperary minor team that went out to Cork in the Munster final, played in October of that year because of the foot-and-mouth epidemic. As well as winning two All-Ireland medals Sean won two interprovincials. In 1949 he partnered Vin Baston at centrefield and he captained the team the following year. He also won one Oireachtas and three National League medals. 

He was captain of the Tipperary team that went to the States in 1950. At the same time the team arrived in New York there also arrived another Sean Kenny, who was very much in the news at that time: he had successfully completed the crossing of the Atlantic with three comrades in a small boat called the Ituna. The two Seans stayed at the Henry Hudson 'Hotel in New York and they normally sat at the same table for meals. A hurling captain was regarded with much more importance in the U.S. than in Ireland with the result that Sean of Borrisileigh was in nearly as great demand as Sean of the Ituna. When they were paged during meals they had to decide which of the Sean Kennys was sought and they invariably made the wrong decision. 

The team got a marvellous offer from Schaefer's Beer while they were in the city. The company wanted to promote their beer and were interested in using the Tipperary team in an advertisement. The proposal was that the full Tipperary team would stand holding bottles of Schaefer's Beer and over the photograph would be the slogan: 'This is how the Tipperary team train'. In return for obliging the company, each player would receive one hundred dollars. Naturally, the team were mad for the idea as it was a fine lot of money at the time. Team mentors Phil Purcell and Paddy Leahy said it couldn't be done without consulting the county board They said they would have to ring and whether they did or didn't the idea was knocked on the head and the players went without the hundred dollars each. Whereas the team travelled to the U.S. by plane they returned by boat, the S.S. Washington. This was her last trip, not, by the way, because of any kind of untoward behaviour on the part of any of the players. 

Borrisileigh won three county finals in these years,1949, 1950 and 1953. One of the greatest championship matches ever played in County Tipperary was that between Borrisileigh and Boherlahan in 1949. Borrisileigh beat the county champions, Holycross, in the first round, thus reversing the result of 1948 when the two teams had also met. In the match against Boherlahan the latter were leading by 2-1 to 0-1 with about ten minutes to go to half-time. Borrisileigh got a free from about thirty yards out and Sean and Paddy went to take it. They pretended to be fighting and after sufficient altercation Paddy strode away in seeming high dudgeon. Sean also seemed angry when he took the free and belted it against the ground as if in disgust. Paddy was about fourteen yards away and ran in, collected the ball on the hop, and lashed it into the net. The goal made an awful difference at that point of the game and Borrisileigh went on to win. 

Because of his knee injury Sean finished hurling at the early age of twenty seven. His usual position was centrefield or centreforward. He wasn't a big man, measuring about five feet nine inches and weighing about twelve and a half stone. The greatest men he came across on the hurling field were Jimmy Finn and Bobby Rackard. 

He married in 1951 and they had four children, three boys and a girl. Two of the boys played with Borrisileigh and Brendan played minor, under-21 and senior for the county as well. His wife died in 1959 from heart disease and Sean married Dr. Joan Power in 1972. He was a selector for a number of years of the Borrisileigh team and was selector-manager of the club team that won the All-Ireland 7 - aside on two occasions. A few years ago he took up golf and at the present time he has the honourable title of Lord Mayor of Borrisileigh.