Please Mind Each Other...

With our Health System under extreme pressure at this present time it's hard to be thinking of hurling and football games but behind the scenes in our Club much planning is still ongoing. Maybe, just maybe as  a country 'we have turned the corner' in terms of over all covid cases reported and confirmed tests. Nevertheless the Government announcement on Monday night that Level 5 Restrictions will be in place until at least March 5th is a stark reminder that we are in no way, 'out of the woods' yet. No games of any kind in February is now a certainty. From a Bride Rovers Club point of view our immediate priority is for the health and safety of all our community. The experts tell us we are now in what is termed the 'Third Wave' of this covid pandemic, let's hope this is the last one. The Bride Rovers Club is a community based organisation so if anyone needs help of any kind don't hesitate to contact Club members or Officers. Older members of our Parish community have contributed so much over the years to make our area a better place to live in. If anyone requires assistance with shopping, fuel, medical supplies or just a chat don't hesitate to get in touch with Bride Rovers. 

LOTTO DRAW FOR JANUARY 12TH.

The Lotto Results for the third Draw of 2021 were as follows.  Numbers drawn were 3,7,22 and 25 -no winner Next week's jackpot is €20,000. Prizes of €30 Jennifer Cahill, Michael Carey, Frank Buckley, Claire de Lacey c/o Online Lotto, Helen McGrath, Fermoy

You can join the Bride Rovers weekly lotto online at http://briderovers.ie/  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. 

A Club Stalwart confided in me lately to have never missed buying a Weekly Club Lotto Ticket since the Lotto commenced in March 1996 and calculated that to date a total of €2496 had been invested! " A lot of money" I said  "Yerra no" he replied " you'd never miss the €2 a week". A great attitude to have and in fairness since the Rathcormac Hurling Club Raffled a goose at Christmas 1926 our supporters, far and wide, home and away, have been brilliant. 

BUYING THE PITCH BACK IN 1977. 

It was at a Club Meeting of 22 members on June 20th 1977 that a decision was made to buy 7 acres of land for £21,000.  Tom Barry NT proposed that a circular be sent to every household in the parish outlining our plans and appealing for funds. A target of £15, 000 was set to raise in the first 12 months.  The following Circular was drawn up and distributed in advance of a house to house collection. 

 Bride Rovers GAA Club  A chara,  

AS you may be aware the Bride Rovers GAA Club has recently purchased a new playing field adjacent to Rathcormac village for a sum of £21,000. This was felt to be an absolute necessity for the future development of the club and to provide proper recreational facilities for the youth of the entire parish,, both boys and girls. It is generally accepted today, that  the provision of an adequately playing arena is of the utmost importance for the maintenance and improvement of playing standards in general, and for the first class spectator facilities.The club now faces a major financial commitment over the next few years and is fully confident that the entire parish will give its wholehearted support to the project.  The club has set a target of collecting £15,000 mainly from the parish in the next twelve months. To this en, various fund-raising schemes will be embarked upon, chief of which will be a house-to-house  collection. Authorised collectors will be calling to your house in the very near future, and the club hopes that your generous support will be immediately forthcoming. 

In supporting this venture you will guarantee the continuation of a proud hurling tradition..  Pat O Connor (Chairman), John Arnold (Secretary), Tom Barry(Treasurer)  The house to house collection commenced  in early July with all collectors using official receipt books.  £4,500 was collected in the first five weeks and by October this ad risen to over  £7000. By March 1978 we had over £12,000 gathered and the first Festival in July of that year yielded a profit of £1500.  

PHASE 1 OF DEVELOPMENT.  

The costs involved in the first Phase of the Development were as follows; 

Purchase of Field £21, 820. 

Levelling of pitch £5,800 

Materials for banks £2,300. 

Fertilizer & lime £1,230 

Concrete stakes £1,450 

Wire and strainers £2,700 

Gates and gate posts £630 

Building of entrance walls £350 

Crushed stone £1,230 

Cement £876 

Trees £550 

Council water connection £100 

Rotavating and harrowing £318 

Draining £195. 

Total Cost of Phase 1 £39,549. 

COUNTY BOARD.

The Cork Co. Board had hopes to be in a position to commence the 2021 leagues in April. Last year's League Groups were to be split in two so each team would have only 5 or 6 games.  To be honest all these plans are now in doubt. It looks like Schools may well be closed until Easter. In reality mush depends on the roll-out of vaccination on a nation-wide basis. It's hoped to make the County Championship Draws next month with these competitions to start in mid July -all depending, of course, on being back to Level 2 by then. There is no update on the Cork under 20 Hurlers All Ireland Final. The Leinster Final is yet to be played. Dublin were due to play Galway in the Leinster Final on January 3rd but of course this went off. With no Ulster Championship at under 20 level in 2020 Cork , As Munster Champions went straight into the Final. Interestingly back in 2017 when Cork won the one and only under 17 All Ireland Final they beat Galway in the semi final and Dublin by 1 19 to 1 17 in the final. On that historic day in Croke Park the Cork team was jointly captained by Brian and Eoin Roche.

LOOKING BACK THE YEARS

1985 Football League

In February we had three wins in the B Grade Football league;

v Carrigtwohill 2 4 to 1 4

v Lisgoold 0 19 to 0 1

v Glenville 0 6 to  0 1.

We finished level with Carrig for a semi final spot and in a play-off at Lisgoold on November 11th we drew with Carrigtwohill  Bride Rovers 1 6 to Carrig's   2  3, Carrig finished with 12 players having three sent off. We won the replay on December 1st by 0 5 to 0 3. The semi final v Midleton was on December 14th and we won another low-scoring match by 0 6 to 0 4. A week later, three days before Christmas Eve we played the Final v Cobh in Lisgoold. We were a point behind at the break 0 3 to 0 2 and the game ended in a draw 0 5 to 0  5. No extra time had been agreed. Our side in the Final was Anthony Cahill, Gerry O Flynn, Tom Kearney, Maurice Kearney, Noel Murphy, Paudie Collins, Jack Ahern,  Vincent O Connor, Tom Mulcahy, Cyril Johnson, John A Murphy, Seamus O Sullivan, Connie Barry, Denis Ahern,  Denis Mulcahy. We had a great Christmas but when the replay came around our 'form' vanished and Cobh won by  3 14 to 0 1. To make matters worse we were fined £ 10 for being late out on the pitch!

JUNIOR B HURLING 47 YEARS AGO.   Bride Rovers 4 6 Castlelyons 2  8.

Having defeated St Catherines by 4 6 to 5 2 in the first round of the 1974 Junior B Hurling championship in Castlelyons in August 1974 we then faced Castlelyons in the next round. On a toss of a coin the venue was Rathcormac -Gettings' Field behind Heskins Café. The score were level at halftime Bride Rovers 3 1 Castlelyons 1 7. Our goals came from Davy Hogan, John Meade and Tom O Riordan while Tom Joe O Riordan raised a white flag for Castlelyons and Raymond Murray hit three points. John Meade and Davy Hogan had two quick points before Castlelyons got  1 1 without reply to go two points ahead. White flags from John Meade and Johnny Barry levelled the game again.  Castlelyons were denied a goal when Joseph O Brien mad a superb save. It was still level with four minutes left when Johnny Barry struck for a goal and John Meade hit over a point to leave the final score Bride Rovers 4 6 Castlelyons 2 8. Rovers team; Joseph O Brien, Mike Doherty,  Donie Murphy, Dick Shelley, . Derry Cotter, Pat O Connor, Declan Kearney, Tom O Riordan, Dan Dooley, John Meade, John O Conor, Frank Meade, Tom 'Bassy' Hogan, Davy Hogan, John O Connor, Donie O Connor, Donal Murphy, Batty Hogan.  We were beaten by Cloyne in the semi final by 5 7 to 2 7. The following year, 1975, eight of these players were on the Junior B Team,. Captained by Pat O Connor,  that won the East Cork  Hurling Championship.

1974 B Grade Football Championship teem v Glenbower Rovers; Joe O Brien, Paudie Murphy, Brendan O Driscoll, Tony Walsh, Matt Lehane, Davy Hogan, Seamus Collins, Tommy O Flynn 0 2, Connie Barry 1 1, Fachtna O Driscoll 2 3,  Sean Murphy, Pat Heskin 0 2, Eddie Barry, Johnny Barry, Mossy Dooley, Philip Moynagh, Paudie Collins, Liam Parle. Final Score Bride Rovers 3 8 Glenbower. Rovers nil.

FESTIVAL BABY SHOW.

A Baby Show was held as part of the Rathcormac Festival in 1978,79, 80 and 1981. I recently came across Results but I'm not certain for which year! The total entry was 48 babies and the results were as follows.

Under 1 Year; 1st Robert McGivern, 2nd Paul Kearney and 3rd Daniel McCarthy.

Under 2 Years; 1st Ciara O Driscoll, 2nd Clodagh Roche and  3rd Sinead Walsh.

Under 3 Years; 1si Carol Forrest, 2nd Robert McEvoy and Joint Third were Sandra and Susan Gubbins.

2021 CORK GAA MEMBERS DRAW.

 'Rebels Bounty' is the new name for the Cork GAA Annual Members Monthly Draw. The Tickets are just €10 a month or a single once-off payment of €100. This year there will be 30 prizes each month. The minimum First Prize each month will be €20,000 with prizes of €25,000 in December and April and in August 2021 the first prize is €100,000.  The January, February and March draws are down for March 25th. Bride Rovers Club is encouraging members, players and supporters to join the Draw. Tickets can be had from Club Officers or contact our Runai Daniel Lane at 087 2070100. A Brochure outlining all the details of the  Draw can be had from any Club Officer. 

Club 100 

Want To Join the 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 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. 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 Runai Daniel Lane at 087 2070100

CAPTION FOR THE PICTURE;

Cork Minor Hurling Team 1961 Cork Minors beat Kerry by 11 16 to 1 6, beat Limerick by 3  13 to 1 7 but lost to Tipperary in the Munster Final by 7 11 to 1  6.Second from right in the front row is Jimmy O Brien of Rathcormac, there was no Minor team in the parish in 1961 so Jimmy played Minor hurling with Sars. Second from Right in the second Row is Mick Ryan of Watergrasshill. Later ordained a Priest the late Fr. Mick was brother of the recently deceased Eamonn Ryan.

BRIDE ROVERS CLUB SPONSORS are; Rathcormac Tyres , Fermoy Print & Design, Veolia Environmental Services.