Club Notes for last week.. - 01/04/2020
Time Changes But All Very Quiet..
These are indeed strange times for our community and country and indeed for the world. Few could ever have imagined a few short weeks ago that this Covid 19 Pandemic would have such an effect but now that the rules and regulations are in place we must all obey them. Last weekend the 'time changed' and the long evenings are now with us. Traditionally once the time changed it meant that GAA activities reached a fever pitch. This week last year there were fifteen different teams training in Pairc na Bride, Pyne's field and the two Astro Turf areas. It is so, so different this time round with all activity cancelled -no matches, meetings, training, no Lotto, nothing at all. I suppose this pandemic puts everything into perspective. Sport is so important in the lives of so many but when push comes to shove our health and that of our families, friend and parishioners is the top priority. The new regulations put in place last weekend are tough, we've never seen the like of them before, but desperate measures for desperate times. If we in the Bride Rovers GAA Club can do anything for you- delivering or collecting shopping, fuel or medical supplies please contact us. We urge all our own members to be aware of neighbours who might need a helping hand or just a phone call. The Community has always supported our Club so now we must help anyone we can. If you need assistance please ring 087 2070100 or 086 7710766. It's at times like this we appreciate good friends and neighbours. Normally in times of crisis you'd be urging people to call in for a chat with neighbours but this is not allowed now so use the mobile phone, Landline phone and Social media to keep in contact.
Scor Munster Final.
If the Munster Final of the GAA Scor competition had gone ahead in Cappamore in Limerick last Saturday night we would have been trying to capture our second Munster Title in the Novelty Act Section. We have won the East Cork title and the Felix Sarsfield Cup, I think on nine occasions. We've won the Carbery Cup for the County in 2003, 04, 05, 2013,14, 15 and again this year. In 2004 we had a brilliant sketch about Going To The All Ireland Final but it didn't find favour in the Munster Final. The following year we captured the East Cork and County Titles. The Munster Final was held in the City Hall in Cork in March 2005. When the results came out Bride Rovers were the winners. It was a great night especially for the late Bill Gubbins. Bill had been 'treading the boards' since the 1940's and to win that Munster Title was a huge achievement. We represented Cork and Munster in the All Ireland Final in the INEC in Killarney. The sketch went great for us but All Ireland Glory didn't come our way.
Bride Rovers Abú' the Club Anthem.
Thee Bride Rovers Club was formed in the autumn of 1928 at a meeting held in the Band Room, Bartlemy. Within two years the club won it's first ever East Cork Junior Hurling A Grade championship, defeating leeside in the Final. In the 1931 final Aghada defeated Bride Rovers. In 1932 the Rovers were back in the Divisional Final once more- against leeside again. In the week before the Final Billy Barry of Hightown, Bartlemy and later Mondaniel, Rathcormac -son of Patsy Barry NT, decided to write a few verses about the Club and the team. Many years later Billy told me " It was intended mainly as a bit of a morale booster for the players and I did not expect it would last more than the short life of the most of these 'come all ye's', a year or two'. Little did Billy imagine that nearly a century later his verses are still proudly sung. After the Glory Years of the 1930's the Club had a valley period until the mid 1960's. When the East Cork Junior B Grade Hurling Championship title was captured for the first time in 1966 the song was re-written as follows;
Bride Rovers Abú 1966.
Come listen a while; I will tell you the story
Of heroes and hurlers well tested and tried
Of a team from East Cork that's been covered with glory
They come from the fair lands along by the Bride.
Right bravely they fought all opponents defeating,
The big and the small ones, the old and the new.
So loudly we sing, with our hearts proudly beating,
The Rovers forever, Bride Rovers abú.
John Gettings minds goal and 'twas safe in his keeping;
With Tony Walsh, Eddy Barry and Henry to the fore
Michael Twomey and the Murphys stood out with their hurling
Willie Sheehan the captain each ball he sent through
Denis Canty and Seanie Barry were the scores ever heaping
While Billy O Connell and Eamonn Hoskins kept adding up more
John Meade and Tony O Brien sure they hurled 'til the end
And soaring o'er the crossbar the sliotar did send.
Yes; here was team gallant bold and unbending,
Those dauntless young Rovers, Bride Rovers abú.
Yes, we play the game as true sportsmen should play it;
To temper or rashness not lightly we yield.
We give knocks and take them but none can gainsay it;
We're manly, straightforward and fair on the field.
We crossed the camán with the greatest and best of them
Famous Dungourney and Saint Catherines too,
And now we have Youghal lying low with the rest of them,
Bride Rovers forever, Bride Rovers abú.
Sympathy.
All in Bride Rovers extend our deepest sympathy to Anthony Kearney and family of Ballymurphy, Conna on the death of Helen. Anthony was a playing member of our club and the Kearney family have been great pillars of the Bride Rovers Club over many years. The late Helen, nee Cotter, was part of another fantastic community-minded family in her native parish. Our prayers and thoughts are with all of Helen's family during these very difficult times.
Down Memory Lane -1995.
A quarter of a century ago we had three great victories in East Cork competitions winning the Div 3 JFL, the U21 football championship and the Junior B Grade Hurling championship. The Football team v Cobh in the Div 3 League Final was ;P.O Dowd, C. Howard, M. Kearney, A. Fitzgerald, D. Mulcahy, S. Hogan, J. Murphy, C. Walsh, B.McHugh, P. Murphy, N. Hegarty, B. Murphy, J.O Driscoll, P. Cotter,, R. Cahill, D. Ahern, R. Hegarty.
Our u 21 F team defeated Cloyne by 0 16 to 1 9 in the first round. In the semi final St Catherines were beaten by 0 15 to 0 4.
The final v Glenbower Rovers was played in Watergrasshill on May 6th. Team Captain Terry Broderick scored 5 of our 9 points as we won by a single point, 0 9 to 0 8. Team; N. Fitzgerald, A. Fitzgerald, L. Barry, A. Broderick, B. McHugh, J. Murphy, P.Murphy, D. Ryan, P. Walsh, N. Hegarty, T. Broderick, E. Hoskins, K. Fitzgerald, P. Cotter, , J O Driscoll, P.Barry, B. Murphy, A. Coleman, Ml. Manley, S. Hogan, E. Murphy, R. Cahill, P. O Dowd, K. Cahill.
Our Junior A hurlers were beaten 1 16 to 2 6 by Watergrasshill in the championship. The Club's second string met Ballinacurra in a first round replay in Ballynoe and won a thriller by 1 6 to 0 7., having drawn 0 10 apiece in the first game. Castlemartyr led our lads in round 2 by 0 3 to 0 0 at half time. In the second half we took over, holding the Reds scoreless as we added 1 7, the goal coming from Jerome. It took a late goal from a Jerome O Driscoll free in the 59th minute to get the semi final win over Fr O Neills by 2 8 to 2 7. The East Cork Final was v Carrigtwohill in Watergrasshill on October 14th. An early Richie Cahill goal put us up 1 2 to 0 3 at half time. Carrig went ahead early inn the second half but we came back point by point Jerome levelled and Richie Cahill and Denis Mulcahy put us ahead by.1 5 to 0 6. Carrig pointed a free to make it 1 5 to 0 7. We finished stronger with further white flags from John Joe Barry and Jerome and we won by 1 7 to 0 7. Denis Mulcahy our captain was presented with the East Cork cup, two years after his brother Tom had captained us to a similar victory over Midleton in the 1993 Final. Team; MO Flynn, C. Howard, D. Ahern. M. Kearney, S. Hogan, A O Flynn, M. Walsh, JA Murphy, P. Murphy, JO Driscoll, JJ Barry, P. Cotter, R. Cahill, D. Mulcahy Captain, D. Johnson, N.Hegarty, J. Barry, H. Kelleher, R. Hegarty, N. Fitzgerald, J O Callaghan, P O Dowd, B O Riordan, P.McHugh, J. Murphy. The selectors were Tom Mulcahy, Paddy Murphy and Eamonn Hoskins.
The Bold Christy Ring.
Ye young men of Ireland, who are anxious for hurling, A word of advice I will give unto ye,
Come down to Cork City to the athletic sports-field, And there you'll find Christy, the pride of the Lee.
'Tis he'll show you hurling like Finn or Cuchulainn, To the name of this hero proud memory clings,
From Galway to Dublin, from Beara to Malin, All Ireland is toasting the bold Christy Ring.
Chorus:
For lifting and striking and doubling like lightning, For point and goal scoring his praises we'll sing.
His hurling's most glorious, he's always victorious, He's Cork's darling hurler, the bold Christy Ring.
Great hurlers we've had all over the country,
Blackrock's Eudie Coughlan, Sean Og and John Quirke, Jack Lynch of Glen Rovers, the 'Barrs and the Redmonds,
And the brave lads from Carrig who never did shirk. Tipperary's Pat Stakelum, Bannon and Kenny,
The Rackards of Wexford and Galway's Mick King, John Keane from the Decies, Mick Mackey of Limerick, They all must give way to the bold Christy Ring.
Chorus
In great hurling matches 'gainst Tipp. and Kilkenny,
'Gainst Galway and Dublin, 'gainst Wexford and Clare. 'Gainst Waterford, Limerick and all other counties,
Our hero was foremost, he never showed fear. Eight medals he now has, a record unbroken,
Of hurlers he now is surely the king.
So now all together, one last rousing chorus,
Three cheers for the maestro, the bold Christy Ring
CLUB LOTTO.
The weekly Club Lotto which takes place each Tuesday night has been suspended at present. The first Club Lotto Draw was held on March 5th 1996. At A Club Meeting on February 15th 1996 a draw was made for the rota between the five pubs in the parish which resulted as follows; Week 1 Rathcormac Inn 2 O Doherty's 3 Denis Barry's 4 Vera Barry's 5 O Driscolls.
BRIDE ROVERS CLUB SPONSORS are; Rathcormac Tyres
