Blarney GAA’s stalwart, Martin Lynch, proudly asserts that this week is a crucial one for anyone involved in Blarney. In support of this sentiment, the club grounds are adorned with billboards celebrating the contribution of their three players, Mark Coleman, Shane Barrett and Pádraig Power, on this year’s All-Ireland Cork hurling team.
Each player hails from a different region; Coleman from the Hill, Barrett from Rathpeacon, and Power from Killard, but all are ready to make their mark in history on behalf of their beloved club. They could be the first from the club to secure senior All-Ireland medals if they assist the Rebels in defeating the Banner at Croke Park.
In anticipation of the upcoming Sunday showdown, Blarney, a village from the 18th century, constructed around a green that mirrors the tranquil Home Counties, is adorned in the Rebel Cork colours of red and white.
The hometown pride is palpable, as the small parish of roughly 2,500 inhabitants, famous for the Blarney Castle, eagerly waits for Sunday, when Coleman, Barrett, and Power will exchange their Blarney colours for those of Cork.
However, Blarney’s hurling legacy isn’t a recent development. While Sunday may see their first seniors earn All-Ireland medals, the town has a longstanding passion for hurling, dating back to the 18th century, according to Lynch, a history enthusiast of the sport in the area.
He interestingly recalls a hurling match that took place in Waterloo in 1770, where 50 men on each side played on a near mile-long field. Father Matt Horgan, who built the round towers at Waterloo and Whitechurch during Famine relief efforts, documented the event some 60 years later. According to Horgan, one team, led by landlord’s son, Rowland Davies from Dawstown, and wealthy farmer, Denis Horgan, from Ballinaraha respectively, saw Davies’ team emerge victorious with a scoreline of one-nil.
Lynch recounts that the Blarney GAA club predates the establishment of the Gaelic Athletic Association itself, indicating that Blarney has been a hub for organised hurling for a significant amount of time. As a matter of historical record, the club’s official joining of the new association is documented as occurring on May 1st 1884, a fact that establishes it as one of the oldest clubs nationwide.
Jump forward 140 years to the contemporary moment, and the anticipation is palpable throughout the club with the possibility of three men from Blarney earning senior All-Ireland medals. As David Coleman, a fellow club member highlights, should this transpire it would not be an unprecedented achievement for Blarney men.
In 1890, a Blarney man named Ned Reilly, playing for the Aghabullogue club (a neighbouring club based in Mid-Cork), accomplished this feat for the first time. At that time, club teams were permitted to include guest players, and on the day of Cork’s first senior All-Ireland hurling championship, Aghabullogue player Reilly hailed from Shamrock Terrace in Blarney.
Coleman discovered details of the significant match in an old diary belonging to his great grandfather, Denis Linehan, who was known for diligently keeping a record of the games he watched. Linehan had travelled to Dublin to watch Aghabullogue compete against Castlebridge from Wexford in the All-Ireland final. The historic match, held at Clonturk Park in Drumcondra on November 16th, 1890, is described as a gruelling game cut short due to the rough behaviour of the Castlebridge team.
When the game was abruptly stopped, Aghabullogue led 1-6 to 2-2. With referee approval, their captain, Dan Lane, chose to withdraw his team. The game was subsequently awarded to Aghabullogue, subject to ratification by the Central Council. Thus, Ned Reilly became the first man from Blarney to win a senior All-Ireland hurling medal.
Reilly remains the solitary player from Blarney hurling club to claim an All-Ireland senior hurling medal, even though a variety of players from neighbouring clubs in Mid-Cork have accomplished the same, spanning back to Billy ‘Long Puck’ Murphy and Paddy ‘Hitler’ Healy of Ballincollig, who were victorious with Cork in the 1940s. Cork also achieved All-Ireland victories in 1966 with contributions from Colm Sheehan of Éire Óg and Tomas Ryan of Inniscarra. In the 1970s, Pat McDonnell from Inniscarra, Mick Malone from Éire Óg and John Allen from Aghabullogue who was connected to city club St Finbarr’s helped Cork secure further All-Ireland wins.
Additionally, Tom Kenny of Grenagh claimed senior All-Ireland wins in 2004 and 2005, while Seán Óg Ó hAilpín from Na Piarsaigh, who resided right beyond the Blarney boundary in Grenagh, brought home three All-Ireland wins in 1999, 2004 and 2005.
Lynch observes that despite there never being a Blarney player to clinch a senior All-Ireland title for the club, there has been a series of victories at the underage and other levels – notably his father, Dinny was part of the first Cork team to win a minor All-Ireland in 1928.
Subsequent minor All-Ireland winners with Cork included Johnny Pa Creedon in 1937, Tom Aherne in 1941 and Davy ‘Rocket’ O’Brien in 1970. Furthermore, John Mitchell obtained a medal as a goalkeeper in the All-Ireland-winning U-21 team in 1966. As Coleman highlights, Blarney club, boasting 13 Mid-Cork championships, also tasted success in Croke Park securing the All-Ireland intermediate title against Cappataggle of Galway in 2009, signalling a period of positive momentum for the club.
Following their triumphant win at Croke Park, which resulted from their success in the Cork county intermediate championship and subsequent promotion to senior level, the Blarney club has made quite a journey. Despite facing relegation in 2011, they clawed their way back to Senior A by 2022, narrowly missing a spot in Senior Premier last year after losing to Newcestown in the replay. Figures like Coleman, Barrett, and Power are integral to the current Blarney team, garnering attention and drawing excited whispers wherever they go, especially at the Cúl Camp being held at the Castleclose clubhouse this week, with over 240 eager kids working on their game.
Young enthusiast, five-year-old Tadhg O’Brien, names Mark Coleman as his favourite player while spending time with his grandfather and loyal club supporter, Davy O’Brien. Davy believes that the game could tip in favour of Cork because of their strong bench, including Shane Kingston, Robbie O’Flynn and Power, capable of earning points when required.
Expressing optimistic yet controlled hope, he opines, “We possess a solid group of 21 players who can step up when needed. We now benefit from a strong spine with Robert Downey as centre back – a position previously occupied by Ciaran Joyce. Joyce seems to be thriving in midfield.”
The president of the club, 87 year old Pat Joe Sheehan from Monard, who used to play for Blarney in the 1970s, is enjoying the anticipation of the final, while delighting in watching his grandchildren, Seán (10) and Clodagh (12), at the Cúl Camp on the GAA pitch. In a quiet, measured voice he admits, “I didn’t envisage seeing three Blarney representatives in the All-Ireland final at Croke Park. My confidence is boosted by their superb win against Limerick, although players like Tony Kelly and Shane O’Donnell must not be underestimated – they can be game changers.”
Brendan, son of Pat Joe, is cautioning a more measured approach, reminding supporters not to underestimate the challenges ahead for Coleman, Barrett and Power, even if they’ve beaten the current All-Ireland champions twice this year.
With Clare being the firm favourites, having bested Cork in their past three encounters and maintaining an upper hand over the last ten to fifteen years, the Cork team are beginning from scratch on the coming match day. For them, the victory against Limerick holds no meaning unless they secure the final win. The responsibility weighs heavily on Cork, as they set about to win the All-Ireland competition, which has remained beyond their grasp for 19 years. A sliver of fear accompanies their determination. Nonetheless, they are hell-bent on performing their best, giving their all to vanquish Clare.
On agreeing with this outlook, Colm, his brother, adds that Clare has been the dominant side for the past three years. Despite Cork’s double win over Limerick, the upcoming challenge posed by Clare differs significantly from the structured strategy employed by the Shannonsiders. Limerick’s robotic style of play allowed Cork to prepare accordingly. On the other hand, Clare is known for their unpredictability and spontaneous playing style, making it far more difficult to plan against them. Cork will need to be at their absolute best and ensure flawless match-ups.
Talking about the potential win, their sister Mairead Rowley, who manages the An Club Beag for Under 4s, expressed that it would be a significant accomplishment for Cork to secure the All-Ireland victory after a significant waiting period. It would indeed be an fantastic achievement for Cork to bring the Liam MacCarthy trophy back to Leeside after such an extended wait. Her eldest boy, Darragh, aged 16, has yet to witness Cork taste an All-Ireland victory.
The Blarney GAA grounds at Castleclose, developed 60 years ago on lands that were part of the famed Blarney Castle Estate, provide a commanding view of the famed tourist attraction and its grand gardens with a red and white flag fluttering over the battlements. Lynch shares that they reached out to Sir Charles Colthurst, the castle owner, requesting him to hoist the Cork flag on his castle as a testament to the three lads playing at Croke Park. And he readily obliged, having always demonstrated unwavering support for the club.
All-Ireland excitement is building in the village, most noticeably at the Castle Hotel. Here, hotel maintenance man, Paul Carter, finds himself immersed in the buzz of the upcoming game while he, along with Gillian O’Sullivan and Fintan Forrest, erects a billboard featuring the Blarney trio. Notably, the sport of hurling has been a part of the village’s life even before the formation of the GAA a century ago.
Regardless of his self-confessed lack of interest in hurling, Paul supports the three local lads, echoing the sentiments of his workmates at the Castle Hotel, O’Sullivan and Forrest. Decorations in red and white, from flags to bunting, dominate the hotel’s look, creating an atmosphere of anticipation.
On game day, Forrest will continue working at the family-owned establishment, expecting a high influx of people; whilst O’Sullivan plans to utilise her day off watching the game on the big screen at the same place. Forrest mentioned the hotel, with its rich history dating back to the 19th century, carries deep connections to the local hurling tradition.
Fintan’s father, Ian, reveals an image harboured in the computer till’s screensaver – a snap of Cork captain Jack Lynch holding the Liam MacCarthy Cup outside the hotel, post Cork’s All-Ireland triumph in 1942. He shares the story of how the victorious four-in-a-row team journeyed by horse and trap to their village due to fuel shortage during the war, and how they celebrated their victory at the Castle Hotel. It was a moment delightfully captured in the photograph featuring Jack Lynch surrounded by his teammates, a memory followed by a warm thank you letter from team manager Jim ‘Tough’ Barry for the hotel’s gracious hospitality.
Ian Forrest doesn’t anticipate a repeat event if Cork manage to beat Clare but agrees with the village’s hopes of celebrating an anticipated victory with the three Blarney players, bringing the coveted Liam MacCarthy Cup back to the Castle Hotel, reliving a glorious memory from over 80 years ago.
We must turn to Martin Lynch for the final word, an individual who remarkably withstood the test of mentoring the author in his juvenile years back in the 70s. Despite this, Martin then went on to make notable accomplishments with Blarney’s championship-winning junior team between 1976 and 78.
When questioned, “what is the significance of hurling to Blarney?” Martin states “Being the most ancient, and the most powerful group within the community, we have been vigorously playing hurling here a century prior to the formation of the GAA and have never ceased since. We even hosted local leagues in the square during the Tostal leading into the sixties.”
He continues, “Hurling is essentially, the backbone of the community – a dominant part of life in Blarney whilst being a warm and welcoming club that encourages participation of everyone including newcomers who may not even have a GAA background. They too get involved in hurling as well as football and camogie.”
There are approximately 600 active members in the club that range from as young as four years old participating in hurling, football and camogie. The club also funds a full-time coach that provides training in the parish’s primary schools, benefiting around 1,000 children.
In Martin’s view, there is no doubt that the GAA club is probably the heart of the community and the most binding entity in Blarney. The club helps forge friendships and provides a hub for social activities. Its magnitude is immense and this coming weekend is set to be particularly special.
The village is positively buzzing. The sight of all three boys on the field closing the Limerick match was truly uplifting. They exemplify more than just skill; their behind-the-scenes dedication and hard work, whether early morning gym sessions or unseen field practice, is extraordinary.
No words can articulate the exhilaration within the village presently. When they stand in Croke Park this Sunday and the teams are announced and ‘Blarney’ is echoed, it’s going to fill the hearts of all Blarney inhabitants worldwide with immense pride. How incredible it is to hear our little village ‘Blarney’ recognized on such a grand stage.