“Down the Park”

The famed Coliseum in Rome didn’t stage contests as epic, as dramatic or, at times, as blood stained as Cork’s Athletic Grounds: Cork v Tipp in Munster combat, Cork v Kerry in mortal combat!

The Surgeon’s Knife

As soon as the scalpel was drawn across the patient’s hip to expose the hip joint, Johnny crumbled in a dead faint on the theatre floor beside me!

“The Baths”

In the 1950’s & 60’s every kid in Cork City & suburbs learned to swim in The Baths – or if they didn’t, at least they had a bloody good wash there!

‘Down the Docks’

In fact, amazingly, some of the lads were smoking cigarettes as they worked! How they got away without blowing themselves – or the ship – up, is a mystery. I don’t think Health & Safety as a science had caught on yet at that time.

Pat Connors – Gaeltach Man of the Sea

I was fascinated by the naomhóg and couldn’t understand how such a flimsy craft could survive on the mighty Atlantic. It consisted simply of lengths of tarred canvas stretched tight over a latticework of light timber rib-frames surmounted by a gunwale.

Mick Barry, the greatest bowler of all time.

What is certain is Mick Barry was the greatest bowler of all time. The sport is littered with his records, like putting a 16 oz. bowl over the Chetwynd Viaduct, lofting Mary Anne’s pub on Dublin Hill, 4 in-a-row Munster titles achieved twice, it goes on and on. He did things that didn’t seem humanly possible.

Denis Irwin – A wasted Talent!

Word came through that Denis was being enticed cross-channel by Leeds United – much to our disappointment and disapproval.

“They’ll be sorry – he’ll be home in 6 months… he’s given up university for this – what a waste of talent”

Cathy Barry

Cathy Barry sells crubeens, Fairly burstin’ at the seams.

“Here’s up ‘em all”, says the Boys of Fairhill