The Very First!

There are few hurling clubs in the country to equal Blackrock’s record at under-age level. The current year’s Club Membership Card lists no fewer than 28 titles.

However, the accompanying photograph is unique in so far as it records the club’s very first success – an Under-15 title in 1955.

No fewer than EIGHT of the team went on to win All-Ireland medals

It is a sobering reflection on the strength of Cork City hurling at that time that this team, who lined out under the “Carrigmahon” title, as Club names were not allowed, won not the ‘A’ division, nor the ‘B’ division but the grade ‘C’ title – yet no fewer than EIGHT of the team went on to win All-Ireland medals with various Cork teams!

Ger O’Leary, Tony Connolly, John O’Halloran and Mick Waters won senior medals with Cork in 1966. Micheál Murphy and Fachtna O’Sullivan won All-Ireland colleges titles with the North Mon. in 1960. Connie O’Leary captained Farranferris to win their first All-Ireland title in 1963 and your writer had the honour of captaining Cork to All-Ireland minor success in 1964.

It seems to have been more a baby-sitting exercise that a sporting strategy!

(Though what I was doing on the panel at all is beyond me now! In fact, long before the term gained currency I can claim to have been the first ‘impact sub’ in GAA history. Well, I’m sure I would have been had I ever been brought on! Looking back now, at 10 years of age, it seems to have been more a baby-sitting exercise that a sporting strategy!)

Of further interest is the fact that Mick Waters, Lee Cahill and Eddie Hartnett were to spend their lives with the African Missionary Society as priests in Africa; Micheál Murphy it was who introduced the helmet to hurling in the late 1960s, Donal Counihan was Lord Mayor of Cork in 2007, Brian Loughney founded the ‘Kitty O’Shea’ franchise of pubs worldwide and Jim Barrett recently retired as Dublin City Architect.

I’m sure the other lads have their own storys, too, but, all in all, not a bad mixture from a handful of houses in Ballinlough in the 1950s!

The Rockies U-15 Team 1955

Back, from left: Ger O’Leary; Tony Connolly; Finbarr McCarthy; Lee Cahill; Donal Counihan; Pat O’leary; and Brian Loughney.

Middle: John O’Sullivan; Micheál Murphy; Teddy Burke; Mick Waters; Fachtna O’Sullivan; Dan Joe Crowley & Jack Holland.

Front: Connie O’Leary; Jim Barrett; John O’Halloran; Eddie Hartnett; Kevin Cummins; Pat Kavanagh.