London

[irunthev]

The hurling team of the 70's which reached several all-Ireland semi's, St.Pauls Academy including the aforementioned Tiny Tempah, Jason Ryan, The Met Police setting up a team are some of the chapters involved.

Also a chapter about the Rea brothers who faced each other in an all-ireland semi. There's also a cracking chapter about a fella called Ambrose Rogers who travelled to Dublin every Sunday to record the Sunday game and bring the video back, duplicate it and distribute them round the Irish pubs and made a fortune out of it until RTE got hold of him.

I have the book somewhere here in the house but cant seem to put my hands on it.

Coincidentally the author is on Newstalk right now with Jason Ryan on the "Off The Ball" show. Dunno if the repeat can be caught online if you miss it.

Ambrose Gordan?

Correct and right. Ambrose would have loved someone writing a book about him. He was born so that someone would write a book about him. In Ambrose's eyes the book would have been all about him, the rest of them were just padding to the story.

[davegaasportsdesk]

If the draw's keep going London's way we could see them in a all ireland 1/4 final 

[irunthev]

The hurling team of the 70's which reached several all-Ireland semi's, St.Pauls Academy including the aforementioned Tiny Tempah, Jason Ryan, The Met Police setting up a team are some of the chapters involved.

Also a chapter about the Rea brothers who faced each other in an all-ireland semi. There's also a cracking chapter about a fella called Ambrose Rogers who travelled to Dublin every Sunday to record the Sunday game and bring the video back, duplicate it and distribute them round the Irish pubs and made a fortune out of it until RTE got hold of him.

I have the book somewhere here in the house but cant seem to put my hands on it.

Coincidentally the author is on Newstalk right now with Jason Ryan on the "Off The Ball" show. Dunno if the repeat can be caught online if you miss it.

Ambrose Gordan?

Correct and right. Ambrose would have loved someone writing a book about him. He was born so that someone would write a book about him. In Ambrose's eyes the book would have been all about him, the rest of them were just padding to the story.

Three or four years ago I was doing umpire at a game and one of the Rea brothers mentioned was filling in playing in goal. It was a reserve match and I suppose Gerry was in his late 50s by then. Anyway, he was standing there in his working trousers and site boots, leaning on his hurl, while talking on his mobile, while the game was going on around him. I wish I had had a camera with me.

[john mcgill]

Packie Hughes, St Brendans, and landlord of The Boot Pub in Kings Cross has a chapter about him in the London story.

[irunthev]

Packie Hughes, St Brendans, and landlord of The Boot Pub in Kings Cross has a chapter about him in the London story.

And if anyone is interested, there will be a poet and philosopher in residence at the Boot throughout the second week of July. Admission is free..... getting out could be the problem!!

[Offalylad]

If the draw's keep going London's way we could see them in a all ireland 1/4 final 

Who knew, you can now beat the worst team in the country at home and be considered a good bet for the quarters. Fair play to London but some of the hype has been ridiculous...

[irunthev]

If the draw's keep going London's way we could see them in a all ireland 1/4 final 

Who knew, you can now beat the worst team in the country at home and be considered a good bet for the quarters. Fair play to London but some of the hype has been ridiculous...

Well in fairness, had they drawn Kildare, I don't think many would have been predicting any more from London. It is just that people will view Waterford as one of the weaker teams, so believe that London at least have a chance.
You also can't forget that they drew with Mayo over the course of 70 minutes. Yes Fermanagh were poor, no one is denying that..... but it was just good for London that for once they weren't the worst.
There is another issue here too. For years and years during the so called good times in Ireland, London was a forgotten place. I can remember playing in your own Tullamorre and being called a bunch of Orange b~~stards by members of the crowd (not just in Offaly mind you) and also being treated like tinkers in Gracefields. However, now London is back in vogue in terms of there being a more vibrant Irish community there and plenty of young lads and girls considering it as a possible destination, so obviously there is going to be more interest in the place. There aren't too many people in Ireland who don't have a relative living and working in London, so there is always going to be a certain affinity to the place.

[Offalylad]

If the draw's keep going London's way we could see them in a all ireland 1/4 final 

Who knew, you can now beat the worst team in the country at home and be considered a good bet for the quarters. Fair play to London but some of the hype has been ridiculous...

Well in fairness, had they drawn Kildare, I don't think many would have been predicting any more from London. It is just that people will view Waterford as one of the weaker teams, so believe that London at least have a chance.
You also can't forget that they drew with Mayo over the course of 70 minutes. Yes Fermanagh were poor, no one is denying that..... but it was just good for London that for once they weren't the worst.
There is another issue here too. For years and years during the so called good times in Ireland, London was a forgotten place. I can remember playing in your own Tullamorre and being called a bunch of Orange b~~stards by members of the crowd (not just in Offaly mind you) and also being treated like tinkers in Gracefields. However, now London is back in vogue in terms of there being a more vibrant Irish community there and plenty of young lads and girls considering it as a possible destination, so obviously there is going to be more interest in the place. There aren't too many people in Ireland who don't have a relative living and working in London, so there is always going to be a certain affinity to the place.

Stawy away from there! ... 

[irunthev]

If the draw's keep going London's way we could see them in a all ireland 1/4 final 

Who knew, you can now beat the worst team in the country at home and be considered a good bet for the quarters. Fair play to London but some of the hype has been ridiculous...

Well in fairness, had they drawn Kildare, I don't think many would have been predicting any more from London. It is just that people will view Waterford as one of the weaker teams, so believe that London at least have a chance.
You also can't forget that they drew with Mayo over the course of 70 minutes. Yes Fermanagh were poor, no one is denying that..... but it was just good for London that for once they weren't the worst.
There is another issue here too. For years and years during the so called good times in Ireland, London was a forgotten place. I can remember playing in your own Tullamorre and being called a bunch of Orange b~~stards by members of the crowd (not just in Offaly mind you) and also being treated like tinkers in Gracefields. However, now London is back in vogue in terms of there being a more vibrant Irish community there and plenty of young lads and girls considering it as a possible destination, so obviously there is going to be more interest in the place. There aren't too many people in Ireland who don't have a relative living and working in London, so there is always going to be a certain affinity to the place.

Stawy away from there! ... 

Current London selector Tony Murphy is actually from Gracefields.

[AZOffaly]

It's Gracefield, singular. Tough place alright. I blame the fact that they're on the border with Laois. That'd wear any man.

[john mcgill]

Wasn't it Offaly that the Irish World wrote about the London team not even being offered a cup of tea after a national league game?

[irunthev]

Wasn't it Offaly that the Irish World wrote about the London team not even being offered a cup of tea after a national league game?

Yeah, there was something about that alright. I think the journalist was sacked after that for upsetting the good folk of Offaly. Mind you there wasn't much of a public clammer to get him re-instated. I think most were glad to see the back of him - one of those know all - know nothing characters.
On the subject of Offaly, I played my first ever senior match for London against Offfaly in a  challenge game in Ruislip back in '91. Dave Claffey from Offaly, who I knew to see, was playing for Lonodn, but what I didn't realize at the time was that Dave had an identical twin brother Vinny. Half way through the second half I see what I thought was Dave running towards goal wearing an Offaly jersey, with the ball and I'm trying to figure out what is going on. Possibly the only case of twin brothers playing against each other in a game of inter county football.

[wherefromreferee?]

I see a fella from Greenlough (Derry) is on the team/squad.
What about Jonny Niblock - is he still part of the set up?

[irunthev]

I see a fella from Greenlough (Derry) is on the team/squad.
What about Jonny Niblock - is he still part of the set up?

Jonny came back to London last year and played in the Championship against Roscommon having been away since 2006. Hasn't featured at all this year. Think maybe age is against him. He was playing full forward for his club last year in the SFC, so I think his days as an effective defender may be over. Not sure why he didn't feature at all this year though. I fairness to Jonny, he gave London five very good years and even after the mauling in 2004 against Galway he stayed on when  lot of players would have walked away. At one time around about 2005 the London halfback line was Paddy McConigley (Donegal_ Jonny Niblock (Derry) amd Shane McAnarney (Meath). Not too shabby. Pity the rest of the team wasn't of the same vintage.

[Offalylad]

Wasn't it Offaly that the Irish World wrote about the London team not even being offered a cup of tea after a national league game?

Yeah, there was something about that alright. I think the journalist was sacked after that for upsetting the good folk of Offaly. Mind you there wasn't much of a public clammer to get him re-instated. I think most were glad to see the back of him - one of those know all - know nothing characters.
On the subject of Offaly, I played my first ever senior match for London against Offfaly in a  challenge game in Ruislip back in '91. Dave Claffey from Offaly, who I knew to see, was playing for Lonodn, but what I didn't realize at the time was that Dave had an identical twin brother Vinny. Half way through the second half I see what I thought was Dave running towards goal wearing an Offaly jersey, with the ball and I'm trying to figure out what is going on. Possibly the only case of twin brothers playing against each other in a game of inter county football.

Wasn't as good as his legendary brother Vinny!