Gaelic Life

[Gaffer]

Not a bt sensitive, Tony.

Having a bit o banter.

I am a big ugly brute of a geezer!

[5 Sams]

Excellent article by Brolly in today's Gaelic Life on his hurling career and Kevin Lynch......his best in a while.

(Sorry I cant post it)

[wobbller]

Excellent article by Brolly in today's Gaelic Life on his hurling career and Kevin Lynch......his best in a while.

(Sorry I cant post it)

Does he play Hurling still?

[longrunsthefox]

brillinat article-very moving and didn't even have to mention the bullshit that proabaly inspired it...

[omagh_gael]

Can anyone post this?

[ExiledGael]

Good call 5sams

Published Date:  02 October 2009
By Joe Brolly
MY EARLIEST sporting memory is of my father getting his nose broken with Dungiven hurlers.
The match was in 1972 against Kilrea. I went to every match with him in our bright green Lada car. Russian made, it had black plastic seats that burned when it was sunny and windows that only a plasterer could wind open.
In those days, Dungiven's goalie and full back line had to be approached with extreme caution, in the manner of the presenter of a wildlife program nearing a group of adult gorillas. Sudden movements tended to panic them, which manifested itself in extremely hard, high pulling towards the threat until it stopped moving. To borrow a phrase, you'd want to have your novenas said before you soloed towards Liam Hinphey senior, Anthony O'Hara and Phonsie Boyle.
My father was a cultured centre half back and not long into the game, he turned to chase a high ball back towards his own square, forgetting to shout the password. Billy Taylor was the Dungiven goalie, and as my father bent to pick up the ball, Billy pulled hard on it, and made a real mess of his face. I still clearly remember the blood pouring down over his white and black jersey.
Billy is a great fellow, and holds the unique distinction of being able to sing Kevin Barry to the tune of the Sash, and vice versa, he just wasn't terribly careful with the blade.
Phonsie Boyle, known as 'The Boiler', rose to prominence due to the number of opponents who mysteriously fainted during games. During a weekend in Kilkenny in the mid-70s, Phonsie met the cats legendary full back Pa Dillon, who had renounced pacifism in his youth. The young Phonsie, a keen student of the game and of its ethics, consulted Pa on the interesting question: "When is a full back entitled to pull?" Pa's response? "When the ball is in the general area."
In 1978, Pa came to Dungiven with Freshford to play in a tournament at the field, and took the opportunity to watch Phonsie plying his art against Banagher. When the game was over, Pa approached him and uttered the immortal line " Phonsie, a ball would do you a long time."

Hinphey's Influence
A vital stimulus for the game in Dungiven had been the triumphant arrival across the mountain of Liam Hinphey. Having left Kilkenny as a young graduate, he arrived firstly in Ballymaguigan, before meeting my aunt Mary K and falling madly in love.
His installation in Dungiven meant one thing: hurling. Kilkenny club teams came to tournaments in the field. Eddie Keher stayed in our house. Brian Cody stayed in my grandmother's across the road. The fresh-faced young Kilkenny captain actually courted my father's cousin Sheila. Unfortunately, she couldn't hang onto him, but the relationships that were built between Dungiven and Kilkenny were more permanent.
In 1978, Liam was invited by Monsignor Maher, the doyen of hurling coaches and manager of Kilkenny to spend the weekend of the All-Ireland in the company of the Kilkenny team. They were playing Cork, and on the evening before the game, Liam watched the training at St Ciaran's, then went with them for their evening meal at Langtons, where he was presented with an entire set of Kilkenny jerseys. For years afterwards, the club senior team wore the Kilkenny colours, and in centenary year won the county title in them.
Dungiven is hurling mad. When I was a child at St John's Primary School the principal was Pat Holloway, a Tipperary man and a fine hurler. All we did was hurl.
In 1982, I played right half forward on the Dungiven team that won the U14 feile, defeating Dunloy in the final in Croke Park. I have two each of under-14, 16 and minor county medals. I have three senior county medals, the most memorable of these coming in a final against Lavey in the late eighties.
Brian McGilligan, one of the greatest hurlers I have seen, lined out for us at number 11 that day, standing at 6'3" and 16 and a half stone. Colm McGurk of Lavey, all 5'6" and eight stones of him squared up to him from the throw-in and commenced lashing him across the legs. Their duel was a symbol for the contest.
Before half-time Colm's hand was broken by a hard pull. Undaunted, he got it strapped up, came back on for the second half and resumed lashing.

In the Blood
This summer, my two oldest boys spent a week at the Lynchs hurling camp, staying with their granny. Afterwards, they didn't want to come home and were using the word 'sir' perfectly in context. It took about two weeks for this side-effect to wear off.
The club has 148 playing members between the ages of 5 and 14. There are eight teams in total including two at adult level. Last weekend, the hurlers drew the county final with Slaughtneil. This weekend, most of the same lads are playing in the senior football final. The game and the club is in our blood.
Kevin Lynch was a fanatical hurler. In 1971, the inaugural hurling Feile took place in Thurles. Kevin was right half back on the team. A week before the competition was due to start, Kevin's appendix ruptured and he had to be rushed into hospital for emergency surgery. His mother Bridie went to see the manager, Liam Hinphey to tell him the bad news. She was devastated for her son.
Liam assured her that they would bring him anyway, and keep a close eye on him. The bus was leaving from the town on the Friday morning, and on the Thursday night, Kevin appeared at Liam's back door to leave his hurl and gear. He didn't want his mother to know. Liam senior, hugely conscious of player welfare, went on to play him in four games over the next two days. Dungiven won it, beating two Tipperary teams en route to the cup. Bridie never found out.
In 1972, he captained the first Derry hurling team to win an All-Ireland. He quickly moved up to senior level and hurled with distinction until his arrest in 1977.
In 1981, he died on hunger strike after 71 days, aged only 25. I still vividly remember the shock of it.
A few years earlier, the hurling club had broken away from the football club and used the name St Patrick's as a stop-gap, since it was the name of the local secondary school. A few weeks after he died, the club committee unanimously agreed that the club would be named Kevin Lynch's if the family gave permission. Kevin's father Paddy gave the idea his blessing, and that was that.
When I drive through the town in the mornings on my way to court in Derry, I often see his sister Bridie crossing the road to the chapel with fresh flowers for his grave. To this day, she lights a candle before every Senior Championship game.
In Seamus Heaney's great work Requiem for the Croppies, he wrote . . .
"They buried us without shroud or coffin and in August... the barley grew up out of our graves."
Dungiven's young barley is growing beautifully.

[ardmhachaabu]

You should post that in the General Section as well and let the OWC crowd choke on it 

[5 Sams]

In Seamus Heaney's great work Requiem for the Croppies, he wrote . . .
"They buried us without shroud or coffin and in August... the barley grew up out of our graves."
Dungiven's young barley is growing beautifully.

I liked that bit....are you reading Liam Hayes et al....excellent stuff from the umbrella.

[gerry]

another good piece by joe, hes the first page i turn to read in the GL

[Donagh]

Good man Joe!

[Tony Baloney]

Full of Brolly embellishments as usual. Strange to get a mention of Brian McGilligan in 

[the green man]

The name is quite erroneous. Should be called North Derry Select HC

[downredblack]

In Seamus Heaney's great work Requiem for the Croppies, he wrote . . .
"They buried us without shroud or coffin and in August... the barley grew up out of our graves."
Dungiven's young barley is growing beautifully.

I liked that bit....are you reading Liam Hayes et al....excellent stuff from the umbrella.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uv4ifmS7H20

[Owenbeg]

Well done Joe -  it cuts through the bullshit. couldnt have wrote it any better myself

[Owenbeg]

The name is quite erroneous. Should be called North Derry Select HC

Explain???