We would like to thank Ogie Ryan for giving us this copy of the 1981 Dublin Senior Hurling Championship Semi Final Programme/Team Sheet. It is now digitally preserved for posterity in the Cuala Digital Archive.

The 1981 Dublin Senior Hurling Championship Semi Finals were played in Croke Park which was unusual in itself. Cuala played O’Tooles in one of the semi-finals but lost the match.

Cuala’s John Bailey was the referee in the other Semi Final in which St Vincents played Erins Isle. The programme raises as many questions as it answers. There are spelling mistakes everywhere (it was pre Microsoft Word). Is J. Tormey who lines out at 14 for Erin’s Isle none other than our own Johnny Twomey?

Many famous Dublin Footballers of the era can be seen in the St Vincents Team Ray Hazley, Vincent Conroy and Mick Loftus to name but a few. Also lining out for Vincents that day was Dave Billings who only recently passed away and who many modern Cuala Players knew in his role as head of GAA in UCD.

Many of the Cuala team are still involved in the Club. Damian Byrne is in nets. Johnny Sheanon is Corner Back. Harry Roberts a current Cuala Senior Hurling Selector is named on the bench.

The legendary 3 Holden brothers Mick, Vinnie and P.J. lined out.

The late Brendan “Battie” Ryan is right half forward. According to his father Eamon, Brendan broke seven hurls during the match. This must be a Cuala record. Brendan’s Son, Liam plays for Cuala’s U13’s (2002’s) and played in the “Brendan Ryan Memorial Cup” at our May Fair Day photos of which are in the Cuala Gallery.

This piece of Cuala nostalgia raises a many questions, what was the final score? If Battie Ryan brought 3 hurls to the Match and broke 7, who else’s hurls did he break? Did he replace them? If you know the answer to any of these questions or have any more detail about the match please email your information to history@cualagaa.ie

If you have any old Match Programmes, Press Clippings or Photographs relating to Cuala please scan them and email them into us along with any detail you have on them and we will store them in our digital archive.