The Cuala Marian League – And The Men Who Gave Us Our Club Name

This is a revised and updated version of an article that was first published in Oct 2017

The Marian Leagues were originally run across parish schools in South Dublin and North Wicklow from as early as 1953 (a year before the Marian Year) until 1973. The system operated independently of the GAA until 1960 when it came under direct formal control of the Leinster Council; uniquely the first such competitions body in the GAA not to be controlled by a County Board.  Schools participating in the Marian Leagues included –

  • Ballybrack
  • Blackrock
  • Bray
  • Dalkey
  • Dundrum
  • Dunleary
  • Enniskerry
  • Foxrock
  • Glasthule
  • Glencullen
  • Greystones
  • Kilmacanogue
  • Kilcrony
  • Monkstown
  • Newtownmountkennedy
  • Ringsend
  • Sallynoggin
  • Sandyford
  • Shankill
  • Stillorgan

Some of the smaller schools combined (e.g. Kilmac & Enniskerry) at certain age categories. And some Clubs participated too (e.g. Bray Emmetts, Wolf Tones (Bray), Foxrock Geraldines) and, in later years, Dalkey Mitchels and Cuala Boys (more of which later).

Initially, the “Cuala” Marian League was just a subset of the wider grouping of Marian Leagues in the area. The Cuala Marian League was so named in 1954 to uniquely distinguish its U16 ½ players. There was also section for U 18s called “St Kevins” (presumably called after the local saint renowned for learning and piety, despite being more interested in fishing than hurling).

 

(Update April 2021) Cartlann Digiteach Cuala is aware of an even earlier Cuala Primary Schools League that operated in the same area in the late 1930s; though it seems not to have lasted long. Furthermore, in the same period, we’ve caught sight of a “Cuala” Camogie club playing in Dublin but it seems unlikely that this had any connection with the local area.

The “Cuala” name derived from the fact that their area of operations broadly coincided with the ancient Gaelic territory of Cuala – roughly from The Sugarloaf/ Kilcoole to Dundrum/Dodder. And this name was used by many other groups and societies. We had Cuala Press, Cuala Industries, Ceolteorai Cualann etc. But it was probably Conradh na Gaelige more that any other group that caused the term “Cuala” to be so popularised. It actually named it’s local region “Cuala” reflecting the fact that it encompassed Branches in all the parishes across the ancient Cuala territory

As more and more boys grew up its ranks, the Cuala Marian League seems to have become the dominant section and soon this name prevailed as the overall title, often just called the Cuala League. Boys from Dun Laoghaire, Sallynoggin and Dalkey had been heavily involved in the Cuala Marian League. So it’s delightful, though hardly surprising, that we find an important family and direct organisational connection between the Cuala Marian League and our modern club.

The Marian Leagues were overseen by a small body of dedicated teachers and Gaelic games enthusiasts. Its long-time Secretary (and later Chairman) was one Seosamh Ó Drisceoil, father of Cuala’s own Colmán.  And another prominent officer was Pronsias O’Maolain of Harold N.S. Dalkey – a vice chairman and secretary. Another chairman was Fr Neville of Ballybrack.  So, when a boys G.A.A. club was set up in 1962 by Richard Curran, Tom Holden, the Cuala Marian League’s Seosamh Ó Drisceoil and others, it comes as no surprise that they also adopted the name Cuala Boys, making it the inheritor of the schools’ organisation so well nurtured by Seosamh and his colleagues.

And here’s a tangible connection to that historic League.  This medal was found  outside a pub in Co. Clare back in 1967. As you’ll see, it was awarded to “Dun Laoire” i.e. CBS National School Eblana.

Incidentally, we know that the the team a year earlier won the O’Brien Cup (U12 Football) and comprised Jack Vance , Trevor Murphy, Byrne, Murphy, Reynolds, Stubbs, Doran, Hall, Danaher, Doyle and Morris.

Dun Laoire CBS also lifted the McEvoy Cup (U15 Football) – Trevor Murphy (Capt.) Louis O’Connor, Derek Kavanagh, Seán O’Neill, Martin Clifford, Michael Duffy, Liam Taffe, Patrick Kelly and Jack Vance.

And while we’re naming names, here’s the Harold Boys Dalkey (U13 ½ Hurling) side that beat Kilmacanogue in the 1961 final – Patrick Hayes, Seán Dunne, Peadar & Liam Butler, Liam Whiston, Seán P. Dunne, Liam O’Grady, Gearoid O’Toole, Leo Ryan, Michael Hayes (Capt.) Paul Cahill, Liam Lawless, D. Muldowney, Leo Holmes, Brendan de Bheirned and our very own Gerry Wildes.

Did you play in the Cuala Marian League? We’d love to hear more stories and see memorabilia.

And here’s a tangible connection to that historic League.  This medal was found  outside a pub in Co. Clare back in 1967. As you’ll see, it was awarded to “Dun Laoire” i.e. CBS National School Eblana.

Incidentally, we know that the the team a year earlier won the O’Brien Cup (U12 Football) and comprised Jack Vance , Trevor Murphy, Byrne, Murphy, Reynolds, Stubbs, Doran, Hall, Danaher, Doyle and Morris.

Dun Laoire CBS also lifted the McEvoy Cup (U15 Football) – Trevor Murphy (Capt.) Louis O’Connor, Derek Kavanagh, Seán O’Neill, Martin Clifford, Michael Duffy, Liam Taffe, Patrick Kelly and Jack Vance.

And while we’re naming names, here’s the Harold Boys Dalkey (U13 ½ Hurling) side that beat Kilmacanogue in the 1961 final – Patrick Hayes, Seán Dunne, Peadar & Liam Butler, Liam Whiston, Seán P. Dunne, Liam O’Grady, Gearoid O’Toole, Leo Ryan, Michael Hayes (Capt.) Paul Cahill, Liam Lawless, D. Muldowney, Leo Holmes, Brendan de Bheirned and our very own Gerry Wildes.

Did you play in the Cuala Marian League? We’d love to hear more stories and see memorabilia.

 

Dunleary O’Connells – Junior Football Winners 1911

Dunleary O’Connells  is another of those Clubs whos very existence has been largely forgotten. Although not known to have any direct connection with the modern Cuala club, Cartlann Digiteach Cuala feels this forum is a fitting place to record what is known of this once powerful club in what has since become the Cuala heartland.

Our attention was drawn to O’Connells by Ray Logan who kindly shared an image of a Dublin medal that belonged to one of the team – Lawrence “Lanzy” O’Brien. It was awarded to the winners of the Dublin Junior League in 1910-11. At that time, O’Brien was most likely the Longford-born assistant in Doran’s Vintners in 106 Upper Georges street. Today, the spot is occupied by AIB though older readers, familiar with the pre-shopping centre town, may remember it as “The Glenbournie”.  Lanzy may well have excelled in his duties at his Kingstown place of work but we now know he was also a talented footballer with a medal to prove it. This can only have been good for his relationship with the boss Michael Doran who, when he wasn’t attending to the refreshment of the local populace, was a prominent officer of Daniel O’Connell’s Gaelic Football Club. The Club Secretary, Malachy Doyle worked next door in Liptons as a grocers assistant, living over the shop.

Winning a Junior Medal so soon in the clubs history, was surely a significant achievement. And we now know, thanks to further information supplied by Ray, how much it meant to Lanzy.  On Lanzy’s wedding day, he wore the medal – prominently displayed on his watchchain.

Back to the O’Connells Club, we can report that the officers were –

  • P. Byrne (President)
  • Michael Doran & Thomas Davis (Treasurers)
  • Malachy Doyle, P.J Storm & Francis Fox-Macken (Secretaries) Doyle resigned his role in April 1910 to ease his workload as he was performing the same role for Bray Emmetts)
  • Michael J Cooke (County Board & League Delegate)

Record Makers

The club was formed in 1909 and had a meteoric rise in Junior Football winning the 1910-11 League and, in the following year, playing Senior Championship Football. Kitted out in Black & Scarlett, their success on the field was remarkable; by December 1910, they has accumulated 30 goals & 118 points out of just 11 matches, a feat attested in writing by Lorcan O’Toole (Sec. to Dublin Board) who also confirmed that this was a record that stood from the formation of the League in May 1901. By all accounts, the O’Connells enjoyed significant support in the town. General Meetings could attract up to 150 attendees and it seems their games were well supported. The club were in the habit of arranging special trams for away matches. The spectators at home games were sometimes entertained by a local band.  Their home games were played in Mr Field’s field on Monkstown Avenue (present-day Sailors & Soldiers Field) and at “Adelaide Road” which was actually the modern (former Pres.) grounds at Glasthule.

History Makers
Few will now realise that in its early days, Gaelic Football had “points posts” as well as goalposts – much like Aussie Rules today. The outer points posts were discarded at the start of the 20th century. At the Carlisle Grounds in Bray in 1910, Bray Emmetts entertained O’Connells in a game – their first to be undertaken under the revised rules.

Accurate to a Tee
It was matters off the pitch which attracted most media attention to O’Connells. The club held regular meetings at their “rooms” at 55 Mulgrave Street to which the press were customarily invited. During one of these meetings, in April 1910, opinions were expressed (seemingly by Doran) as to how much favoritism was shown by the Dublin Football League committee and how they were prone to arrange fixtures involving long trips by O’Connell’s to the far reaches of Dublin ( Drumcondra, Rialto, Marino etc). The feeling was expressed that the League was more interested in gate revenue and had its “pet” clubs.  And it would seem that certain members of the League committee were prone to disparaging the reputation of the O’Connell’s team, much to the annoyance of the Dunleary faithful. These strong opinions had hardly left the lips of Doran when they appeared in the columns of the Wicklow People and in due course landed on the desk of the Secretary of the Football League.

The inevitable task of defending the club fell to Board Delegate Michael J. Cooke, a “provisions assistant and accountant” from Blackrock. Back in the day, it was customary for “visitors” to accompany club delegates to meetings where they could not vote but were often prone to voice their comments. One can only imagine the tensions. As far as the character of the team was concerned, Cooke was careful to emphasise that “we had to make it a rule of the club to keep out a certain undesirable class of whom there have been too many, even in our own time, to bring disgrace upon the Gaelic Athletic Association” Cooke was well-versed in the dynamics of the League Committee and already had considerable experience in this regard. For example, he had previously defended the O’Connells from a charge of fielding “un-constituted” players in a fixture against St Sylvester’s. The Malahide objection accused O’Connells of fielding players (Reilly, Moran, White. Matthews) in the Junior competition who had previously turned-out for Glasthule Mitchells in an Intermediate contest. Cooke skillfully argued that the Northsiders’ objection was not, as the rules demanded, lodged “in duplicate”. He demonstrated that the second copy was not an exact duplicate but a poorly constructed hand-written copy which spelled “Intermediate” as “Intermedi-T-ate”. Much to the amusement/consternation of the many spectators present, the Malahide objection was ruled inadmissible and Cooke received a hero’s reception at the next club meeting.

Cad is ainm duit?
The most notable member of the club was a John Woods of Brighton Vale, Monkstown who was an up-and-coming solicitor and a prominent Irish Language activist. He was well-connected to the GAA too, his aunt Margaret was married to Michael Cusack. John adopted the Irish form of his name at an early age and eventually formally changed it to the Irish version by Deed Poll. But he didn’t stop there – he even went so far as to change the name of his adopted town.  Admitted as an O’Connell’s member in 1910, Seaghan O’Huadhaigh later became a member of Kingstown Urban Council and played a leading role in having the name of the Council area changed to Dún Laoghaire.

Railed against Authority
By April 1911, the O’Connells were playing in the Senior Championship Football at Jones’ Road against Kickhams. More trouble ensued. A disputed sending-off of a Dunleary player was exacerbated by a fellow player leaving the field in protest and then returning to encourage his teammates to retire. When this did not achieve his aims, he kicked the match ball over the railings.  Game to Kickhams!

Aftermath
What became of Dunleary O’Connells after this remains a mystery. The last newspaper sighting of them was in July 1911 at the Greystones Tournament where they played Bray Emmett’s. While morale within the club ought have been very strong, it might be speculated that their relationship with County officials was far from ideal. Perhaps life simply got more difficult for them organizationally. Whatever the reason, we can find no trace of officers or players in GAA affairs in the immediate area beyond this time.  Malachy Doyle went on to captain Bray Emmett’s before taking up the whistle and eventually became Secretary to the Dublin Football League Committee and a member of the Dublin County Board. Cartlann Digiteach Cuala also noticed some familiar O’Connells names cropping up in Bray Emmets in 1912 – e.g. Hanny, Richfield, D. Reilly. Another sign that their Dunleary outfit was no more.

Players and members associated with the Dunleary O’Connells were –

  • Byrne, John (full forward)
  • Carroll, M.
  • Carroll, William
  • Corish, Matt
  • Devlin
  • Donnelly, Thomas
  • Edwards, Victor (a Vanman from Monkstown)
  • Farrell, P.
  • Gill, Patrick (a Roscommon-born Grocers Asst., 70 Lower Georges Street)
  • Hegarty
  • Hanny, Con (motor mechanic, Findlater St)
  • Hanny, Michael (vice Captain, Findlater St)
  • Hanny, Christopher (Railway porter, Findlater St )
  • Keely, H.F.
  • Kevans
  • Larkin, John
  • Matthews, Edward (Adelaide cottages)
  • Matthews , John (Adelaide cottages)
  • Matthews , Patrick (Adelaide cottages)
  • McGovern, Joseph (Captain, Eden Terrace)
  • McGovern, Thomas (Goalkeeper & carpenter, Eden Terrace)
  • Moran, James (a solicitor Brighton Vale Monkstown)
  • Moran, John
  • Murray, P.
  • O’Brien, Laurence (the recipient of the medal which prompted this article)
  • O’Connor, Anthony
  • O’Connor, R.
    O’Huadhaigh, Seaghan
  • O’Shea, D.J.
  • O’Shea, John
  • O’Sullivan, Timothy
  • Reilly, Dan – probably from Longs Cottages, now the Site of Dixons Villas in Glasthule.
  • Richfield, John
  • Richfield, Joseph
  • Smyth, Patrick (Goalkeeper)
  • Talty, E
  • White , Patrick

Team picture courtesy of Joe Dodd; Soccer in the Borough

Hyde Road Pitch Opening – 1989

Cartlann Digiteach Cuala previously reported on the wonderful efforts made to develop our pitch at Hyde Park (Johnson set the perfect pitch). Of course no such undertaking would have been complete without a suitable celebration and what better way than to have the country’s finest players put the pitch to the test in a challenge match. And all in the presence of Cuala members and friends and presided over by John Dowling, Uachtarán Cumann Lúthchleas Gael. The grand day out took place on 10 December 1989 and featured

  • a Senior Camogie Challenge game, Dublin (Present) v Dublin (Past)

as well as two inter-county Challenges –

  • Dublin Hurlers (then AHL Div1 leaders) v Wexford
  • Dublin Footballers(Leinster Champions) v Galway

The senior attractions were punctuated by a series of Juvenile exhibition matches. How many of these young players would go on to future stardom?

We are one again indebted to former Chairman Tommy Johnson for sharing images of the day along with Press cuttings. They can be viewed in the Cuala Gallery. What a wonderful sight to see so many Cuala families and supporters – some sadly no longer with us. And the Official Programme gives all the details as well as painting a fine picture of the remarkable progress being made in Cuala in the period.

Comhar Cualann – So Little Time (So Much To Do).

Cartlann Digiteach Cuala  occasionally likes to look over our historical fence to better understand what our neighbours were up to back in the day. We, like many others, would have shared a belief that there was not much going on in the locality during the war years but Comhar Cualann caught our eye. It existed in the decade prior to the founding of St Begnetts GAA (1958) and just a few years before Naomh Mhuire (1948). The familiar name is also fascinating being rooted in the same ancient area that previously influenced Cuala Hurling Club (1920s) and later Cuala Boys (1962)

Comhar Cualann was founded in early 1945 and was run by people living around Dun Laoghaire. Although it was short-lived, it seems to have been active until at least 1947. It organised a hectic schedule of club activities. As the name suggests it’s major aim was the promotion of Irish language and culture but it adopted a much broader scope of interests than those traditionally associated with a typical G.A.A Club and it had “branches” across the metropolis including Bray, Rathmines, Rathgar & Terenure.

Among its activites could be found not only Football, Hurling & Camogie, but Boxing, Tug of War, Table Tennis, Hiking, First Aid, Cycling, Physical Training, Ballroom Dancing and a Soccer team. Also listed were the Comhar Players (Drama, sketches, Variety shows) and a popular weekly “Social” in Dun Laoghaire Town Hall which sometimes included celebrity guests. Crowds flocked to see Dublin celebs like crooners Frankie Blowers and Jerry Kestell, Jack Cruise (of Olympia pantomime fame), and tenor Martin Crosbie (brother of Paddy “School-Around-the-Corner” Crosbie). Jazz pianist Peggy Dell was a promised attendee. Comhar Cualann even had its own Band and seem to offer a wide variety of styles from Ceili to danceband. They practiced in the Coastguard Station in Dun Laoghaire.

Comhar Cualann had no connection with the Bray-based Cor Cualann Musical Society. Nor does it seem to have any association with Comhar Chumann Cualann, a parental co-operative that ran Colaiste Cualann in Clarinda Park in the 1960s

For most of its time its officers were President James De Loughrey (York Rd), Vice President Dermot Supple, Secretary Thomas J. Brady (Rosary Gardens) and Treasurer Oliver Plunkett. Others involved at a committee level were Peter Heffernan (Melifont Ave), Charles Heffernan, Kevin Dillon, Margaret Davis, Kathleen Fallon, Peggy Byrne, nee O’Toole (Irish Dance), Robbie Brennan (Drama), Sean Butler (Director of Sports), L. Owens, S. Byrne, Paddy Byrne, Jackie Leonard, John B Ryan (Socials), Andrew J Keely (Rathgar Branch) & Maise Gallagher (Bray Branch)

In keeping with its primary objectives, it ran Irish dance classes and language lessons and promoted the speaking of Irish.

Comhar Cualann played Soccer in Div 3 of the Athletic Union League using pitches in Ballybrack, Glasthule and Newtownpark (Bradmola Factory); players included Davenport, Coyle, Kelby & Dunne. It played Hurling & Football in the Patrick Moran grounds on Newtownpark Avenue and while they on the record of intending to affiliate with the Dublin County Board in Dec 1946, it is not clear whether they ever did (or could, given the extensive range of their sporting interests).

It seemed particularly strong in Camogie where, by 1946, it ran two successful teams and had expectations of developing a third. They trained in Sallynoggin and included M.Davis, N. Byrne, R.Davis, A.Stapleton, G.Durnin, P.Somers, M.Kelly, M Abby, U.Shelly , T.Kilbride, M.Byrne and D Knowles. Maybe some of these players were soon-to-be-new-members of Naomh Mhuire founded just 2 years later?

Was Comhar Cualann a “club” in the conventional sense or might it be better described as some sort of an enabling framework for a wider programme of community activities? From 1947, there was no further mention of this remarkable organisation in the media. We have no idea how long after it survived or whether its ambitious programme of interests eventually wore it down? There is nothing available to us to suggest anyone associated with Comhar Cualann had a later role in founding St Begnets, Naomh Mhuire or any more recent clubs. If anyone knows otherwise or can offer any further information about this short-lived “club, we’d like to hear from you.

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Johnson Set The Perfect Pitch

We’ve said it before in these pages, Cartlann Digiteach Cuala loves attics. And when the attic in question belongs to a former Chairman who played a major role in developing one of Cuala’s most important facilities, we know we’re in for a treat. So we were delighted to hear from Tommy Johnson (Chairman 1987-1989) who has shared with us his many interesting notes and images from this important period.

One of the core club assets which many might take for granted lies in plain sight every time you visit Cuala HQ. But few may realise the huge effort it took to make it what it is today – the Cuala pitch. In a week which saw the first Senior Football Championship fixture taking place in Hyde Park, its almost unbelievable to think that, being once the site of allotments, it was once a much smaller, sloping site that would surely been very frustrating to play on. Today, it is a full sized level pitch which plays host to a range of club activities throughout the year. Tommy rightly believes it’s important that current members appreciate the great efforts made by those club officials of yesteryear and he makes special mention of our current President as well as Con and Mick Browner Shay Carroll & Maurice Johnson. In fact, the project to develop the pitch was actually supported by two key Committees –

A Fund Raising Committee (Des Cahill, Maurice Johnson, Brendan Ryan RIP, Tom Cullen) was set up, 2000 tickets were sold in record time to raise the 36k. A further 15k was sourced in lottery/DLCorp grants. An earlier scheme, whereby members made loans to develop the bar, was extended by inviting participants to convert the loans into 12-year membership subscriptions. There was a tremendous response, 75% of the scheme participants took up the offer.

A Development Committee was set up (Tommy Johnson, Maurice Johnson , Con Browner (RIP), Johnny Sheanon, Shay Carroll) It was a great bonus that these five were very knowledgeable and experienced in construction matters. This Committee commissioned Michael Browner, a Civil Engineer, to survey the field and produce a proposal which involved lowering by 2.5 metres in the top corner and filling by 1.5 metres in the bottom corner. As these images portray, a huge amount of rock breaking and “cut & fill” was necessary to rectify the huge slope on the original site. Con took a keen interest in the project right through and acted as unofficial “Site Engineer” throughout, looking after his son’s design. In the end, the project was delivered for approx. 33k.

Needless to say, the opening of the pitches in December 1989 was marked with great ceremony.  We’ll post details of that great day shortly.

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RMS Leinster – Centenary Commemoration

The sinking of the RMS Leinster in 1918 by a German submarine, was by far the worst loss of life in Irish Waters. The ship was struck by two torpedoes. The first hit the Mail Room which contained, as was the practice at the time, 22 Post Office mail sorters, 21 of whom lost their lives in the sinking. The second hit the Engine Room and proved decisive in sinking the ship. It is estimated that the total deaths amounted to over 550 including crew, military personnel and civilians.

More Irish people died on the Leinster than on the Titanic & Lucitania combined!

Here’s a short video

Many of the postal workers are understood to have come from the Kingstown (Dún Laoghaire) area and it has been reported that some were members of local GAA clubs. Although Cartlann Digiteach Cuala has no evidence of any  connections to our ancestral clubs, we wonder might there be families out there who know more?

To mark the centenary of the sinking, a series of commemorative events is taking place in Dún Laoghaire . Brochure.

Cuala Casements – Junior Football – An Corn Plant Winners 1973

Cartlann Digiteach Cuala is thankful to Paul Keogh for supplying this image from 1973 when a “Cuala” team won their first Adult Football trophy for Dalkey – An Corn Plant – after a replay in Bohernabreena in conditions that were so wet that PJ Holden broke his leg.

The short-lived Cuala Casements club grew out of the 1972 amalgamation of Dalkey’s Roger Casements and Dun Laoghaire’s Cuala Boys. In 1974, ‘Casements amalgamated with Dalkey Mitchell’s to become Cuala Hurling & Football Club.   

Here are the full list of players. We are still hoping someone will be able to identify No 14.

1974 – Dunphy Guides Cuala Casements To Minor League Victory

Cartlann Digiteach Cuala is delighted to announce the acquisition of a wide-ranging set of photographs and news clippings courtesy of Bridie Dunphy (one of our 4 Honorary Members). During her time as an active committee member, Bridie was also busy recording the exploits of the club and her family’s remarkable involvement, especially that of her late husband Mick Dunphy RIP. Over the coming weeks and months, we hope to publish more photos along with their associated stories.

To kick-off this series, we think it fitting to share with you this image, taken in 1974 at a function in the Shang-Ri-La Hotel in Dalkey, featuring Bridie and Mick. The presentation marked a wonderful season for the Minors that saw them finish top of the Dublin Minor League. And it was also an occasion to honour Mick their manager who had guided them, and so many other teams, over the years. The team presented him with an inscribed salver.

Pictured (L-R):  Johnny Sheanon, Pat Sheanon (RIP), Pat Dolphin, Bridie Dunphy, Murt Gleeson, Mick Dunphy (RIP), Brian Murdock, Tommy Johnson
Many thanks too to Mick Dunphy Jnr. for facilitating publication.

St. Michael’s Gaa Club – Sallynoggin 1960

Images of St. Michael’s are rare; so Cartlann Digiteach Cuala is grateful to Paul Keogh for sharing this ‘gem’ with us. This team was a primary school side, connected to CBS Eblana. The location was Ringsend Park against Star of the Sea. It is remarkable for its depiction of a set of boys who, just 2 years later, formed the feeder for Cuala Boys when it was formed in 1962, it also contains a future Club Chairman Pat Brock and the late great Sallynoggin songwriter Barney Rush. (Christy fans will know Barney for classics like “The Craic was Ninety in the Isle of Man” and “Nancy Spain“).

Incidentally, some photographic advice, can present day mentors please note the symmetry of that back line (off the pitch).

“Weren’t they the rare aul stock?”

Thanks to Paul Keogh, we’ve been able to put names on most of those players.  –

#01 ___ Kelly
#02 Barney Rush
#03 Paul Keogh (a future U21 selector with the all-conquering 75/76 Footballers)
#04 Fergie Ryan
#05 Alan Finney
#06 Michael Conway
#07 Brendan Penston
#08 Paul Cahill
#09 Edward Wallace
#10 Pat Brock (Cathaoirleach 1979/80).
#11 Shay Morris
#12 Pat Haskins
#13 Dave Smith
#15 (unknown)
#14 Kevin Hammond
#16 Christy Sheridan
#17 Eamonn Lawless.
#18 Con O’Connor

Update: We are grateful for the assistance of Mick Curry in restoring this photo.

Memories Of Cuala Days Gone By

On the eve of a historic weekend when a Cuala team returns to defend its all-Ireland club title at headquarters, Cartlann Digiteach Cuala  is delighted to offer this reflection from Frances Browner on happy days gone by.

(Readers of a nervous disposition are reassured than modern-day regulations ensure chips are stored in greatly-improved conditions.)

“In 1978, for my parents’ 25th wedding anniversary, they went to Canada to visit my Uncle, the first time on a plane for both of them. As the eldest of eight, I was left in charge of the house. Cooking Sunday dinner was my first challenge; one we wouldn’t have dreamt of ignoring. My efforts were interrupted, however, by constant rings to the doorbell; strange men appearing in the hallway, some even venturing up the stairs to have a pep-talk with my brothers in the bedroom. Their voices were familiar, as I had heard them on previous Sundays dragging all three boys from their beds, but had paid no heed. Sniffing roast beef and gravy aromas from the kitchen, Pat Sheanon and Pete Dunne warned me not to feed them too much; even inquired as to what they’d had for breakfast.

The excitement was palpable, tense even, so that when some of their friends arrived to make sure they had departed on time, my sister Barbara and I looked at one another. Should we go? We would, we decided, jumping into the lads’ car and embarking on a journey that would last to this day. All along the Merrion Road, red and white scarves and flags billowed from car windows. Horns beeped. Drivers in red hats smiled and lifted their fists. It was a fine August afternoon in 1978 and we were on our way to Parnell Park to watch Cuala play Vincent’s in the Junior Football Final. Barbara and I were soon swept along with the cheering; the camaraderie, the heart stopping excitement.

When our brother, Johnny, took the ball and made a solo run down the side of the pitch, finishing with a clean sweep of the bar in a point, we screamed with the rest of the spectators and converged on the pitch with them, when the match was over. Cuala had been upgraded to Intermediate level.  Later, in the Carney Arms, we joined in the sing-song; heard Pete’s “Jerusalem” and Tom Holden’s “Four and Nine” for the first time. I even ventured “Gallipoli” to rapturous applause. Most people were surprised to discover that the Browners had sisters. The following week, before our parents returned, Eamonn Brennan’s stag party turned up at the house, and we were initiated into the Club, with Anne later playing camogie and me, badminton. (Ed. Eamonn has fond memories too of great Cuala days)

After that, Sundays were no longer boring. There were matches against St. Anne’s; St. Vincent’s, na Fianna, Fingal, even St. Margaret’s, which entailed a coach bus ride. There were the seven-a- sides in Kilmacud and home games on Hyde Road. There were stop-offs in the Coachman’s Inn; Meagher’s of Fairview; Paddy Cullen’s in Ballsbridge, but the last round was always in Hogan’s in Dalkey; until, we got our own bar.

Then there were bar teams to be picked; golf tournaments to be organised. It meant
Monday night cards, and Thursdays too, after badminton; sometimes Friday for the Bingo and on a Sunday, if there wasn’t a match, you’d still get a crowd when Glenroe was over. The sing-songs swelled. As well as the crooners mentioned above, we had Mick Kirwan’s “Send the Lad Over” Dessie Cahill’s ‘Bottler’ impersonations,  Marian’s Annachie Gordon and a pen to be found for Jimmy Doyle’s “Cool Clear Water”. The finale was always Da’s, ‘Goodbye Goodbye’ from the musical, The White Horse Inn. Everyone had to do a piece, with the occasional ‘new release’ reviewed.

As for the weekends away, I recall a Toga Party in Portlaoise, a Black and White pub crawl through Donegal, finishing off with a rendition of ‘The Rooster’ in Ballyshannon; Colditz on the roof of the County Arms in Birr, the night before Matt Connors’ testimonial in Tullamore; Good Friday waiting in the lobby of the Brandon in Tralee until the residents’ bar was opened at midnight. Joe F. Bourke and the lads in a caravan out the road. Pat (Michelin Man) Carr puncturing two tyres on the way to Killarney. A session in Paudie O’Sé’s pub in Ventry; And someone’s (name available on request) false teeth in his basket of chips to stop the rest of us from nicking them. And of course, the highlights were the bar dives, with marks given for style, and distance.

The 1981 Intermediate championship was played in early ’82, with Neil and Gerry, who had been sub in ’78, helping Cuala graduate to Senior level after beating Man O’ War in a replay. Dad took up the reins as Selector and then Mickey togged out. Later, Paul would play Under 21’s. With Ma and Friskie on the sideline of every single match, the whole family were Cuala. In 1987, I drifted off to America with Jo Holden, Kathleen Sheanon and Caroline Conway, but a bond had been formed that would prove impossible to break. Gate-crashing the Dinner Dance two years ago, I saw the same camaraderie between sons, daughters, nieces and nephews of the former teams.  Players have become Managers, Mentors and Coaches; those who have passed away are remembered, and missed.

And although my father was a Limerick man, and his father one of the founding members of the Gaelic Grounds there, I will be donning my red hat next Saturday, and shouting once again”

Cuala Abú.

Frances Browner