Minor upsets don’t always lead to major misfortunes
There is a looming crisis for the GAA in all urban areas, and Cork city is no exception this. The lack of city based players is most likely accounted for by the falling standards urban GAA competition, and the failures of urban schools in the Harty Cup schools competition, rather than any perceived bias on behalf of the Cork selectors.
The tragic death of Willie John O’Connell
On Monday next, April 2nd, the under-14 hurling teams of the St Finbarrs and Blackrock will play at St Finbarrs. This will be the inaugural game of what will become an annual challenge between the clubs. A special trophy has been commissioned by St Finbarrs for the game. It is to be called the Willie […]
Why Cork Senior Hurling Clubs struggle to win the All-Ireland Club title
I decided to ignore the feast of Rugby on RTE2 last Saturday and watch the All-Ireland Senior Club hurling and footballs finals on TG4 instead. Boy! Did I make the right choice. The All-Ireland club finals were probably the best games on television over the weekend. Oftentimes it is hard to watch a football game […]
10 Sporting Hotspots in Cork
A couple of years ago BBC Radio 4 ran a marvellous series of programmes titled “A History of the World in 100 Objects”. The idea was simple. Staff from the British Museum chose 100 objects from their vast collection that would represent the history of the world over the last two million years. The Director […]
Tennis: My Game of Gladiators and Daydreams
I very much doubt that I was the only boy who ever dreamed of scoring the winning goals in All-Ireland finals, F.A. Cup finals and for good measure, the winning try in a triple crown decider. Of course I never imagined I would do all this Gaisce on the one weekend. No, my dreams followed […]
The Finish of the NFL (American) and the Beginning of the NFL (Irish)
Last weekend one NFL (The American version) season ended, and another NFL season (the GAA version) begun. This is a nice symmetry if you are a fan of both codes, like I am. When the GAA’s NFL finishes next April, the championship will begin and the All-Ireland final will be played on week three of the next NFL (American) season. Just as in nature, the seasons of football roll gently into each other.
There are far more important thing in life and sport than a handshake between Suarez and Evra. Ask Tommy Smith or the family of Robert Enke
There is something very strange when two individuals, whose main claim to fame is that they can hurl insults at each other, receive more attention than important historical moments.
The Downside of the Hurling Helmet
You have two options when it comes to getting back to Cork from Limerick after a Heineken Cup tie. You can make a mad dash for the car and hope to beat the traffic, or you can take your time, have a sandwich and drink, let the traffic clear and then mosey on home. Option […]
Rugby in Munster – A Social and Cultural History by Liam O’Callaghan
There are no tickets available for next Saturday’s Heineken Cup game between Munster and Castres at Thomond Park. This is the norm for the Heineken Cup. It has been so since Munster’s first run to the final in the 1999/2000 season, but it was not always like that. The season before the May 2000 final, […]
Don’t train alone – if you can avoid it
If I had not made a commitment to be at Bric’s at 9.30am, I would have gone back to bed once I looked out the window at 8.30am. The great thing about making arrangements to cycle, or train with someone else is that once you make a commitment, you are no longer answerable to just yourself, so you have to keep your promise.