New book on history of hurling in Ballyhale Parish launched in Knocktopher

The launch of a new book, a History of Hurling in Ballyhale Parish, took place recently in Carroll’s Hotel, Knocktopher.

The authors of The Shamrocks Story, John Kenneally and Michael Kelly, were joined onstage by their auditor/editor Gerry O’Neill. In a packed Carroll’s function room (possibly for the last time) club chairman Sean Reid introduced everyone.

He noted that had the elected chairman Bobby Aylward (RIP) kept his health then he would have been the one to present on the night – Sean was an ‘accidental’ chairman. Nevertheless, having literally been there from the very founding of the Shamrocks Club he was as well placed as anyone to do the honours.

Sean lamented the recent losses to the club – Bobby Aylward, former chairman Patrick Holden, former player and treasurer Paul Shefflin and camogie stalwart Angela Ireland O’Sullivan. He also relayed apologies from some invited guests, who were unable to be there on the night – Liam Dalton, Frank Cummins and his own TJ – we now know why TJ was unavailable! Another invited guest, who was unable to be there on the night, was former national school principle Joe Dunphy, who taught in Ballyhale Parish for 39 years.

Among the other guests of honour were the surviving members of the first Shamrocks executive and surviving players of Knocktopher, Knockmoylan and Ballyhale teams, as well as the players who formed the first Shamrocks underage teams (they were minor and under-21 then.)

The senior members of the CRKC 88.7FM sports team were there, all well known sports reporters and characters in their own right. Nicky Brennan and Pat Treacy interviewed the book authors, two modest men, whose wives, Margaret and Joan did a lot of work on the book also.

Great credit is due to the two authors for having the foresight to imagine the book and to do the work to bring it into being – a massive undertaking over the guts of two years. Also interviewed were Maurice Mason, Johnny and Neddy Walsh, Liam and Ger Fennelly and many others.

Of the younger generation, Henry Shefflin remembered the school field and the school League matches in the mornings, at tea break and at lunch time! Michael Hoyne was the Shamrocks club first treasurer – before that though he was the first Championship winning school team captain, 10 years before Shamrocks were formed. The lads spoke to Colin, Joey and some more of the current (five-in-a-row winning Shamrocks team).

The County Board was well represented on the night with chairman Jimmy Walsh and others both on-stage and in the crowd. Jimmy’s predecessor Ned Quinn was a special guest and spoke well of his memories of the old and the new Shamrocks. Current Club Secretary Siobhan kennedy was flat out selling copies of the book throughout the evening!

The book is very good value at €20 and can be both read and dipped in and out of. It is available in Carroll’s Shop – which is still open!