From The Avondhu 11th March 2021
The last week has seen younger children nationwide return to schools. The excitement was palpable among those cohorts that skipped through the school gates last Monday week. The gradual reduction in Covid-19 cases means that the remaining age groups will return safely next Monday. We all hope that the successful return of the schools will be a harbinger of a return to further normality in the coming weeks. We hope that we can see the younger age groups possibly return to outdoor training in early to mid-April. For GAA clubs around the country, most sporting activity for members begin in the school grounds before transferring to the local pitch. In 2021 more than ever we see that the beginning of activity in school as a predictor of what is to come.
From a White’s Cross GAA perspective, the link with our local school is vital to the success of our club. Most of our adult players would have graduated from the school while our current underage sides are populated by current pupils and more recent graduates. We have for many years fostered close links with the schools. We have had a school liaison officer for most of the past decade while we have provided coaches to the school since the likes of Ciarán Allen, Anthony and Conor Kelleher started that job in 2001 and which has continued up to the present day with Finbarr Kiely.
The school itself has a longer tradition of games dating back to before White’s Cross GAA was formed. The earliest record of a match being played in the school dates back to 1925. At this time a new teacher, Tadgh Manley, took up a post at the school. This is a position that he held for the next 40 years. Toward the end of his career he would simultaneously hold the position of Fine Gael TD for Cork South (from 1954 -1961). At the start of his teaching career, however, he was a veteran of the Irish War of Independence, having spent some time as a prisoner in the Frongoch Camp in Wales. He was a proud patriot and a lover of Irish culture. He was determined to inculcate his students with a lover of Irish language and pastimes.
As part of this strategy, he introduced the game of hurling to the school. After many lunchtimes were spent practicing the game, there was a need to put their practice into action. Though there were school shields competitions at the that time, it would have only been larger urban schools such as Greenmount and Turner’s Cross would have taken part. A small rural school like Upper Glanmire did not have a formal competition. Hence the first game that did take place was a challenge game against Riverstown. This game took place in James Cashman’s field in Coole East – a field that was generously provided for school sports, Macra Na Feirme events and other parish sports days. The opening game did not go well for Upper Glanmire as their rivals from the lower parish won that day. Indeed, in a rematch a few weeks later it was again the Riverstown team that prevailed. This game was played in Riverstown.
A more formal competition was organised shortly after at a parish level; a tournament game for the prize of a pair of football boots. This meant an amalgamation of the two schools played the nearby Glounthane parish team. As Riverstown had won both of the practice games, it is unsurprising that they provided the bulk of the parish All-star team. However, Upper Glanmire did have a contingent on the team that actually won the game. It is unclear if the football boots were presented or not but they certainly had the glory if not the boots. The stars on the Upper Glanmire team were Con O’Connell (Ballinaparson), Tim Kenny (Ballyphillip) and Paddy Scannell (Trantstown). Other members of the Upper Glanmire team in those days would have been Cornelius Lehane (Lisnahorna), Cotters from Ballinvriskig and the Scanlon brothers from Ballinaglough.