BRIDE ROVERS GAA NOTES.

We certainly haven’t the ‘hay saved’ whatever about ‘Tipp bate’ but on Sunday next Thurles will be the Mecca for Munster Hurling fans as age-old rivals  the Rebels and the Premier County go into battle once more.  Fixtures have been changed because of this so both our Junior B and Senior teams have Saturday games. Last Saturday saw our 8 hurlers -five ‘mini’ teams in all take on Fermoy and St catherines in  a wonderful blitz. The Lotto Jackpot on Tuesday April 7th was not won.  Last week we had County and East Cork Board meetings and on Monday last (April 13th) a Club Executive Meeting.

Trip to Tipp

“Hurling is the strangest thing
No song of birds upon the wing
Shall in our hearts more sweetly sing
Than Hurling's old story”

ah yes, to paraphrase the words of a song made famous by Peter Skellern it’s the ‘oldest yet newest thing’ and truly the Cork v Tipperary hurling rivalry and tradition is indeed far older than the GAA itself.  We are just 8 years away from 2034 when the Gaelic Athletic Association will celebrate it’s 150th Anniversary -heard to imagine that a full 143 years before Cusack summoned the Nov 1st meeting in Miss Hayes’ Hotel the hurling men of Cork and Tipperary had clashed in Kildinan -between Rathcormac and Glenville. Back in the 1700’s there were no Rules, no County Boards, no Clubs and after all the troubles Ireland had gone through it’s a wonder that the ancient game of hurling hadn’t died out. In Irish history landlords were never the most popular section of society. Yet it was hurling ‘matches,’ often for a bet or a ‘wager’, between hurlers drawn from different estates that helped to preserve the game of the Gael.  Nowadays we hear so much about ‘climate change’ and we might think of this phenomenon as something new- not at all! From late 1739, all through the year of 1740 and into the early summer of 1741 Ireland suffered terrible weather conditions. Experts now agree that it was end of the last ‘Mini Ice- Age’ and for close on 18 months frost, ice, heavy rain and very low temperatures were the norm. Thousands of people died of hunger as crops failed and livestock perished.  In percentage terms this famine cost more lives than the 1844-1848 ‘Great’ Famine when the potato failed. By summer time of 1741 things had improved as temperatures rose and food crops were harvested again.  There was sense of both relief and delight and people celebrated. It seems that many festivals and carnivals were organised and that’s how hurlers from Cork and Tipperary met in what many believe to have been the first ‘inter-county’ contest. Col. McAdam Barry of Lisnagar apparently issued a challenge to ‘anyone willing’ to take on ‘his’ hurling team. This ‘Cork ‘team was drawn from the tenant farmers and labourers on McAdam Barry estate. We cant be certain if ‘twas 21 a side or simply an equal number from each side. Well Denis Mc Grath from near KIlbeheny -actually in County Limerick! brought a team of hurlers from Tipperary down South. In a field at Glennagoul, Kildinan the ‘match’ took place.  No one can be sure who won or what the ‘score’ was!  However in the archives in Maynooth College is a document which includes a poem in Irish written by Sean O Murchu of Carrignavar -a famous Gaelic poet. O Murchu wrote his lines to rebuff a Tipperary poet who had claimed victory for the Tipp men at Glennagoul. All memory and details of the 1741 game might be long forgotten were it not for the two rival scribes! So next Sunday Cork will take the road to Thurles once more to clash with Tipperary in Semple Stadium -an amazing coincidence; Tom Semple died on the 11th of April 1943 the same day exactly that William(Bill) Cashin was born in Rathcormac. Brian and Eoin Roche are recovering from injury and we wish them and all the Rebels the very best on Sunday.

Under 8 Hurling.  
Last Saturday morning before the hail and rain began the young hurlers of Bride Rovers, Fermoy and St Catherines gathered in Pairc na Bride for a hurling blitz. The Rovers had five 8 a side teams and they all got a number of mini games. With ground hurling only followed by three minutes of ‘catch’ hurling it was a great mornings hurling for all these youngsters many of whom were lining out in their Club Colours for the first time. Well done to Mike Liddane and all his helpers.

CORK MINORS. 
Well done Cathal Barry and his Cork Minor colleagues last Friday night when they had a narrow win over Waterford in Fraher Field, Dungarvan in the Munster MHC.  On this Friday night Cork will meet Tipp in Thurles in the Munster MHC. I know those ‘in power’ will say it couldn’t happen but why, oh why wasn’t the Cork v Tipp Minor game played as a Curtain-raiser next Sunday?? Good luck also to Denis Fitzgerald and his Cork under 20 hurling comrades. Last night Wednesday April 15th the Rebels met the Decies in Dan Fraher’s famous old ground in the Munster u 20HC. Cork have already lost to Tipp and beat Limerick. Waterford have lost narrowly to both Clare and Tipp so this will be a do or die match.

MEETINGS. 
Our  Club Executive meeting was held Monday night April the 13th and the next Centenary committee meeting will be on the 27th of April.  Ideas and suggestions for items to be considered for our Club Centenary Celebrations are now being sought.

 

Tá na páirt-scoláireachtaí Gaeltachta do 2026 á mbronnadh ar dhaltaí atá ag freastal ar Choláiste na Mumhan Béal Atha’n Ghaorthaidh, Coláistí Chorca Dhuibhne agus Coláiste na Rinne.

The partial Gaeltacht scholarships for 2026 are being awarded to students attending Coláiste na Mumhan Béal Atha'n Ghaorthaidh(Cork), Coláistí Chorca Dhuibhne (Kerry) and Coláiste na Rinne (Waterford). The final date for submitting a scholarship request is Wednesday, 29th April 2026.

         Please complete the form available via the following link - https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/uM6ZYVsapJ

 

JUNIOR FOOTBALL LEAGUE. 
Fixed for Glenville last Friday night this JFL game was changed to Pynes. Under very difficult weather conditions we score a narrow two-point win on a 1 6 to  0 7 scoreline. Trailing by a point 0 3 to 0 2 at the break a goal from Shane O Dowd was the crucial score for us early in the second half. Conor O Riordan and Gearoid O Connell got our first half points. Shane rose a white flag from a second half free while Conor hit two more and Rudi kicked a superb point.  Our defence was under pressure but Ben, Ronan and Liam were very strong. At midfield the O Sullivans John and Darragh worked tirelessly. 
Team; B. Hoagan, E.Lyons, R. Barry, Ciarain O Dowd, Sean Dowling, Liam Collins, Gearoid O Connell, Darragh O Sullivan, John O Sullivan, Darragh O Farrell, Conor O Riordan, Rudi Ghardb,  Shane Prendergast, Shane O Dowd, Eoin O Sullivan; Sub R. O Riordan.

Our next game is on April 24th , home to Glenbower Rovers.

HURLING GAMES. 
On this coming Saturday we have two away games. At 5 o clock our Junior B team are in Ballinacurra for a 5 o clock start against the home side. Two hours later the seniors are down in Carrigaline to take on the homesters there.

WEEKLY CLUB LOTTO.
The Lotto Results for Tuesday 7th of April – The 4 numbers drawn were 1, 9, 10 & 25 and there was No Jackpot Winner. Congrats to our lucky dip €30 cash winners Melaine McCarthy, Scartbarry, Alan Murphy, Garrynacoole, Marie Gubbins, Bartlemy, Gary & Gretta Clerkin, Dispensary Lane and R.A.K Browne c/o Margret Barry
This week's jackpot on Tuesday April 14th was an incredible €7,200. If your ticket has expired, we would appreciate if you would enter again via Bride Rovers GAA Lotto

JOIN BRIDE ROVERS CLUB 100.

A few years back as we began planning for our Club’s centenary in 2028 the Club 100 concept was put in place.  With projected spending of close to One Million Euro in the coming years the need for several ‘finance streams’ was vital. The Club 100 is a method whereby supporters and benefactors of the Club can commit to financially helping the Bride Rovers GAA Club. All finance raised has gone into major Club developments in recent years. Now with massive 3 pitch Development project in Ballybrowney nearly completed we will need huge funds over the next decade to build dressing-rooms , toilets etc. There are 3 levels of Club 100 membership; Gold, Siver and Bronze. The Gold membership costs €480 annually and for this on gets 2 Annual Club Lotto tickets plus,2 Rebel Bounty Draw Tickets and family Membership of the Club.

The Silver costs €360 and give 2 Lotto and 1 Rebel Bounty and Membership for 1 adult and 1 child or 2 children)

The Bronze option comes in at €240 and brings 1Annual Club Lotto ticket plus, 1 Rebel Bounty and individual Membership. Many people make a ‘New Year’s Resolution’ at this time of year- why not consider joining our Club 100.? Full details from any Club Officer.  At the end of each year the Bride Rovers Club holds a special draw confined the Club 100 members with substantial prizes including a pair of Pairc UI Chaoimh Premium tickets for a year.

 

SYMPATHY. 
The Bride Rovers Club extends deepest sympathy to the family of  Anne Healy of Thurles and Killenaule. The late Anne is mother of Damien who is very involved with our Club and John we know well too as he is our Robotic Lawn Mower advisor, our condolences to all the Healy family. Sympathy too to the relatives of the late Bill Cashin who died in Bantry on his 83rd birthday last Saturday. One of the parishes great characters Bill will be sadly missed by all who knew him.

CLUBZAP. For latest Club news and fixtures just check Bride Rovers Clubzap.

SPONSORS; 
The Bride Rovers GAA Club sponsors are Fermoy Print & Design, Rathcormac Tyres, Gerard Gubbins Construction and Veoila -please support our sponsors whenever you can.