A Warrior Calls To Mainport

We were delighted when we recently received a visit from a real life warrior and legend; the captain of the victorious Cork hurling team Sean Og O hAilpin. See the attached photograph where Sean Og is next to our own warrior Finbarr Ronayne. While some in Mainport are fans of the Cork hurling team, Finbarr and Michael would be more correctly classified as "real fans" as they attend all the games in all sorts of weather and are not really impressed when some of their colleagues attend the finals in comfortable corporate boxes.

All Ireland final 2006 - Well we did not win and achieve our 3 in a row. Our arch rivals Kilkenny beat us and were worthy and deserving winners. We now prepare for next year!

For our non Irish and perhaps non Cork fans here is a brief explanantion of why this photograph is so important:

Hurling - This is Ireland's national game, played with 15 players each with a hurley, which is made of ash and looks like a large hockey stick. It is the fastest field game in the world. To achieve a score one must hit the sliotar (small ball) between the goal posts for one point or in the net for a goal worth 3 points.

All-Ireland Final - This is our "World series", "Super Bowl" or "FA Cup Final"; this is the one every team wants to win.

Cork - Have won the most All-Irelands in the country. Are sometimes modest about this fact; actually very rare about the modesty bit! Our colours are red and white; hence the colour of the ribbons on the cup.

The Cup - Is called the McCarthy cup.

Sean Og - Is a genuine nice guy, our Captain and a great player. Even if he doesn't play with the Barrs. St Finbarrs is a club team and all our stevedoring gear of cranes and forklifts etc are in Barrs blue.