Photo is not the Team of 54 but some of the men mentioned are here. 1. Mick Morris; 2. Mervin McGregor. 3 Jim V O’Leary. 4 Willie Lenane. 5. Denis Slocum; 6. John Joe Herlihy. 7. Oliver Bradley
Also in the picture are; Back Row l – R Noel Galwey, AN Other (can anyone identify this lad), Mick Morris, Mervin McGregor, Frank Cooper, AN Other (please identify) Jim V O’Leary, Willie Lenane, Denis Slocum, John Joe Herlihy.
Front Row L – R. Michael Ger O’Leary, Oliver Bradley, Liam Daly, Ger Buckley, Martin McNeill, Finbar O’Callaghan, Michael Cronin (transferred to Killarney) and Sean Moynihan (joined Prison Service).
A tribute to our colleagues
Our Lady’s Hospital had a great tradition of commemorating events – mostly football matches – in verse. Over the years a number of wonderful works appeared. Among them was this one called “The Men of 54”. It celebrates the team that won the Mid Cork Cup in 1975 and compares them to the mighty men who had last won it in 1954.
I want to thank Donal Cronin for preserving the words and sending them on. He also provided the accompanying explanatory notes. The poem is attributed to our colleague Bill Cronin (Class of 58)
You have heard of Miak Cronin (1) and the Men of 54
But could they win the Mid-Cork crown without a first-half score (2)
The gallant team was organised by Callaghan’s smallest son (3)
A stockily -built warder, just short of six foot one (4)
When Mister Paisley (5) left us, they said we’d go to hell
And into Mickey’s mighty hands, the giant task it fell
And when the training started for to get the bellies down
The first to be rejected was the “V” from Bishopstown (6)
Big Morris (7) quickly followed as strange as it may seem
Because if he continued he would cripple all the team
And Bradley (8) was considered as he’s known to play the ball
But Mickey, he objected saying “he’s far too small”
They also thought of Pilltown (9) tho heavy, old and grey
Like the man from Soho Terrace (10) they both had seen their day
Regrets to those in track suits (11) to whom it seemed insane
When it cost 200 smackers to bring a man from Spain (12)
Kilmurray’s gallant heroes first reeled before our might
And then the Men from Blarney who gave in without a fight
Aghina sent their bullies to send us to our doom
But with their tails between their legs, they crawled back through Macroom
Now the Final Day has come, the rain is pouring down
With flags and banners waving, we head for Coachford town
With Ballincollig’s stalwarts, togged in their vivid green
All Muskerry are waiting to view the Final scene
And brighter every moment, Ballincollig’s hopes arose
And louder grew the laughter and cheering of our foes.
We turned over at half-time, we hadn’t got a score
But little did we know what O’Callaghan had in store
The crowd they now grew restless as they sensed a wind of change
Our foes are now gone silent as the warders find their range
Now comes the famous moment, the crowd begins to roar
Willie-John (13) in possession, the thing is- can he score?
The backs are falling round him, his face is streaming sweat
And yet he bursts inside them and the ball is in the net
We send our joyous tidings to those with “X’s” up (14)
And by God we had supporters when it came to fill the cup
We had John-Joe (15) with his bottle, loudly swearing on the line
In contrast to the Chaplain quietly seeking help Devine
But the prayers were no assistance when things were really dire
‘Twas Mickey’s famous switches pulled the game out of the fire
With the first round of the County a few short weeks away
There’s some time for celebrating, we must be on our way.
First to Dripsey Tavern (16) the Crescent and Dan-Joes
And don’t forget the Boothouse (17) that every bowler knows
These sessions were the greatest that we had ever seen
With ballads from Jim Healy (18) the Blonde (19)and Tadgh Dineen (20)
With black Porter flowing freely, whiskey, vodka, rum and gin
And “Crikey man” says Thady (21) “we must win this cup again”
We now salute young Slocum (22) not forgetting Nice Eugene (23)
Who gave tremendous effort without an ounce to gain
Now at last we must conclude and wish our heroes well
To bring many major trophies to our famed Lee-side Hotel (24)
(1) Class of 1948
(2) Amazingly neither team scored in the first half of the final
(3) Mickey Callaghan Class of 1966
(4) In the great OLH tradition Mickey was about 9 inches short of six foot one
(5) The RC Chaplain who was a keen GAA supporter
(6) Jim V O’Leary – Class of 1963
(7) Mick Morris – Class of 1960
(8) Oliver J Bradley Class of 1966
(9) Pilltown – Willie Lenane Class of 1965
(10) Mervin McGregor Class of 1959
(11) The subs who thought they might get a game
(12) A guest player who flew home from his holidays to play in the final
(13) Willie-John Healy Class of 1972
(14) Staff who wished to do overtime indicated their availability by marking an X beside their name on the overtime board.
(15) John Joe Herlihy Class of 1964
(16) Jerry O’Callaghan Staff Nurse owned this pub
(17) Derry Kenny Class of 1959 owned this pub in Upper Glanmire
(18) Jim Healy Class of 1961
(19) Con O’Mahony Class of 1973
(20) Class of 1948
(21) Thady O’Leary Class of 1942
(22) Denis Slocum – Class of 1954, one of the Men of 54
(23) Young Eugene – Eugene McCarthy
(24) Term of endearment for OLH