You can read St Paul’s Holywood Gaelic News
Issue 1 March 1993 here
You can read St Paul’s Holywood Gaelic News
Issue 2 April 1993 here
1964 Down Hurlers – All Ireland Champions – Newtownards Chronicle
The St Paul’s Story – Joe McCormack
Rubane House pitch – Ballycran – 1963?
L- R Francis (Tadgy) Kelly (wearing No 3), Frankie McGuigan (hands by side and socks rolled down), next right with collar turned up Raphael Waugh (RIP), lad striding into the team Eamon Rice, then facing right Jim O’Neill, next face on John Rogan(?), wearing No 10 Derek Kearney, next right with back turned Liam Kearney, next right turned towards the camera, Joe Kane, between those two, Michael McCormack, next right with back turned wearing No 4 Bernard Croan, Liam McGrattan (long overcoat with back turned to camera, next right Joe Mullan (RIP), far right smoking Joe McCormack.
Scrabo Harps Minors & the Battle of Shrigley
As told through the eyes of Centre Full Forward and Centre Forward Back on the 42nd anniversary of the battle.
In 1960 & 1961 Down won two of their all Ireland titles and brought the Sam Maguire north for the first and second time in its history.
This feat was accomplished with the help of two different ingredients a defence built as strong as Mourne granite and fast flowing football with silky skills up front.
Teams began to pop up all over the place and one was started in N’Ards by P.McGratten, J.Mullan and D.McGuigan, they called it Scrabo Harp’s, there were three teams in all but the battle of Shrigley involves the minor’s – under 18’s team in 1965. McGratten & McGuigan press ganged every under 18 year old they could find and got them down to practice in Londonderry Park.
The football pitch was turned into Gaelic pitch by tying two posts up the sides of the goalposts, all the home matches were played there.
It became clear to the two Mac’s that their team would have to be built more on Moume granite as the silky skills were short on the ground. Most of the players were manual workers on the building site or in the factories the only man to wear a suit to work was one Joe McCormick who worked in the Post Office. A real live wire – the darling of the pensioners and people collecting family allowance, he handed the money out with a smile and always a smart quip. He would say, ‘start limping there is more money on the sick, borrow a couple of kids and I’ll double your family allowance’
Take the suit of Joe, put on the yellow shirt of Scrabo Harp’s and what a change there was, Joe was often seen flying through the air, 3ft of the ground like a dart more in the style of McManus or Jackie Pallo – two great wrestlers of that time. After these tactics his nickname was Cuchulain – after the ancient warrior.
The league started and results came our way, mainly because of our uncompromising style and playing football – scoring more goals than points.
The full back line was D.Kearney, J.McCormick and C.McGaughy, their war cry was “No Pasaran” they shall not pass (Spanish Civil War cry). They invented a new tactic, do not look at or for the ball but at the man jumping for the ball, then take him out when he’s in the air and the ball will bounce over everyone’s heads to the goalkeeper. These tactics and others prompted opposition managers to coin the phrase, “most of those boys belong in reform school not on a Gaelic pitch”.
One Friday night in Rice’s pub in came one Tommy Finlay an 18 year old super fit hod-carrier built like a brick-house; he had been to school with most of the team. The two Mac’s eyes lit up and thought now there’s how to strengthen a team and he was press ganged to play.
Our next match was away at Shrigley on a Sunday afternoon at two, we travelled to away matches in an old battered green bus with a back door entrance, which acted as a changing room as well. The pitch was small andtight with a shuck running up the side of the pitch for drainage. The match started and we will get the result out of the way first, we won! Mainly by the efforts of the centre full forward 2 goal & 3 points from yours truly.
They had one outstanding player who would grace any Gaelic pitch I will call him Rooney as I don’t know his name. He had it all, he could turn left side right side, run, solo, catch and kick with either foot – a treat to watch. His mother had come down to watch, a very small heavy set woman, no doubt proud of the best player on the pitch.
McGratten was jumping up and down on the sidelines looking for a hero, when he shouted those faithful words, “Finlay, he’s getting by you to easy, don’t let him by you again”. Tommy took this literally and Bang! down went Rooney, again and again this happened, 10 minuets to go, Rooney was half dead, another 2 points in the bag – game over. Then it happened down went Rooney and on came mamma hitting Finlay over the head with an umbrella, what choice had Tommy got, he was enjoying his game and this was a minor distraction.
He grabbed the lady by the scruff of her neck and the back of her dress and run her to the shuck at the edge of the pitch and bucked her in. From the supporters that were at the match runners were sent to every corner of Killyleagh and Shrigly to bring every able bodied man to the pitch, to defend the honour of the team and village.
They came from everywhere and every angle, big men, small men, old men, young men, in vests and bedroom slippers on they came and surrounded our half of the pitch a baying mob looking for blood! Behind the goals we were attacking there was a gate and a lane it was decided to bring the bus up the lane with the engine running, back doors open ready for a quick getaway.
When one of our players was down the strategy was worked out that when a free kick was being dropped into our box all our players would charge up the pitch towards the gate, bus and safety. Passing the water bottle to me Cuchulain said, “well what do you think”, I replied, “a bit like Ouster’s last stand” trotting back to the heart of the defence he replied, “he stood a better chance than us”.
The referee had been told what was to happen, free kick given – charge! They played on and in those few seconds, we had reached their box 30 yards from the gate and safety. A bunch of yellow shirts surrounded but backing away towards the gate slowly, swinging arms and legs, punching, pulling yellow shirts backwards towards safety. No need to worry about Tommy Finlay they were bouncing of him left, right and centre.
Over the gate pulling yellow shirts over one at a time, easy to defend from here, last one over on to the bus with a hail of sticks, stones and boots following us on – everybody with a war wound of some description! The lovers on the bus were checking their lips for damage in case they were called into action while courting that night. McGratten driving the bus called back to me, “what did you score”, “2 goals and 3 points” said I, “very good” he said, “man of the match – Tommy Finlay”.
It must have been the nimble footwork dodging the crown while bucking the lady into the shuck that swung it his way I thought. The bus pulls into Conway Square half the team to Cafolla’s and half to Charlottes, a big salt & vinegar chip and ice cream. Decisions to make for that evening, the billiard club or parading up and down Regent St, hard choice for an 18 year old in 1965.
And with that The Battle of Shrigley’ moved into the folk lore and history of the Scrabo Harps.
If you took part in The Battle of Shrigley’ ring Frank 028 91814669
