Cork villagers celebrate snaps of junior hurling glory

IT’S the most anticipated book release this year — well in one proud rural parish anyway.

From Meelin to Croke Park charts in pictures the remarkable journey of the north Cork parish’s mighty junior hurlers to Croke Park and their GAA club’s first ever All-Ireland title last February.

Former GAA President Sean Kelly was in Meelin Community Hall at the weekend to help launch the souvenir publication.

He said the 550-photo book will ensure the team, already considered local heroes, are immortalised forever.

“We were beaten in county finals in 1973 and 1986 so this was just unbelievable,” book committee member Timmie Brosnan said of that magic time last February.

“Our dream was to win a county but this went two phases beyond that, and snowballed.”

Under the guidance of Newtownshandrum’s Liam Ryan, the junior hurlers won the Duhallow Junior League, the Duhallow Junior Championship, the County final and Munster Championship to secure an All Ireland final in Croke Park on February 13.

Ten buses took the parish’s 600-strong population to the match where they watched captain Jerry Forrest lead his team to victory over Kilkenny giants, John Lockes, 0-12 to 1-5.

The 1928-founded club has 20 Duhallow titles but this was its first All Ireland title.

Such was the pride in the parish, that a special committee was formed to compile all the photographs of the team, and their loyal supporters, taken at various stages throughout the hurling season, into one souvenir book, which also features some local history, poems, folklore and songs.

The photos show locals cheering the team off from the village on the morning of the All Ireland, the drama of fans in Croke Park, joyous shots of blazing bonfires to welcome home the team and the celebrations that went on for several days afterwards. The book, which costs €15, is available in local shops.