A tribute to Paddy from a former player and officer
17 June, 2017
Paddy with JBM
Hard to believe, it's nearly 40 years since I first came across Paddy Murphy. Generation of Philpotts have spent half their lives around Courtmac. My great Grandfather came from the Halfway and as railwaymen the family had "free travel" to Courtmac, even if it was only in the Guards wagon.
I didn't know much abour Barryroe GAA, Nemo did not appove of me playing rugby and in my early twenties, I was more or less retired from G.A.A. The late Frank Donovan, Meelmane, was a friend of my parents and of Paddy. A plan was hatched between them, that Paddy would get on to me about playing with the "Blues". I had no idea this was going on until I got a phone call in work.
I NEVER APPLIED TO JOIN BARRYROE.
Paddy's phone calls always began with,
"Eh Dave, Paddy Murphy here Dave",
strangely, I can still here that voice. I had no idea who Paddy was, I was working in Ranks who made Flour and also Animal feed. As such we were competeing with Barryroe Co-op, but I was working in the "Grain" Dept and was selling grain to Martin Madden and company in the Co-op.
Had to be careful here.
Paddy was saying that he had been talking to Frank Donovan etc, etc, and would I consider "togging out" for Barryroe. I was happy out with the rugby, a match every week, season finished 30th of April and started 1st September, so the Summer was free for Courtmac. Paddy was very quietly spoken, and "a fair operator" but I was happy as I was. Paddy, however, was very persuasive and a couple of phonecalls later, I somehow found myself agreeing.
There was a transfer fee involved, but Nemo were happy to pay to get rid of me.
Paddy talked a good game, he said were good under-age players coming through, (true), but I first togged out in 78 and it was chaos and I was wondering what the Hell I was doing here.
I felt that Paddy and a couple of lads on the team, took me under their wings a bit, I knew the Courtmac lads, but not those from "out the parish". We won the Junior "B" final in 79, (never seen celebrations like that), lost the "A" final in 80, won our first Junior Hurling title in 81 and retained that in 82.
Paddy was like Mourinho in those days. Ross footballer, Eamon Murphy togged out in hurling. Johnny Burns came from God know where, Eamon's younger brother, Jeffery played under-age as did the Cleary's from Castlehaven. All recruited by Paddy I think.
I feel the players of that era stood together and I think all had a great loyalty to the Club and to Paddy personally. In a time when people bemoan the lack of physicallity in Cork hurling, it was a brave man who would cross the likes of Mike Sullivan or Vincent O'Donovan or Dan Dwyer and others on the pitch. In later years I think it was Paddy who persuaded Micky Burn, (Skibb), out of retirement.
I suppose to me and the other recruits especially, Paddy was Barryroe. He often rang about nothing much and I do remember him saying to me that "this is my last year as Secretary". I reckon this was about 1980.
Paddy was a "fixer". I can't remember the year, but there was a petrol strike. If you found a garage open in Cork, you could have a queue a half mile long and might only get a couple of gallons. Not sure what we were training for, but the phone call came.
"Eh Dave, Paddy Murphy here Dave, are you coming down for training" ? I said I could not as I had only enough petrol to do me for work. No problem he said, we'll fix you up. After training I pulled into Vincent Sexton's, all lights off at the pumps and got filled up.
Once or twice in my Barryroe career, I "got the line", always unfairly. Paddy would spring into action and things would not turn out too badly.
When Ranks closed in 1981, Paddy was on the phone straight away to tell me about a job that was going somewhere. I did not persue it , but you don't forget things like that. I had at this stage bought a derelect house in Ramsey Hill and had managed to get some great timber free of charge, but could not move it. Paddy stepped it, said he would have a lorry going back empty to the Co-op and sure you house in Cork is nearly on the way. (Ballyvolane ??)
We would regularly meet in Sexton's on a Saturday night I would bring a guitar, the late John Drake would give a few recitations, Brendan Keohane would M.C. Tim Carroll and Joe O'Leary, Ann Murphy among others would sing and sometimes if he was pressed enough, Paddy might give us, "Dear old city by the Lee". Great, great times.
A couple of years back, I got another of those calls.
"Eh Dave, Paddy Murphy here Dave, you were ELECTED PRO at last night's A.G.M. "Paddy, how could I be elected, I didn't go forward" ? "Ah sure you'll do it anyway". And I did for three years.
A fair indication of the standing of a person is given by the people attending their funeral. people came from far and wide. Eugene Coveney travelled from Limerick, Micky Burns was there as were most of the players from times gone by. I saw an old sparring partner from another Club, who clearly had mobility issues and struggled to get back into the car, but he made it. A credit to himself and Paddy.
A player of a later era told me at the funeral, about the time he was injured on a long term basis and was thinking of throwing his hat at it, but Paddy would ring him regularly to keep his spirits up.
I suppose, I did not see Paddy very often in recent times as I took a step back from the club to recharge the batteries, but when we did meet, he loved to talk about old times.
That's the Paddy Murphy I knew. Many others could tell similar stories, I'm sure. Joining Barryroe did actually change my life to a large extent as I still hang around with team mates from the early 80's, for my sins, and if Frank Donovan had not got on to Paddy, and Paddy had not talked me into joining up, life would be quite different.
To slightly paraphase Tómas Ó Cruithin in the great book on the Blaskets, "An tOileanach",
Ní beidh a leithead arís ann/ his likes won't be around again.
Codhladh samh Paddy.
Dave Philpott, (Lán Chúl)