Cork native makes 27-hour journey home to support the Barrs in hurling final

A Cork man who now calls Vancouver home has made a 27-hour journey back to Cork to support his beloved the Barrs in Sunday’s Cork Hurling Championship final.

Traditional rivals St Finbarr's and Blackrock will meet in the Cork hurling final for the first time since 1982.

Having grown up in Togher, less than a mile from St Finbarr’s Club, Mick Martin has supported the Barrs all his life.

In 1998, he left Ireland and lived between Canada and Dubai before moving back to Canada again, but said he “always kept a close affinity to the club”.

Speaking to The Echo about the importance of the match and why he made the long journey home, Mr Martin said: “The 1982 final has very vivid memories for me. I have an old Echo photo of Eamon Fitzpatrick lifting the cup in Greenmount School, surrounded by myself and classmates.

I’ve played and supported the Barrs all my life, so it’s going to be a throwback to those classic traditional finals between two of Cork’s most iconic clubs.

Mr Martin said that he looks forward to the atmosphere in the stadium for what will be the club’s first time reaching the hurling final in 29 years.

He said that this will be an opportunity for the club to win a 26th title and anticipates Moks Bar to be thronged with people inside and out, Neenan Park to be full of celebration, and the Sean Og Murphy Cup to be lifted by a Barrsman.

Mr Martin’s journey from Vancouver to Cork took him “27 hours door-to-door”, a total of 4,500 miles.

Vancouver to Montreal, Montreal to London, London to Cork. About as many layovers as flight time.

While Mr Martin is only Leeside for 72 hours on this trip, he said he intends to make the most of being back home.