O'Donovan Rossa reunite to mark 30 years since unexpected All-Ireland success

THE O’Donovan Rossa senior football team who captured the All-Ireland club football championship in 1993 will hold a number of activities over the October Bank Holiday weekend as part of their 30th anniversary celebrations.

The main event on Saturday, October 28 is a dinner dance in the West Cork Hotel in Skibbereen when all the players and coaching staff from that memorable era will gather for a night of celebrations with friends, supporters and family members.

The O’Donovan Rossa senior footballers defeated Nemo Rangers by five points to win the Andy Scannell Cup for the first time in their history in September 1992. That was only the start of a magical journey.

The Rossas then progressed through the Munster championship defeating Newcastle West and Dr Crokes before accounting for Clare outfit St Senan's in the Munster final.

They then travelled to Dean McGlinchey Park to play a Lavey team who had won the All-Ireland club championship in 1991. Skibb earned a hard-fought win before they faced Carlow’s Éire Óg on St Patrick’s Day.

The two teams drew 1-12 to 3-6 at Croke Park, before O’Donovan Rossa won the replay 11 days later by two points at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick.

Talented forward Brian Carmody now lives in Los Angeles. 

"I’m very much looking forward to the celebrations. It’s massively nostalgic. It’s the first full gathering in a very long time. It will be great to see everyone in the same room." 

He still travels home as often as possible. 

"We have an interesting and busy life but I love coming home as often as I can. I got a Green Card in early ’94 and the plan was to head to the States in April for nine months. I thought a change would knock the dust off me and make me grow up. Little did I know I’d still be here 29 years later." 

THE LONG SHOT

Skibb were considered outsiders in 1992 and were quoted at odds of 33/1 to win the Andy Scannell Cup. 

"We were a young team who gradually found ourselves in a unique position. I think we started to believe, gain confidence but never got ahead of ourselves. 

Training was a blast, hard but fun. It had a mixture of youthful swagger and a mental toughness.

“We also had a bench that always came through. Everyone played their part and fed into the big picture. The main reasons are quite straightforward – a great underage set up under Dermot O’Donovan and Liam O’Rourke led to an exceptionally well-healed and tough footballing panel. And we had Mick McCarthy,” he added.

The late Mick McCarthy affectionately known as ‘Small Mick’ captained his beloved Rossas to county, Munster and All-Ireland final glory in that unforgettable campaign.

"He was the main man. He was on another level, there was no better leader and warrior. We had the greatest, bravest, most cunning, inspirational club forward in the country at full-forward. Small Mick is and will always be a legend to all who knew him. 

"He was a great character. Personally I considered playing with all of these lads to be an honour but to watch him was another level. Mick was a footballing artist.”