How Glen Rovers' latest success ties into the history of Cork hurling
The Glen Rovers team that defated Ballincollig in the 1941 Cork County Senior Hurling final at the Athletic Grounds. Included are Christy Ring and Jack Lynch.
About two hours after the recent hurling final between Glen Rovers and St Finbarr's, the victorious Glen team arrived at the Christy Ring Bridge, where they were greeted by supporters, who unequivocally shed tears of emotion, passion, pride and joy.
Blackpool had waited 10 years to see the return of the Sean Óg Murphy Cup. But it was 59 years since they defeated their great rivals in a county final.
This took place on October 8, 1967, before an attendance of 22,429 spectators. Seanie Kennefick captained the Glen to a 3-9 to 1-9 victory as the rain fell pitilessly for the entire match.
Mulcahy had suffered the greatest setback of his sporting career when the Glen were relegated three years ago. He recalls crying under the stand when the Barrs defeated the Glen in the 1988 county final. However, he said the pain of Glen Rovers demotion was gut-wrenching.
Club chairman Liam Martin has the spirit of the Glen draping out of his every word and thought. Prior to the final, he confidently and fearlessly predicted that no one was going to stop this train and that the Glen would triumph.
Martin addressed the players at half-time and taking a word out of the boxing bible, he told the players to believe and believe in the famed Glen jersey.
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Patrick Horgan continued to display the hurling artistry of his genius on the big stage. People who had written him off left the stadium in awe at his display as Hoggy showed once again he is still on top of his game and is going nowhere.
The most intriguing number of Glen Rovers successes over the last 110 years is six.
The club was established in 1916. They went up to senior in 1926. And as part of their eight-in-a-row, they won a county title 1936.
They went on to win the county title in 1946. They won the first Munster Club Championship title in 1966.
They won the first county final at the newly opened Páirc Uí Chaoimh in 1976.
They won the first county final at Páirc Uí Rinn in 2016. That was their centenary year, and the number six once again featured recently when they won the 2026 crown.
When Christy Ring arrived in Blackpool in 1941, he became part of the Glen eight-in-a-row team.
During the following two years, the Barrs won the county championships in 1942 and 1943. However, the Glen and the Barrs met in the Augustinian Church tournament finals at the Mardyke during those years. The Glen won both finals.
In 1942, the winners received a suit of clothes and in 1943 the winners received a bicycle each.
The following year the Glen resumed winning the county title, and in 1944 Ring famously said: "I arrived in Blackpool, but I thought I was in paradise.
Ring was always very witty.
When Louis Marcus was making the film on Ring for Gael Linn, they went to film him playing in a game.
Ring scored 3-7. Knowing he was being specifically filmed he approached the director Louis Marcus after the game and said to him tongue-in-cheek, 'I am sorry I couldn’t do a bit more for ye.'
When the Glen defeated the Barrs in 1934 to win their first title, thus began the great northside-southside rivalry.
Against all the odds, the cup went to Blackpool for the first time led by captain by Josa Lee. The Glen secured victory on a score of 3-2 to 0-6 before an attendance of over 25,000 spectators.
This began an age-old rivalry; however, it was another 10 years before they met in a county final again.
They did not meet again until 1950. This was Jack Lynch's last year playing for the club and the Glen emerged victorious 2-8 to 0-5.
St Finbarr's equally enjoyed success over Glen Rovers with the sweetest of victories coming in 1955. After a replay the Glen, who were firm favourites, lost before a record crowd of over 31,000 and this saw the Barrs surprisingly emerge as victors.
Denis 'Dino' Creegan, the great chipper king in Cork, was at this game as a 12-year-old and as an ardent Blues follower, he was overjoyed with elation following the Barrs victory.
So much so, he ran all the way nonstop up to Moks Bar on the Bandon Road. This was the spiritual and unofficial headquarters of the Barrs.
To the delight of all, Dino delivered the great news, and he drank free lemonade for the rest of the night.
However, the great rivalry commenced in the 1940s.
Cork won the then record-breaking four-in-a-row from 1941 to '44. Both clubs provided two captains each. The Glen captains were Connie Buckley and Jack Lynch, and the great southside men were Sean Condon and Mick Kennefick.
1944 saw the commencement of the famed Eucharistic Cup where both clubs met each year in the final for over 60 years.
This was a real battle of the northside versus the southside. This was the big game that really created the true, lasting rivalry between the pair.
It was set up as a fundraiser for both clubs and often attracted attendances of up to 10,000 spectators.
This helped to enhance the great rivalry between both clubs with the pride of the parish at stake at all times.
The great St Finbarr's hurler and stalwart, the late Dr Seamus Looney, when speaking excitedly of the Glen and the Barrs, would always, with a smile on his face and a clenched fist, say 'long live tribalism.'
In Blackpool, the march of champions this year once again continues.
Josa Lee: 1934-'38,
Jack Lynch: 1939-'40,
Connie Buckley: 1941,
Din joe Buckley: 1944,
Paddy O'Donovan: 1945,
Jim Young: 1948,
Dave Creedon: 1949,
John Lyons: 1950,
Joe Hartnett: 1953,
Christy Ring: 1954,
John Lyons: 1958-'59,
Joe Twomey: 1960,
Francie O'Regan: 1962,
Christy Ring: 1964,
Sean Kennifick: 1967,
Denis O'Riordan: 1969,
Patsy Harte: 1972,
Fr Paddy Barry: 1976,
Tomás Mulchay: 1989,
Graham Callanan 2015-'16,
Adam Lynch 2026.
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