Another reminiscence to mind goes kack to the mid 90′s whilst on hols touring around Kerry.
We attended the annual Ardfert Carnival. The official opening was being conducted by the then local County Councillor – Mr. Martin Ferris.
I approached him to sign a copy of the classic “Tragedies of Kerry” by Dorothy McArdle which I had purchased earlier in Tralee.
When he heard my accent he enquired what county was I from? When I said -”Down”, his reply has been forever etched on my mind.
” Jaysus” he said ” Thank fu*k you boys only hit form every 20 years or so”.

Hopefully it’s our time once again.

I see that I repeated your JB Keane quote it having so stuck in my mind after a jawing with a Galway man earlier in the day that I completely overlooked your inclusion of it earlier.

Shortly after the 1961 final I was at a céilí in Tyconnet, outside Downpatrick, when, during one dance, the MC announced a “spot prize”. This involved the MC, his back to the dancers, directing a steward on the floor to move about, “Five steps to the left, two steps forward, three to the right…”, then ordering the steward to, “Award the prize to the couple standing nearest to underneath the lamp above.” I looked up and the lamp was directly above my head and waited expectantly for the prize as the dancers broke into wild applause. I never before had realised I was so popular. The steward then promptly handed the prize to a couple standing six feet away from me and the the lamp above – Paddy Doherty and his girlfriend! Gypped by a hero!

“Up Down indeed,” sez I, “and down Rory.”

I agree that the absence of the oil-spill of oleaginous priests onto the pitch is to be welcomed, it was pretty stomach-churning spectacle in its day.

I remember my mother telling me that on the morning of that first All-Ireland victory our house was full of relatives from the glens of Antrim and Belfast stopping off on their way to Croker. She said it seemed as if all of Ulster were heading down to support the red & black.

One of these relatives, now in his 80′s, said the biggest shock for them on that historic afternoon in 1960 was just how easily we beat Kerry. He claimed the best tackling against Down that day was provided by press photographers and the plethora of self-important clergymen, on the pitch, at the start of the match.
I spoke to him on the phone yesterday and he was glowing in praise for this present team. He wished them well for the semis whilst bemoaning the absense of the high fielding of old , but finished by saying – “at least there are no effing clergymen on the pitch anymore!”

” A Kerry footballer with an inferiority complex is one who thinks he’s just as good as everybody else.”

“Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive, But to be young was very heaven!”

“A Kerry footballer with an inferiority complex is one who thinks he’s just as good as everybody else.”

The lack of belief and fear of freezing on the big stage, which has affected all other Northern teams, just does not enter the equation when An Dún take on our Southern cousins.
Kerry, who are the greatest footballing county in Ireland,
were appearing in their 45th game in Croker since 1994 whilst Down were appearing in their 2nd.
Still despite this disparity they were out to set straight the only record which eludes their proud history – to beat Down in a Championship match.

As someone who, as a 9 year old, was held up by my father to touch the Sam Maguire being displayed on the victory bus by Colm Mc Alarney, as the ’68 team returned to Newry, I have always understood the meaning of victory over Kerry.
Incredibly the meaning reciprocates amongst the people down there.
In any visit to Tralee, Killarney, Listowel or Ballyheigue, over the years, just a mention of the name Down was enough to engage respectful conversation into the wee small hours. The locals spoke of Paddy Doherty, Sean O’Neill and Mickey Linden in the same awe as Mick O’Connell, Mick O’Dwyer or the Spillane’s.

Even, last week, there were cautious words by wise old heads on the Kerry GAA website against over-confident references to Down being an easy draw.
How right they were.

2010 is now added to 1960, 61, 68 and 91 as a fifth Down victory out of five against the other Kingdom.

So now, like 1991, the Championship incredibly opens up for wee James and a possible sixth All-Ireland Final is feasible.
But how have we fared in previous finals?
Oh yes, thats another wee record which we have in the Mourne County.
5 appearances and 5 victories!

So now with the legendary swagger back in our forward line, the aristocrats move on and not a single mention of “puke football” from the pundits.

Contae an Dúin go deo!

I have yet to disagree with that greatest of americans Mark Twain

For the further ejification of ranger 1640 in the school of common sense, hereunder be many of Mr Twains observations on humanity in all it’s braggadocio and foibles etc etc .

http://www.twainquotes.com/P.html

Laws control the lesser man… Right conduct controls the greater one.
Mark Twain

‘Why does the USA have border controls and visas. ‘

A very good question . I’m sure millions of Americans ask themselves the same question . The question has to be asked why these ‘controls ‘ continue to fail their prescribed purpose . After all the American people pay up billions in taxes every year for the Feds to do their eh duty ?

Nevertheless 14 million illegal immigrants somehow find themselves in the USA with probably 80% plus of them from Mexico and Central America . If you have an answer to this perennial problem for the USA authorities I suggest you inform them asap . You might also want to inform them of these ‘illegal ‘GAA players who are so obviously not just a danger to civilisation and the rule of law but are undermining the popularity of baseball , and american football .

Once upon a time Ranger1640 the law upheld slavery , religious discrimination , race discrimination , equality for women and the physically handicapped etc.

Some of us have less than 100% ‘respect ‘ for the law . While we all understand that the ‘law’ is for everybody’s benefit at least in theory -in practice it’s very often the means by which the ‘rich’ and established ‘ can steal from the have nots -which is why the ‘law’ tends to attract those who prefer to live on other people’s money . In the USA there are 300 lawyers for every 100,000 people -in the UK it’s 80 per 100,000 , in Japan it’s 11 .

From what I understand Japan has the least problem with ‘illegal ‘immigrants of the above mentioned states . Despite a surfeit of lawyers and despite decades of efforts the simple fact is that the entire American ‘immigration ‘ system is to put it mildly in a mess -the number of illegal immigrants is just the most obvious symptom.

‘Using your logic greenflag- No wonder child abuse went unreported for centuries using that logic.’

Most of those centuries I regret were under British rule i.e British ‘logic ‘ applied . You know how it works . Just look at NI’s recent political and sectarian history . The British Government and it’s supporters in Ireland over the centuries broke so many of their own laws even up to recent times that ‘respect’ for the ‘applied justice ‘ of Britain declined to such an extent that even now the term ‘British justice’ is still suspect .

So is Aussie Rules a pseudo sport or not ;? and if not why not ? that would be your logic of course ?

Quite simply no.

What responsible sporting organisation would be moved to participate in a process that could cause some of its members to lose their livelihoods as a result of partaking in that sport as an amateur?

The GAA in this instance is a sporting body and has no business involving itself uninvited with the personal circumstances of its members.

Now I’ll ask you again – please justify the following statement

“the GAA, an overtly republican political pressure group and pseudo sport”

On a previous thread it was your contention that the GAA was a sectarian organisation – I asked you to supply evidence of this yet none was forthcoming, as far as I remember Munsterview also asked you for clarification….

Being a Tyrone supporter I would naturally have liked to see two Ulster teams in the semi-final. But if Down can beat the Dubs in the final this will be a reasonable consolation.

I can’t actually understand why anyone would subject themsleves to that sort of shit, if you were good at sport in DPRK surely you’d just keep it to yourself lest you were on the receiving end of retributiion if/when your team didn’t manage to win whatever competition they were in, thereby disgracing the Dear Leader?

Here is a report on the bolliking reception the North Korean team and coach got on their return. Maybe Tyrone should get the same;)