Cockfighting is an illegal sport, it is still practised in Ireland, and shows no signs of dying out.
A cockfight is a blood sport where two cockerels are placed in a ring, called a ‘pit’, and fight one another, often until the death, for the entertainment of onlookers. Gambling also takes place at these events. Cathal O’Shannon talks to a man identified as Charlie, who trains cockerels, attends cockfights and also acts as an adjudicator at cockfighting matches. Charlie explains what happens at a cockfight, or ‘main’. The birds are placed in the pit and advance on one another. Men pick the birds up, or ‘haunt the cocks’, when one of the cockerels is injured, or when he goes outside the pit, and go back to their station again. The adjudicator then starts counting to 30. This gives the birds a brief rest before the next bout commences. When asked if he thinks that the metal spurs tied to the cockerels’ feet are cruel, he says "A cock can run if he likes...he can quit fighting." Contrary to popular opinion, Charlie does not believe the sport is a cruel one, as he loves the birds, and looks after them in the best way possible prior to a fight, "Get him cleaned up, and give him the sweet milk and the porridge, and get him dosed up again, a wee taste of rice, you get him closed...you put him on the bread then...give him three feeds...bread, and the whites of eggs, and spiced port wine or sherry." When there is a ‘main’ on, the news is spread by word of mouth, often less than 24 hours in advance. Cathal O’Shannon notes that the best place to find a cockfight is, ironically, often where there is a large police presence, such as a football match, a parade, or a Fleadh Cheoil. Any place where the police are too busy to notice. This report for Newsbeat was broadcast on 19 May 1967. The reporter was Cathal O’Shannon. ‘Newsbeat’ was a half-hour feature programme presented by Frank Hall and ran for 7 years from September 1964 to June 1971. ‘Newsbeat’ went out from Monday to Friday on RTE television and reported on current affairs and issues of local interest from around Ireland. The final programme was broadcast on the 11 June 1971. Origins : Co Laois Dimensions :60cm x 50cm 6kg
The 1938 All-Ireland Football Final Replay on October 23rd, 1938 ended in the most bizarre fashion imaginable when with 2 minutes left to play, Galway supporters, mistakenly believing the referee had blown for full-time, invaded the pitch, causing a 20 minute delay before the final minutes could be played out.
Even more dramatic was the fact that by the time the pitch was cleared, most of the Kerry players seemed to have disappeared.
The confusion all began with a free awarded to Kerry by referee Peter Waters of Kildare with Galway leading the defending champions, by 2-4 to 0-6.
The referee placed the ball and blew his whistle for the kick to be taken while running towards the Galway goals. He looked round just as Sean Brosnan was taking the kick and seeing a Galway player too close he blew for the kick to be retaken.
Thinking that he had blown for full-time the jubilant Galway supporters invaded the pitch.
It took all of twenty minutes to clear the pitch but only then did the real problems come to light. Jerry O’Leary Chairman of the Kerry Selection Committee outlined their dilemma.
Somehow or other Kerry managed to re-field even if the team which played out the remaining minutes bore little resemblance to the starting fifteen.
More remarkable again was the fact that Kerry went on to add another point to their total before the referee finally blew for full-time with Galway winners by 2-4 to 0-7.
It was generally agreed that the confusion was of the crowd’s and not the referee’s making but questions remained about the total number of players Kerry had been permitted to use in those final few minutes.
The National and Provincial papers and indeed all available Records to this day list only those 16 Kerry players who were involved prior to the 20 minute interruption but now (80 years on) for the first time all the players who played for Kerry in that October 23rd, 1938 All-Ireland Final Replay can be given their rightful place in the Record Books.
KERRY’s 24:
- Dan O’Keeffe (Tralee O’Rahilly’s)
- Bill Kinnerk (Tralee, Boherbee John Mitchel’s)(Captain)
- Paddy ‘Bawn’ Brosnan (Dingle)
- Bill Myers (Killarney)
- Bill Dillon Dingle)
- Bill Casey (Dingle)
- Tom ‘Gega’ O’Connor (Dingle)
- Sean Brosnan (Dingle)
- Johnny Walsh (Ballylongford, North Kerry)
- Paddy Kennedy (Tralee O’Rahilly’s)(Annascaul native)
- Charlie O’Sullivan (Tralee O’Rahilly’s)(Camp native)
- Tony McAuliffe (Listowel, North Kerry)
- Martin Regan (Tralee Rock Street Austin Stacks)
- Michael ‘Miko’ Doyle ((Tralee Rock Street Austin Stacks)
- Timmy O’Leary (Killarney).
- J.J. ‘Purty’ Landers (Tralee Rock Street Austin Stacks)(brother of Tim and Bill)(replaced Johnny Walsh – injured hip and dislocated collarbone)
- Joe Keohane (Geraldines, Dublin)(former Tralee Boherbee John Mitchel’s player)
- Michael ‘Murt’ Kelly (Geraldine’s, Dublin)(formerly Tralee O’Rahilly’s)
- J.Sheehy (Tralee Boherbee John Mitchel’s)
- Eddie Walsh (Knocknagoshel, North Kerry)
- Ger Teahan (Laune Rangers, Killorglin)
- Bob Murphy (Newtown, North Kerry)
- Con Gainey (Tralee Boherbee John Mitchel’s)(Castleisland native)
- M. Raymond (Tralee O’Rahilly’s)
- Jimmy McGauran (University College Galway)(Roscommon native)
- Mick Raftery (University College Galway)(Mayo native)
- Mick Connaire (Beann Éadair, Dublin)(Ballinasloe native)
- Dinny Sullivan (Oughterard)
- Frank Cunniffe (Beann Éadair, Dublin)(Ballinasloe native)
- Bobby Beggs (Wolfe Tones, Galway City)(Dublin native)(former Skerries Harps player)
- Charlie Connolly (Ballinasloe Mental Hospital)
- John ‘Tull’ Dunne (Ballinasloe St. Grellan’s)(Captain)
- John Burke (Remore)(Clare native)
- Jackie Flavin (Wolfe Tones, Galway City)(Kerry native – Newtownsandes)(won 1937 All-Ireland with Kerry)
- Ralph Griffin (Ballinasloe St. Grellan’s)
- Mick Higgins (Wolfe Tones, Galway City)
- Ned Mulholland (Wolfe Tones, Galway City)(Westmeath native)
- Martin Kelly (Ardagh, Limerick)(Ahascragh native)
- Brendan Nestor (Geraldines, Dublin)(Dunmore native)
- Mick Ryder (Tuam Stars)
- Pat McDonagh