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The Bantry Blues GAA Club |
THERE IS A LONG HISTORY OF BANTRY BLUES CLUBMEN REPRESENTING CORK IN THE RED AND WHITE REBEL JERSEY. BELOW ARE A LIST OF MANY OF THOSE PLAYERS, BOTH PAST AND PRESENT, WHO HAVE HAD THAT HONOUR.
DECLAN BARRON
One of the greatest players in Ireland in the seventies, Declan won nearly every honour the game of football has to offer. From 1967 when he won West Cork juvenile medals in both codes to 1985 when he helped the "Blues" to regain the south west junior championship, he has had a major role in the fortunes of the Bantry Blues. His list of awards included 5 All-Irelands, 2 minor, 2 U-21 and one senior in 1973.
In 1964 came his 1st medal, U-14 football, West Cork. In addition he has also collected a National League Football when in the final against Kerry in 1980 he played a starring role when he moved out to midfield. He has won county junior, intermediate with Bantry and Senior with Carbery.He was awarded 2 All-Stars in 1974 and 1978. He was chosen on the Cork team of the Century to celebrate the centenary year of the G.A.A. He says his greatest thrill was when Cork won the All-Ireland in 1973. His likes will rarely be seen again.
He was awarded the 1978 West Cork Carrolls sports star award.
DONAL HUNT
Born in Bere Island, Donal came to Bantry at an early age and as a schoolboy was involved with the Blues. He is believed to have been the best minor to have played in Croke Park, when he played a big part in Corks All-Ireland win over Laois. He also won 2 U-21 All-Irelands, captaining the side in 1971. He holds one All-Ireland Senior medal, won with Cork in 1973 when he was a sub.
He captained Munster to win the Railway Cup in 1972. He has won county junior, intermediate with Bantry and Senior championships with Carbery in 1968 and 1971
He won his last medal with the Blues in 1985 when Bantry regained the "Little Norah"Cup after a lapse of 13 years.
Down through the years he was one of the best club players.
MARK O CONNOR
Mark made his intercounty debut with the Cork Minors in 1986 when as full back, they lost the All Ireland final that year. Three years later he won an All-Ireland Under-21 medal along with Stephen Dineen. That year he also won a Junior All-Ireland medal with Cork. In 1990 he made his 1st steps with the Cork Seniors when he won a Munster Senior Football medal and later was a panelist when Cork went on to win the football half of the Double.
In 1991 he won his 2nd All-Ireland Junior medal and since then has had excellent success with the Senior team winning 4 more Munster Senior Football medals. His 1st season as a 'regular' Cork Senior was in 1993 when Cork got to the All-Ireland Senior Final where they were beaten by Derry. He followed up winning Munster Senior medals in 1993,'94, '95 and '99.
His greatest accolade was when he won an All-Star Award in 1995, the year when he blotted out Maurice Fitzgerald and Jason Sherlock (for 59 and a half minutes!!). His best and favoured position is full-back. He was a sub for the Cork team in the 1999 All Ireland Final which was his last ever time to tog out with Cork. Still playing with the Bantry Blues Senior Football team.
HONOURS: 1 U-21 AND 1 JUNIOR ALL IRELAND ,5 MUNSTER SENIOR ,2 SENIOR COUNTY, 1 INTERMEDIATE, 1 SIGERSON.
OCCUPATION:Retired Army Captain, Mark is presently running his family seafood restaurant "O 'Connors" in Bantry.
Mark in action (extreme left) during the 1993 All-Ireland Final.
PHILIP CLIFFORD
Philip burst onto the Cork scene in 1997 when he played on the the Cork U-21 team which narrowly lost to Kerry after a replay.He didn’t get to play with the Cork Minors later on in the summer as he was in a bad motor bicycle crash.
His major breakthrough with the Cork Seniors came after winning Man of the Match award in the Senior county Final of 1998 by being picked at corner forward for the National League game against Offaly. He scored 1-3 and was virtually an ever present for the Cork Team which eventually won the National League in May of 1999.
Philip also had the honour of captaining this team and was also captain when he led Cork to Munster success against Kerry in the 1999 Munster Final. In the All-Ireland semi final he led Mayo a merry dance scoring 1-4 and also picking up the man of the match award. He is the youngest ever Cork Senior Football captain and led Cork out in the All Ireland Final versus Meath on the 26th of September 1999. Philip played for the Cork Seniors in the 2000 and 2001 championship for Cork.
Philip is renowned for his accurate point taking and his ability to ‘burn’ defences with his pace.Philip has many years of top class football ahead of him.
HONOURS:1 MUNSTER SENIOR, 1 COUNTY SENIOR , 1 U-21 WEST CORK
OCCUPATION:Barman at the Parnell Bar in Cork.
DAMIEN O NEILL
Damiens 1st success in the Cork jersey was in 1991 when he came on as sub as a corner forward in the Cork Minors All-Ireland success in 1991. Three years later playing in his more customary role of midfield he captained the Cork U-21s to Munster and All-Ireland success.
Famous for his high leaping and spectacular fielding Damien then graduated on to the Cork Senior team which got beaten in the National League Final of 1997 by Kerry. He then suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury which kept him out for almost a year but was back in the Cork team which lost the Munster semi- final in 1998 to Kerry despite the brilliant efforts of Damien..
In 1999 he gained a National League medal as a sub but his season was disrupted by injury. A nephew of the great , Declan Barron.
HONOURS:1 MINOR AND 1 U-21 ALL IRELAND , 2 SENIOR COUNTY, 1 INTERMEDIATE, 2 UNDER 21 COUNTY, 1 MINOR COUNTY.
OCCUPATION:BUILDING CONTRACTOR and SPORTS SHOP
DES MC AULEY
Des first played for Cork with the U-16 team in 1992 which narrowly lost to Kerry at Og Pheil. The following year he was in goal with the Cork Minors as they won Munster and All-Ireland Titles beating Meath in a tight game, 2-7 to 9 points with Timmy O Mahony and Andy O Shea (then St.Colums) on the team aswell.
The following year , Des won a Munster and All Ireland title when he kept goal for the Cork Vocational Schools Team, with fellow Blue , Eric Sheehan also on board.
Des was sub goalie on the 1995 Cork under 21 team and was 1st choice on the 1996 and 1997 teams both of which got beaten by Kerry. Des made his Cork Senior debut in the National League in 1999 and played 3 games ,while also being captain. He was a panelist on the Cork squad which won the Munster Championship later that year and reached the 1999 All-Ireland Final.
HONOURS: 1 MINOR AND 1 VOCATIONAL ALL IRELAND , 2 SENIOR COUNTY, 1 INTERMEDIATE, 2 UNDER 21 COUNTY, 3 MINOR COUNTY.
TIMMY O MAHONY
Timmy first played for cork with the Cork Vocational Schools team in 1992 while starring later on that year with the Cork Minors when they beat Kerry in the Munster Final after a replay in dramatic fashion. However Meath beat them in the All-Ireland Semi –final.
The next year he was star corner back on the Cork Minor Team which won Munster and All-Ireland titles beating Meath in the final.He played for the Cork U-21s in 1995 and 1996 but without success as Tipp and Kerry beat Cork respectively. A tough but stylish corner back Timmy suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury in 1998 and unfortunately missed the 1998 county success but was an ever present in most of Bantry’s recent county winning teams.
CORKS MINOR ALL-IRELAND WINNING TEAM OF 1993
Backrow left to right: Alan O Regan,(Castletownbere),Eoin Sexton(Kilbrittain), Des McAuley (Bantry Blues), Dave Dempsey(St. Michaels),Ken O Connell (St. Michaels),Shane Prenderville(Kilmichael), Seamus Collins (Carraigtwohill).
Frontrow left to right: Paul O Flynn(Na Piarsaig),James Kingston (Caheragh), Martin Cronin(Nemo Rangers), Brian Cuthbert, captain (Bishopstown),Jerome O Connell(Fr. O Neills) Timmy O Mahony(Bantry Blues),Andy O Shea(St. Colms), John Buckley(Knocknagree).
* Andy O Shea moved to Bantry Blues in 1995.
PAUL O ROURKE
A winner of Munster and All Ireland Minor medals in 1991 in the same year as winning an All-Ireland Colleges medal with St. Fachtna’s, Skibbereen. In 1994 he won Munster and all-Ireland U-21 medals for Cork from the corner forward position. These were won while with the Clann na Gael club in Drimoleague. In 1995 he transferred to Bantry Blues when his family moved here . Success soon followed as Bantry won the 1st of his 2 senior County medals with bantry in the wing forward position. A bubbly character with excellent speed.
HONOURS:1 MINOR, 1 COLLEGES , 1 U-21 ALL IRELAND , 2 SENIOR COUNTY.
OCCUPATION:PROPRIETOR OF WASHINGTON INN, CORK and The Parnell Bar, Cork.
PADRAIG O REGAN
In 1994 Padraig won Munster and All-Ireland U-21 medals for Cork from the wing back position. The following year he was a sub for the Senior Munster Final which Cork won. In April of 1996, shortly after making a breakthrough on to the Cork Senior team, Padraig suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury in Croke Park at the National League Semi-Final against Donegal.
Padraig made a brief return to the Cork senior Team in November 1998 when he captained cork in the National League game versus Offaly. Padraig is one of the most stylish wing backs in the game and is at present running the successful Western Star Bar in Cork.
HONOURS: 1 U-21 ALL IRELAND, 1 MUNSTER SENIOR, 2 SENIOR COUNTY, 1 INTERMEDIATE, 2 U-21 COUNTY,1 MINOR COUNTY, 2 SIGERSON.
OCCUPATION: PROPRIETOR OF THE WESTERN STAR, CORK and THE PARNELL BAR, CORK.
GRAHAM CANTY
Graham was a Cork Minor in in 1998 & was on the Cork Under-21s for three seasons from 1999-2001. his ultimate honour in the Cork jersey was captaining the Cork Under21s to their Munster Final win in April 2001. He established himself at full back for the Seniors also in the 2001 campaign and giving great performances against Kerry's Maurice Fitzgerald, Dara O Cinneide and Galways Padraig Joyce. Still a student at Corks Institute of Technology where he was the captain in their Sigerson Cup teams. Graham was the youngest member of the County winning 1998 Bantry Senior team. He also won a West Cork U-21 medal in 1999.
KEVIN HARRINGTON
Kevin first played for Cork on the 1991 Cork Vocational Schools Team which won the Munster and All-Ireland Titles that year . The same year he won Munster and All-Ireland Minor Titles from the corner forward position. The next year he captained the Cork Minors as they won the Munster title .In the All-Ireland semi , Meath beat Cork but Kevin gave an exceptional display scoring 1-6.
In 1994 he won Munster and all-Ireland U-21 medals for Cork from the corner forward position.
Terry O Neill
Terry
was a selector on the 1996 Cork Team and was Chairman of selectors for the 1999
Cork Team. 
He guided Bantry to the Cork Senior Championship in 1998. His sons Shane and Damien also play with Bantry. Terry runs The Badgers bar in Bantry along with his sons and also is the head postmaster at Clonakilty Post Office.
Pat O Donovan
Pat was a famous inter county referee and was also the Bantry delegate at the county board for many years. Pat was a cork minor selector from 1986 to 1994. He was also a selector with the Cork Senior Football Team in 1987. Pat is now the general manager of Kelly & Co.
MIKE EDGEWORTH
Selector on the Cork U-21 team which won Munster and All-Ireland Titles in 1994.Trained the Bantry U-21 teams which won 2 county’s in 1993 and 1994.
KEVIN BARRY
Selector on the Cork U-21 team which won Munster and All-Ireland Titles in 1994.
The following have also played for Cork:
| M. Donegan | B. Murphy | S. McCarthy |
| D. McCarthy | P.Coakley | N.Roycroft |
| T.Harrington | W.Lynch | W.O Connell |
| P.Daly | Mark Delaney | D.Dineen |
| L.O Sullivan | R. Coffey | J.Vaughan |
| R. O Sullivan | Garda White | T. Birmingham |
| S. Vaughan | M.Keegan | D.Williams |
| D.Clarke | M. Studdart | Pat McCarthy |
| Tim Cotter | Pat O Driscoll | M.Hurley |
| J.Keane | C. McGrath | T.Connolly |
| P. Murphy | T. Fitzgerald | V.O Callaghan |
| W.Cotter | M.Fitzgerald | Niall Twomey |
| Graham Canty | Jeremy Canty | Andy O Shea |
| Stephen Dineen | Kieran Cronin | Declan Barron Junior |
| Hurling |
| Ted Foley | Tadhg O Sullivan | Jerry O Riordan | Derry Scully
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Railway Cup for Munster
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| Played For Kerry |
| Teddy O Connor(All-Ireland winner , 1946) |
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