Community Notes Oct 30th

Local Racing Success

Padraig Butler of Cregane is quietly making a name for himself in the racing world. On Saturday last at Galway, Da Capo Glory won the 4.45pm Colm Quinn BMW sponsored flat race in impressive style. The horse is owned by The Red Strand Syndicate, comprising of Clonakilty, Bandon and Timoleague members. East Cork jockey Damien Allen was a capable pilot who gave the horse a marvellous ride hugging the rails where the ground was to the horse’s liking.

The training achievement by Padraig is all the more noteworthy when you consider that two of the leading trainers in Ireland, namely, Willie Mullins and Gordan Elliott also had horses in the race, not to mention two of the leading amateur riders Mr. D. O’ Connor and Mr. J Codd also fancying  their chances. However, the day belonged to the Argideen Rangers centre back who will be hoping to continue on a winning note on Saturday evening next when Argideen play Ballygarvan in the intermediate hurling quarter final at Ballinspittle.

The Late Dan Aherne

The death occurred recently of Dan Aherne at his home in New York. Dan was a native of Burrane and his formative years were spent at the family farm together with his four brothers and two sisters. The Aherne brothers were active sportsmen and many a competitive game of hurling was played on one of the fields of the family farm. It was a privilege for the local sporting young men to be accorded an invitation to play in those highly competitive games. Timoleague didn’t have a club in the late 50’s and early 60’s and Kilbrittain offered an outlet for promising young hurlers of the area to display their talents. Dan was a member of the minor team of 1949 who played in the West-Cork hurling final against Bandon.That game was played in The Lawn at Ahamonister with Mark Foley of Timoleague as referee.Dan was educated at Timoleague National School and subsequently at Bandon Technical School. He worked in his youth on the Burke farm at Ballycatten as well as helping out on the family holding. Burrane and Ballycatten were too small for an ambitious Dan and he emigrate to America in 1963.

His departure from Timoleague to Shannon was not without incident. His father Mick together with his brother Ned were in the Burke car driven by his neighbour Denis O’Mahony whose younger brother Barry was also crossing the broad Atlantic. Not long into the journey it was discovered that one of the emigrants didn’t have his passport. The driver ordered all of his passengers out of the car and made rapid progress in an empty vehicle back to Timoleague to pick up the necessary documentation. Also, in the booth were a number of hurleys and sliotars given by the Ballinascarthy club to two of their young players who were heading to greener pastures.Dan and Barry played with the Cork team in New York. Barry returned home but Dan settled in America. He returned home on numerous occasions and lined out with the newly reaffiliated Timoleague club in the late 1960’s. He made his home in New York and married Brigid Smith, a Monaghan lady and reared a family State Side.They had four children, Sheila, Fr. John, Brian and Mary. Sympathy is extended to his family. Ar dheis De go raibh se.