Ballyhea GAA : Cork : Ireland : History

Ballyhea Victorious 1980 (by Tom Casey)
By Mulla's gentle stream to-night,
The bonfires are again a light.
As Ballyhea's famed Black & White,
Is raised aloft once more.
In proud salute to her hurlers bold,
Who a great tradition now uphold,
As their fathers did so oft' of old.

By Mulla's gentle stream to-night,
To bonfires are again a light.
As Ballyhea's famed Black and White,
Is raised aloft once more.
In proud salute to her hurlers bold,
Who a great tradition now uphold,
As their fathers did so oft' of old
With victories galore.

In Buttevant's famed "Barrack Square",
Thousands now assemble there,
And watch their heroes do and dare,
With magnificent display.
And from that lovely little town,
As Mallow gallantly went down,
We bore away, the county crown,
To storied Ballyhea.

For those who live beside that river,
To describe the game is vain endeavour.
As in their hearts 'twill live forever,
To be kept in memory bright.
They danced around the blazing fire,
Maid and Matron, Youth and Sire,
In their keen and wild desire,
To celebrate that night.

And as the embers slowly died,
Hands are clasped with surging pride.
And tears are shed, as old men cried,
Who'll write our hurling story,
Where is the man with gifted pen,
Who'll tell of other days and men
Who for Ballyhea went out to win,
A name enshrined inglory.

To mark Ballyhea's 1980 Co. Intermediate Hurling Championship title success over Mallow at the Fr. Con Buckley Memorial Park, Buttevant, one of the team's supporters Tom Casey, Golden, Co. Tipperary, wrote these lines. The author is a brother of Ballyhea Man Dan Casey.