Ballyhea GAA : Cork : Ireland : History

Good Old Ballyhea (by Thomas Casey)
Oh! Ballyhea, there's joy today
Beneath old Corrins height
For County honours rest once more
Upon the Black and White.
In Castletown as sun went down
Our youthful hurlers bold
On that flag tonight
Shed lustre bright
As their fathers did of old.

To lead them on was John McCann
The skipper of the side,
And oft before the name he lore
Was spoken of with pride.
In hectic frays of other days
On many a final day,
The name McCann was in the van
For dear Old Ballyhea.

The Dillons too proved, tried and true
As well I knew they might,
With Curtins, bold young Carroll I'm told
Was foremost in the fight
Browne, Ryan and Rea
In that thrilling fray
Did play their parts right well,
And so that day old Ballyhea
Our hearts with pride did swell.

And oft on Winter night's to come
We'll speak with joy and pride
Of Sullivan, O'Brien and Flynns
Of that dashing youthful side,
Who with style and skill
And right good will
In that hectic final day
Did bear to fame that glorious name
Of Dear Old Ballyhea.

The above poem was written in praise of Ballyhea's success in the 1967 Cork County Under14 "A" Hurling Championship.