Ballyhea GAA : Cork : Ireland : History

The County Final 1976 (by Thomas Casey)
You rear them still! Great hurling men,
Who in the Final beat the "Glen",
And on their Banner there and then,
Shed Glory 'twined with honour.
The spirit's as in days of yore,
The victory's ours as oft before,
Old Ballyhea! A Gradh, Asthore,
My Blessing upon her.

In Kilworth town as Sun went down,
You bore away the County Crown,
And so shed lustre and renown
On our proud hurling story
The colours that, in many a game,
Were borne by men of storied name,
Still rest on manly hearts, aflame
To bring us further Glory.

Oh! Ballyhea your "Black and White"
Has oft won fame in many a fight,
But ne'er before, as on this night,
Have we loved your proud old Banner.
As exiles from your valleys fair,
In spirit now we're right back there
To taste the cup now in your care,
In a worthy fitting manner.

'Twas grand to hear that deafening roar
That gathered each fantastic score,
As goals and points flashed through galore
In a game we'll e'er remember,
May further honours adorn your name,
Still nothing will be quite the same
As the whistle's sound to end the Game,
That Sunday in December.

The above poem was written in praise of Ballyhea's thrilling victory over Glen Rovers in the 1976 Cork County Junior Hurling Final.