Christmas ‘Match & Party 2004’ Report

It’s hard to believe that a year has passed since young Kevin D’Arcy was presented with the ‘Young Footballer of the Year -- 2003’ plaque at a glittering awards-ceremony in the plush Quinlans Inn.

However even time, like a leaden-footed full-back, moves on and thus we found ourselves gearing up for the Christmas 2004 outing.

The usual warnings/invitations/entreaties having been sent, we all gathered in Bushy Park . . . . on a bright, balmy sunny afternoon, December 4th.

The second surprise -- Pitch 8 was unplayable. No, come to think of it, that doesn’t constitute much of a ‘surprise’ these days.

Eventually sufficient bodies turned up to form a quorum. ‘23’ in fact.

To give some context to the breadth of the BPOB family:

The following week, 10 of those party animals didn’t turn up -- and we still had 22 guys playing.

A squad that even Alex Ferguson (substitute ‘Don Revie’ for the true afficionados) would envy!

A strangely one-sided game saw BigPete’s squad of fleeting, fashionable footballers totally annihilate BankerJohn’s motley crew of creaking cripples. Let the record show: 7 - 2.

A charitable soul might advance the view that some were ‘saving’ themselves for the long night to come.

To which a cynic might utter ‘Ha HA Ha’.

Anyway, hostilities having ceased we gathered for ceremonial photo-taking and general bonhomie.

A few souls repaired immediately to Quinlans. Others -- older, wiser and smellier -- went home for a quick shower and splash of aftershave. My suggestion for communal bathing in the pond in Bushy Park, laudable if unseasonal, proved unpopular.

Between those who stayed for the entire night, a few who managed a few celebratory drinks post-match, and a couple who arrived apres-dessert, we had an attendance of 21 BPOB’ers.

It was good to see Mick Power there. Norman made a rare and welcome appearance for the evening.

And a special surprise was the appearance of Pat (Paddy) Sullivan.

Pat had just established contact with me a few day’s previously -- having been ‘recommended’ by Mr ‘Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown’ himself -- Derek Brady.

Talking to Pat afterwards, we learned of his association with Bushy Park stretching back into the early 1960’s.

And whilst that doesn’t make him the older BPOB’er -- it puts him in pole position as ‘Longest Playing’ BPOB.

Unness you know better -- in which case, drop me a line.

Pat still occasionally laces up the boots -- so hope still for the rest of you whingeing wimps.

Having eaten and drunk well -- and we must commend the patrons in Quinlans for the ‘first round being on the house’ -- we settled back to enjoy the evening’s entertainment.

For Christmas 2003 we had featured the award of ‘Young Footballer of the Year’ plaque to Kevin D’arcy as the central theme, allied to a special award to John Morrissy -- who had endured a (K)needy rehabilitation operation.

This year we decided to do something ‘completely different’.

And when I say ‘we‘, I mean ‘we -- the committee’.

‘We - the committee’ is a strangely nebulous concept.

It’s non-elected, the numbers/members fluctuate, sometimes it’s a committee of ‘One’, some people are not even aware they’re on it, it’s decisions are not widely published, and cannot be challenged.

In short -- the perfect mechanism for control.

Anyway, this year the concept was to feature a ‘Lifetime Award’ to . . . . . . John Hynes.

‘The Hyno’ to one ‘n’ all.

Havng decided to make John the focal point of the evening, it proved a nail-biting time until he actually appeared in Quinlans. We were pretty sure he would appear, but hadn’t wanted to reveal to him the ‘surprise’ in store.

I think it’s fair to say that, when the speechifying began, and the purpose revealed -- John was suitably astonished.

We heard a pretty thorough account of the valued contribution that The Hyno has made to the football in Bushy Park, the influence he had on others, his extensive appearances in representative football, his extended family influence on the playing field . . . . even a few anecdotes about his brief spell in football management, during his time in Irish Press Newspapers.

Mind you, having advanced the notion that ‘it would be hard to find anyone with a bad word to say about The Hyno’, 15 hands shot up in unison!

The first award to John recognised him as ‘The Oldest Left Winger in the Game’: and did certify:

“that The Hyno did, by virtue of his enthusiasm, non-tackling ability, length of service,

and unique line in Argentinian shirts, fully deserve this unique award”

Incidentally, it’s a little known fact: the material used to make football jersies in the old days was obviously designed to shrink with useage . . . . because when The Hyno wore his Argentinian jersey 2 weeks later (in homage to his status) the shrinkage was cruely apparent!

None of us have put on any weight in the intervening years!

Not content with that unique award, we prolonged the agony/ecstacy with a further presentation.

The award of a ‘Playing Permit’ to The Hyno was an explicit recognition of the fact that said John Hynes did in no way abuse his position in the Parks Department vis-à-vis the allocation of pitches to group(s) of ageing players. All such developments being . . . entirely co-incidental.

Among the benefits bestowed upon the recipient of the ‘Playing Permit’ were:

- Equal abuse every Saturday afternoon in Bushy Park, in perpetuity

- Play golf in France with BPOB

- Ignore criticism from Christy Gorman

- 3 ‘late’ arrivals in any 1 season

The written statement:

CAUTION: This player is liable to stop ‘SUDDENLY’ seemed to resonate with many colleagues.

And so it continued.

It would be fair to say that appreciation was generous and widespread throughout the gathering.

A well-deserved award to a well-deserving player.

The presentations element concluded with 2 further awards:

Conor O’Cléirigh presented a statue to Emmett Dunleavy for ‘The Fastest Hat-Trick Scored’;

John Morrissy presented a plaque to BigPete in recognition of work in building/maintaining the BPOB website.

After that, we spent the rest of the night doing what comes naturally to us all . . . . . . .

Finally, in true selfless spirit, with scant regard to personal safety or profit, the last BPOB’ers to leave the establishment -- having courageously seen everyone else off home -- were the inestimable Derek Murphy and Gerry Fox.

All-in-all, it had been an excellent day. Better than might have been expected.

It continued to build on the success of the previous 2 years outings, and gives us hope for year 2005.

I end with due ackowledgements to the following:

-- Joe D'Arcy for organising the venue;

-- John Morrissy, Conor O'Cleirigh and Peter Crosbie for organising the awards;

-- Mick Crosbie for supplying digital camera;

-- everyone who entered into the spirit; and . . . . . . .

John Hynes for being such a gracious/dignified/dumbstruck/delighted recipient of the Life-Time Award.

Part of the reasoning behind the drive to build the whole 'notion' of the 'Bushy Park Old Boys' is to maintain contacts. And we're stretching out/back to people who have played with us over the years, have grown up, gone old, given out. Trying to draw them back into the community . . . even if only through the contact of the Internet. It is a successful venture, all the same.

Next year -- we’re coming after a few of you ‘lurkers’ out there -- Dermot, Derek -- just to name a dozen!

Yuz have been warned.

Finally, what you’ve all been waiting for . . . . . . the pics.

I’ve created a Gallery of pics taken on the day.

And remember -- the captions are designed to allow us laugh ‘with you’, not ‘at you’.

Click on here to launch the Gallery.

Enjoy.