While Australian football has been played in Ireland, never has a Gaelic side from the southern hemisphere played in this part of the world. This will come to an end in a few weeks time when over 100 commence a world tour, which includes a visit to New York, London and Ireland.

On May 23 the group head for the U.S.A., following which they will spend five days in London. On Friday, June 2, they fly into Cork Airport for three weeks.

Two coach loads consisting of 45 players and officials will travel to Castlemartyr where they will be guests of this club. On Whit weekend they play their hosts in hurling and football.

While in East Cork a special social and Irish Night will be laid on for the visitors, details of which will be announced in the near future.

Following their only game in Cork they head for Limerick to meet Ahane, Following this visit they travel west to Connacht where they meet Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo. Then they go to Belfast and will spend a week in the Northern capital. They conclude their tour visiting Leinster where they will be guests of the Trim club.

Two Australian GAA touring teams will be guests of the Castlemartyr Co. Cork club next weekend. The touring party will arrive on Friday next and will stay at the Garryvoe holiday centre until next Tuesday, when they leave for Limerick.

On Sunday, they will play two Castlemartyr Selected teams in hurling (2.30) and football (3.45). Prior to the first game Denis Conroy the Registrar of Cork County Board will officially welcome the visitors

Castlelyons Pipe Band will lead a parade of teams to the ground and will provide music during the afternoon.

The following are the panels of players,

Hurling: J. Dempsey (Waterford), T. Diskin (Galway), T. Doheny (Kilkenny), T. Field (Cork), P. Fitzgerald (Clare), P. Fleming (Carlow), J. Trewin (Tipperary), V. Gillen (Antrim), P. Hegarty (Clare), J. Hickey (Tipperary), P. Lee (Dublin), M. Lenihan (Limerick), J. Leonard (Limerick), M. Murphy (Wexford), J. Regan (Limerick), T. McMahon (Clare), T. O'Shea (Cork), V. Kirby (Kilkenny), W Fitzpatrick (Kilkenny), J. L. O'Sullivan (Cork). Team manager: N. McGrath (Louth) Coach: P. O'Goman (Clare).

Football: T. Breen (Kerry), T. Conama (Roscommon), J. Dorazio (Western Australia), S. King (Galway) A. Lundy. (Down) C. Macken (Meath) J, Maher (Westmeath), J. McCarton (Antrim), S. Mc Quillan (Antrim), M O' Connor (Kerry), S O' Connor (Kerry), T. O' Gorman (Laois), N. O'Sullivan (Kerry), M. O'Toole (Dublin), F. Rafferty (Tyrone), A. O'Reilly) (Mayo), P. Ward (Offaly), C. Jordan (Antrim), M. Monaghan (Longford), A. McGavan (Mayo). Team manager: K.Murphy (Kerry) Coach: T. O'Sullivan (Meath).

The football party includes one native Australian rules player, Jim Dorazio. The players are drawn from clubs in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.

Another historical chapter in the Castlemartyr G.A.A. took place yesterday when the visiting Australian teams, currently on a world tour, played a local selection in hurling and football.

Prior to the game Mr. Denis Conroy, the registrar of the Cork County Board, welcomed them. In extending the welcome Mr Conroy paid tribute to the wonderful work they were doing in promoting and keeping alive Gaelic games in Australia. Also present to extend a welcome was Seamus O Floinn secretary of the East Cork Board. Mr. Paddy Walsh, chairman of the Castlemartyr Club, also extended a welcome to the visiting sides. He said it was a great honour to be singled out as the first club to take on the Australians on Irish soil.

L to R: Paddy Walsh Chairman Castlemartyr, Denis Conroy Registrar Cork County Board, Seamus O Floinn Sec. East Cork Board, Eamonn Macken, Jim Farnan Sec. of the G.A.A. in Australia.

Mr. Jim Farnan, Sec., of the G.A.A. in Australia said the welcome they received in Castlemartyr was wonderful. He paid tribute to his colleagues who were doing so much in promoting the G.A.A. in Australia. He told the Examiner that hurling was played in only three States, Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia Very few, he added, played hurling but many natives took up Gaelic football and were playing it regularly.

The side left Australia on May 23, consisting of 21footballers and 19 hurlers plus a number of guests and relatives.

They flew to London first and then to New York where they were beaten by a New York selection at Gaelic Park by 2-15 to 2-12 in hurling and 2-4 to 0-4 in football. They traveled to London on May 31, and on June I at Royal Park went down to Brian Boru (London) by 6-10 to 4-2, and drew with the Kingdom (London County' champions).

The Castlemartyr Club later entertained them and on Tuesday next they leave for Ahane, Co. Limerick. After this they visit Connacht where they meet Ballinrobe Co. Mayo

Castlemartyr scored a good double over the visiting Australian GAA teams on the occasion of their opening games on Irish soil. In the hurling game they were far superior and cruised to the easiest of wins but while they had ten points to spare in the big ball game, it produced good patches, especially in the second half.

For these games the home side had some guest players. In the hurling, Cork star Sean O'Leary plus Dave Byrnes and Dave Ahern of Dungourney, while in the football, David Loughman and Tadgh Cronin of Youghal, plus Tim and Gerry O'Sullivan of Cloyne.

In the hurling tie, the winners led at the break. Even without their guests, I doubt if Australia would have beaten the home side When one considers, however, the colossal travelling they have done and two games in between they must have been leg weary and their performance was a credit to them.

Sean O'Leary opened the scoring with a point to be followed by a point each from Mossie Hodnett, and David O Keeffe, before Donie O Keeffe goaled in the 17^th minute. Finbarr Murphy made it 2-3 to nil when David Byrnes put him through. With 21 minutes gone O'Leary slipped over a good point. Australia failed to cope with the swift moving Castlemartyr, although Jim Dempsey, Tom Mc Mahon, Tom Doheny impressed.

The pick of the Australian attack was Tom O' Shea who scored his sides 2 goals. Finbarr Murphy (0-2), Sean O' Leary (1-0), and Owen Mc Govern (0-1) kept the pressure on for Castlemartyr with Michael Whyte and Sylvester O Mahoney dominating the midfield sector.

With O Shea’s first goal for Australia in the 38^th minute, their hurling improved with John Leonard also scoring and impressing for the visitors. John Whyte and David O' Keeffe scored for Castlemartyr in the second half to keep them comfortably ahead.

For the winners, Joe Morgan in goal, Sylvester O Mahoney, Michael Whyte, Owen Mc Govern and Sean O' Leary were in good form while Australia had good players in Jim Dempsey, Tom Mc Mahon, Tom Doheny, John Frewen, Tom Field and Tom O Shea.

Castlemartyr: Joe Morgan, Declan O' Mahoney, Jim Costine, John Burke, Liam Collins, Owen Mc Govern, David Byrnes, Michael White, Sylvester O' Mahoney, Finbarr Murphy, Mossie Hodnett, David O' Keeffe, John Whyte, Donie O' Keeffe, Sean O' Leary. Sub David Ahern

Footnote

Tom O' Shea who starred for Australia first donned the Castlemartyr jersey in 1964 and won an East Cork under 14 medal in 1966 with Sean O' Leary and some of his other opponents today. He is a son of John and Lily O' Shea who emigrated in the early 70’s with their family. John played for Castlemartyr and his picture can be found in the photo section of this web-site with the 1951 champions. After the world tour was complete Tom returned to play in the Castlemartyr B Grade football team that won the East Cork that year (1978).

Sean O' Leary later that year played in the Cork team that won the All-Ireland Hurling title and completed a famous three in a row for Cork (76 – 78). He went on to complete an extraordinary inter county career when he starred in the famous Cork victory over Offaly in Centenary year (84) that took place in Thurles.

Castlemartyr won this game more by their fast movements, some dynamic football by Tadgh Cronin Youghal, Gerry O'Sullivan Cloyne, David Loughman Youghal, Sean Bowes full back, Christy O'Sullivan, and the accuracy of Oliver Moloney, Joe O'Hehir and Mick Burke.

Australia impressed and one felt that with a few more games they could match the best senior club in the county. Kieran Bren impressed at full back, as did John Frewen, Frank Rafferty, Cyril Jordan, Jim McCarthan, Sean McQuillan and Mick O'Connor.

McQuillan's accuracy was magnificent, and on one occasion this veteran of the side curled a lovely shot which rocked off the crossbar, the pity being that it was not a goal. John Darazio, of Italian parentage, and an Australian football player, found it hard to pass John L O’Sullivan who had a good outing until he was taken off to give a team-mate a run.

Tadgh Cronin opened the scoring with a point in the 4th minute and in the 10th minute, Mick Burke put ex-Millstreet player, Dermot O'Shea, through for the latter to goal. McQuillan opened the Australian scoring with a point from a l4 yard free and had another direct from a 50, to be followed by another from 14 metres out. The sides were level in the 17th minute, when McQuillan had a good point from play. In the next minutes a good run by Oliver Moloney, saw Cormac Moroney hit over a glorious point, only to see Martin Monaghan level the scores with a good point. Just on half time, Tim O'Sullivan hit home a goal, to leave Castlemartyr 2-2 to 0-5 ahead at the break.

Micky Burke, a pupil at Midleton Vocational School, added two quick points, before McQuillan's shot knocked the paint off the crossbar, before Kieran Macken punched it over. However, Tadgh Cronin (0-1), Joe O'Hehir (0-2), Mick Burke (0- 1) and Dermot O'Shea (0-1) scored for the winners, while Sean McQuillan pointed for the losers.

Castlemartyr: Noel Murphy, Marty O'Brien, Sean Bowes, Christy O'Sullivan, John L. O'Sullivan, Gerry O'Sullivan, David Loughman, Oliver Moloney, Tadgh Cronin, George McLellan, Tim O'Sullivan, Mick Burke, Joe O'Hehir, Cormac Moroney, Dermot O'Shea.Sub Maurice Ahern

Referee: Pat O'Mahoney, Castlemartyr.

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This article was created with the help of some reports that appeared at the time plus some photographs taken on the day. . I can e-mail a quality photo of any of the photos shown in this article if anyone is interested.

Pat Walsh

For any queries or any extra info contact p_walsh@eircom.ie or castlemartyrgaa@eircom.net