Bowling News - October 2024
The inaugural inter-provincial match between Leinster and Munster was played in fine Autumn sunshine. The Blackrock green was immaculate and allowed for some superb bowling from both teams. In the end the youthful Leinster side was victorious. Shay Tyrell and Ian Gillen had organised the event on behalf of ILB Devco.
The Bray People newspaper printed a tribute piece to our own Tommy Cahill. Here is what hournalist, Tom Galvin, wrote:
It’s been over 50 years since Tommy Cahill raised the winner’s trophy [men's championship] at Bray Bowling Club but having gone and “beat five fellas” as the summer came to a close, he is more than proud to say he has done it again.
The 82-year-old has been a club regular for 57 years in total, and, before autumn has come and gone, has his sights set on the winter league and the coveted national championship. While he plays two to three times a week and is thankful for the exercise, it’s the social aspect of the game that really keeps him focused.
I've played many a thing over the years. I've won more and more competitions, captain’s prizes and the championship once down there. And I tell you, I'm at the top now. In other words, I'm on the way back.
It gets me out of the house because I live on my own,” said Tommy, who sadly lost his wife some years ago. “I don't overdo it either. I go down when I feel like it, even if I just want to keep my eye in, you know.”
Although he lives by himself now, father-of-five Tommy has three daughters “running around me, bringing me down a bit of grub or what have you”, a son, and another daughter living abroad.
He said Bray Bowling Club, which recently received a windfall of almost €50,000 from the Sports Capital Grant funding to provide changing rooms and toilets, is a “great club” as “there's everything you want down there”.
Letting it slip as to why he’s perhaps more regular than he needs to be, Tommy said: “There's a little bar and all down there, for God's sake. You know, the social end of it is very good as well.”
A keen golfer, Tommy also won trophies when he was a member at Glen Mill Golf Club, outside Newtownmountkennedy, and ran his own business, T&A Pallets, with his son. He had to sell that however, when his wife got ill and he relied even more on bowling, which became “one of my major outlets”.
[Reproduced by kind permission of Independent News & Media.]
The Winter leagues have returned to their regional basis by popular demand. There is a Saturday competition (three rinks) and a Thusday one for Vets/over-55s (two rinks). Both competitions comprise two northside groups and three southside. Bray entered three teams in the Saturday league and four on Thursdays. The club also play host to the single Greystones vets team.
Luckily the new leagues dodged the first of the winter storms. Ashley hit us on a Sunday and made for some crazy bowling on the day. Once you released your bowl you prayed that the next blast of wind would bring it to the jack (or at least not remove it from the rink).
It was the end of an era at CYM BC when Frank McCarthy passed away unexpectedly. Much admired for his prowess (with those big yellow bowls!) and popular for his twinkle-eyed presence, he will be greatly missed by his club and the wider bowling community. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.
Patrick Brosnan, Bray BC.
For previous posts see our blog.
