History

The history section of the website is based on extracts from 'The Rockies - A centenary year publication' 

The Great Years 1883-1899

Blackrock Hurling Club was officially founded in 1883. It is therefore the oldest club in Cork. Undoubtedly there was hurling in Blackrock prior to this, but this appeared to be the first time a team was formed on an official and continuous lines.

Until 1888 the club was known as Cork Nationals, when it changed its name to National Hurling Club of Blackrock, and later in the same year to the more convenient name of Blackrock National Hurling Club.

Hurling is perhaps the oldest ball game in the world and games were played between representatives from different parishes long before the G.A.A. was founded in 1884.

Before the coming of the G.A.A., newspapers did not carry many accounts of great hurling matches. One of the earliest reports is that of a game played in Glasheen between the hurling clubs of Blackrock and St. Finbarrs. The game was not finished and was played in 1876. It is claimed that that game inaugurated that most exciting, most skilful, and continuous chapter in the history of Cork hurling known as the rivalry between Blackrock and the 'Barrs'.

After the game there arose an acrimonious correspondence in the local press regarding the match. It was said that spectators invaded the pitch and took the hurleys from the Blackrock men. This was denied by St. Finbarrs representatives and the arguments went on for a long time. The rivalry is still there, but happily the bitterness has all gone.

With the approach of the twentieth century Blackrock hurlers could look back with justifiable pride on their achievements. They certainly were impressive. In the space of a dozen years since the founding of the G.A.A. and the beginning of the Cork county championships they contested nine County Championship Finals, and won eight. They played in four Munster Championship Finals and won two, and for good measure, they added two All-Ireland titles. Incidentally around that time John Cashman of Blackrock established the record of being the first man in Ireland to win three All-Ireland medals in a row. The 1893 All-Ireland was the first ever to be won on the field of play, and 1894 was the first time a team retained the All-Ireland Trophy.

The new century brought its clouds too. Many of those fine upright men began to emigrate and the playing fields if Ireland saw them no more. Such great men of stamina, fair play, astonishing exponents of one of the most skillful games in the world, men of strong faith could not be replaced, nor could any country afford their loss. Hurling greats such as John Curtis Murphy, and John Kidney and others mentioned in this book have stood shoulder to shoulder with the other mighty men of Three Castles (Kilkenny), Tubberadora, (Tipperary) and Kilfinane (Limerick).

Others would follow quickly in their footsteps, but those celebrities would not be forgotten, and their memory would inspire future Blackrock teams in the new century.

Team Colours

Many stories are told about the origin of our team colours. Some say we brought them with us when we changed from Cork Nationals to Blackrock National Hurling Club in 1888. Others say we played for the right to wear them. Some of our older members were not sure, so to Ballinure Cottages and local historian John (Jack) Hannigan who has an immense knowledge of local history. Jack says that he had the privilege of seeing a Cork National jersey. it was a hooped green and red. When the Blackrock Club as formed they decided to keep the green hooped jersey, but this time hooped with orange. Shortly after this it was realised that Dungourney had a similar colour. A challenge match was arranged for the right to wear the green and orange. Blackrock were successful. Dungourney retained the green and orange also, but they the wore an all orange jersey with a green sash across the shoulders.

Further evidence of the colours of the Rockies jersey is reported in 'The Cork examiner' of 18th June, 1892, in a match report on Blackrock v. Wm. O'Briens, in listing the teams the reporter also mentioned club colours and the Blackrock jersey is reported as 'green and orange'

The Busy Years 1900-1919

From 1900 to 1919 Blackrock played in nine county championship finals. They won six, and that six included the first four in a row from 1910 to 1913. It could have been five in a row but for a mix up at administration level. The final against Midleton was arranged for Mallow, but on the day rain fell in torrents. It was understood that someone in Blackrock telephoned someone in Midleton calling off the match, and so the team did not travel to Mallow. Midleton however did travel and the game was awarded to them. To make matters worse the Rockies were odds on favourite to win.

On the inter-county scene Blackrock contested four Munster Finals. They won in 1903 and 1912. The All-Ireland of 1903 was won, but the team was beaten in the 1912 All-Ireland Final.

It was in 1912 that the name Sean Og Murphy first appeared on the lists of the Cork team – as a substitute.

Other great players of those days were Stephen (Steva) Riordan, ‘Doorie’ Buckley and his brother Gregory, Tom (Honest Man) Coughlan, and his brother Dan, Barry Murphy, Larry Flaherty, Dinny Barry, Dinny Kidney, both no doubt christened Denis, Jer Deasy, William (Billy) Mackessy, ‘Bill Bill’ Dorney, his brother affectionately called ‘Down Down’. Walter Parfrey, Tommy Riordan, Paddy (Carbery) Mehigan, Paddy O’Brien, Charlie Sullivan, Johnnie Madden, Tom Moroney, whose son Tom was a well known player of high repute in other codes, Mickey Kidney, Jehr Deasy, Tom Cox, Andy Fitzgerald, Cors Roynane and Moss Buckley.

Those men brought a new impetus into the game of hurling, raising it to new heights. They strode the playing fields, giants of skill and dedication. Though by 1919 time had moved on for many of them the luster they added to the game still remains. Their names will never be forgotten.

Pure Gold 1920-1931

The period 1920-1931 was a superb time for hurling and for Blackrock. The green and gold of Blackrock and the blue and gold of Tipperary shone resplendent on the hurling fields of Ireland. Limerick, Clare and Waterford were also forces to be reckoned with in Munster., as were Kilkenny, Dublin, Laois, and Wexford in Leinster. Indeed, it seems to be Blackrock’s fate to be at their best whenever hurling is at its best and most competitive. In the first ever National League Final Cork beat Dublin, but it was the Munster Final in the same year against ‘World Champions’ Tipperary that provided encounters, which raised hurling to a new high level.

1926 may well be described as the year of the making of modern hurling and 1931 the year of remaking.

After a long lapse of seven years the Rockies regained the title of Cork County champions in 1920. New and emerging young ‘stars’ were appearing in the Blackrock colours. There were the brothers Eudie and John Coughlan, the Ahern brothers, ‘Gah’ and ‘Balty’. The O’Connell brothers, ‘Marie’ and ‘Wannie”, the Scannell brothers Mickie and Attie. There also were John Cotter, Phil Sullivan and Paddy McCarthy. They were led by Sean Og Murphy whom many claim was the greatest hurling full-back. His titanic duels with Martin Kennedy, the ‘greatest full forward’ became a legend. Eudie Coughlan, fit to stand up with the greatest of hurlers, was a natural hurler of great skill, courage and tenacity. The famous ‘Gah’ was considered by many to be one of the greatest forwards. Given the slightest of chances he’d have the ball in the net in a twinkling. His brother ‘Balty’ was a great forward in his own right, but also a wonderful partner for ‘Gah’. The latter in the 1928 All-Ireland final scored 5-4 out of Cork’s winning total of 6-12. ‘Big Jim’ Hurley was a peerless center field man, a powerful striker, left of right, he was a magnificent player. Paddy Delea was another great player. Compact and sturdy he was always on the move, ever ready to take his scores or assist I the making of scores for club and county. The reliable Mattie Murphy and the powerful Mick, such Rockies men were the backbone of the Cork teams of that period and the cornerstone of its successes.