‘Waterford Club Football 1960-69’ is a nostalgic new documentary about the ‘Gaelic’ scene in Waterford during the decade in question.

A total of 51 players from championship-winning teams – senior, intermediate and junior – across 17 clubs, east and west, were interviewed during the three months of production by Waterford Sports Films.

Launched last Sunday with a preview screening in picturesque West Waterford Golf Club, the DVD is on sale for Christmas at The Book Centre in Waterford and Heartbeat City, Dungarvan Shopping Centre since Monday.

Producer and Director Patrick J Power of Waterford Sports Films says the intention is that this will be the first in a series of 10 documentaries, with reflections on the golden years of hurling and soccer in the city and county in the pipeline.

Newspaper cuttings and old photographs are used to frame the talking points – with journalist John A Murphy, who was a young reporter with the ‘Dungarvan Observer’ (who collaborated on the project) for most of the Sixties narrating the introduction.

The relaxed, ad lib dialogue helps to recall countless anecdotes and fond reminiscences. Those interviewed are: Tony McCarthy (Affane); Tommy Power, John Colbert, Bertie Hallahan (Ardmore); Pat Spratt, Justin Spratt, Patsy Donnelly, Pat Foley (Brickeys); Jack Alstead (Ballinacourty); John Hurton, Claude Fitzgerald (Clashmore), Michael Dowling (Erin’s Own); Tom Casey, Con Murphy (Dunhill); Jim Joe Landers, Johnny O’Grady (Geraldines); Ned Flynn, Norrie Flynn, Bertie McNamara (Gaultier); Michael Kirwan, Tommie Kirwan, Sean “Snail” Power, Mick “Martin” Kirwan, Rodgie O’Connor (John Mitchels); Martin Kirwan, Ger Mooney, Tommy Hennessy, Ackie Lennon, Monty Guiry (Kill); Jimineen Power, Pa Walsh, Tom Walsh, Tom Riordan (Kilrossanty); Martin Óg Morrissey, Frankie Walsh, Seamus Power, Dickie Roche (Mt Sion); Jimmy Guiry, Tom Cunningham, Pat Clancy, Tom Foley (Stradbally); Billy Sheehan, Johnny Curley, Tom McSweeney, Tom Doyle (Tallow); Patsy Flanagan, Greg O’Neill, Michael Power, Micky Comyn (Tramore), and Mick Connelly (Valley Rovers).

For those of a certain age this is the perfect Christmas present, packing in 96 minutes of nostalgia. Kill legend Monty Guiry and Tramore great Michael Power were voted by their peers to have been the best footballers of that era and at last weekend’s launch they received presentations from new GAA County Chairman Tom Cunningham, who as a former player with Stradbally features in the film himself.

Frankie Walsh, the man who captained Waterford to the McCarthy Cup fifty years ago, was a fine footballer to boot. In great form, he recounts the time when Kerry star Mixie Palmer “came and played with Dunhill because he was in the cattle business and he worked with the Purcells. So he played with Dunhill, and Martin Óg [Morrissey] and lord to mercy on him Jim Hurley played centre-field, I think it was in the Tank Field. And we were all discussing in the former dressing rooms out there what way were we going to handle this Mixie Palmer, graceful like Mick O’Connell, [who’d] go straight up for the ball. And Jim Hurley came out with the thing: ‘No problem’, he said. ‘He who goes up must come down. And when he comes down he’ll know what hit him!’ And after 20 minutes Mixie Palmer put his hands in the air and said, ‘In the name of God… what way do yee play football down here?!!’”

 

Great men with great memories.