STICKABILITY
Saturday, June 21, 2014
JOHN McKay proudly parades the hurley stick he used when he was the gallant goalkeeper of the victorious 1963 Emmet's team that won the Antrim Junior Championship.A few weeks after the CDDA Newsletter highlighted the 50th-year celebrations of Cushendun beating St John's of Belfast, in the county decider at Loughguile, classy team custodian 'Wee' John of the Milltown eerily unearthed the perfectly preserved hurl.
During some clearing of an outhouse, behind the premises where he was reared, in Knocknacarry, the stick was discovered by John's helper, Malachy McAllister.
"I couldn't believe it when Malachy attracted my attention, telling me he found the hurl in the roof space," John said, "I forgot all about putting that special 'stick' there all those years ago. The area in the outhouse was dry, and that is why no dry rot set into the hurl. It is just as I left it there, in 1964.
"Fifty years on it could still be used. I stamped my name, in black ink, on the side of the stick - stating 'John McKay. 1963'. I suppose I wanted to make sure this memento would be preserved. Finding the hurl again brought back many happy and special memories of some great games the Emmet's were then involved in.
"The stick has some black tape over strips of tin. I used the hurl throughout 1963, and maybe some time before that. I had a few hurls then, but this one was the favourite, and I used it in that Junior Championship-winning campaign.
"It suffered a crack, and was tinned. I think the repair work was done by either Bach (James McMullan) or Paddy O'Mullan. Both were very handy at that sort of thing.
"As the years went by I had no recollection of the hurl, even when we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the championship win late last year."
John's wife , Pat revealed the hurl enjoyed a short shift when the Emmet's resumed competition in 1964.
She said: "John picked up a head injury, cuts that required stitches, from a home match against St Paul's. He used the hurl in that game, but that was it. John quit playing then."
He added; "I was in goals that day against St Paul's of Belfast. It was a very rough match. I think four members from our team had to be stitched up by Dr Alastair McSparran. Anyhow, it was time for me to quit, after a good innings in the game.