An Poc Fada on Annaverna Mountain 31/7/2011
An Poc Fada (The Long Shot)
LÁ DEN SAOL (Once upon a Time) by An tAthair Pól Mac Seáin. P.E.
How An Poc Fada Started
SUMMER 1960: Some days after our bike trek to and climb of Sliabh gCuilinn in Sth. Armagh (and our special coiste meeting on the summit) Danny O’Brien; Oliver Hodgers; Sam McGuinness (Senior) - nach maireann – and myself, enjoying a sunny evening on the bank above The Báinseach: Liam O’Reilly (later the “Bagatelle” supremo) and Bredan McCoy, 2 mini-Setantas, passing a sliotar around: looking across to the 10 miles long Cooley Mountain range – L. “How many pocs would it take you from there to there?” (Cáman indicating the full 10 miles). B. “Ah, about 5 maybe!” L. “Well I’ld [sic] do it in 4!”. So that was the way the seed of the “madness” of An Poc Fada was sown.
Soon, after a positive coiste decision, Oliver and I walked and “measured” a course (3 miles 320 yds) stretching from the flat-topped Céide (Áth Na Bearna) to where the mountain gave way to the fields of the Mills Family in Achadh Min. Later, in the snow, with Danny, we measured this same course with a long rope, to be exact! Late July: A “special notice” was pinned to the famous “notice wall” in the Seomraí – officially., of course; WILL 6 UNDER – 16 HURLERS LIKE TO TRY IT? Yes, 6 would – Peter Crilly, Damian Callan, Seán Mc Aneaney, Mal Begley, Peter Myles and Jerome McDonagh. Sticks from a hedge for score flags (pieces of worn sheets, etc.); and all on bikes and Frank Myles per moped, out on Áth Na Bearna, 8.8.60 forenoon.
I had bought (2/6 each – now 12.5p) basic brown juvenile sliotars in Woolworth’s (now Clanbrassil Centre). Refreshments include, “Perkins (Tommy) Tea” on the climb for the first poc! Willie O’Hare (Jenkinstown) brought all the bikes to Achadh Min by lorry. Meantime, rain came down, wind blew, and all the sliotars took the shape of miniature rugby balls, with a spongy softness here and a rigid hardness there and there! Damian came first with 115 pocs and so ended the first APF. (An Poc Fada).
The results of the first Poc Fada
- Damian Callan 115
- Jerome McDonagh 117
- Peter Myles 125
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Tipperary goalkeeper Brendan Cummins conquered the Annaverna Mountain in Louth for the fifth time since 2004 as he was crowned the M Donnelly All-Ireland Poc Fada champion.
Cummins completed the course in 50 pocs, beating last year's winner Graham Clarke of Down who finished behind him in second place.