Other Sports

Snooker Memories

April 26th, 2011
by Weeshie Fogarty

I know I am probably one of a small minority here in Kerry as a follower of snooker but I have always been fascinated and thrilled by this age old game played on the green baize. And age old is the right description as snooker was first played in the 16th century and later members of the British Army brought it from India to England in the 19th centaury where it has prospered and grown ever since. Previously recognized as a game only for gentlemen it has also been blamed for the wasted youth of young men because to become prolific at the game requires hours of constant practice. So where does this put golf as that hightly skilful game also requires hours of constant practice on the course?

Now anyone with the slightest interest in snooker will know full well the World Championship is at present being held at its home venue in the Crucible in Sheffield. It will finish next weekend and it all began on April 16th. It's a superb venue for the championships and its here in this home of snooker since 1977 that you will witness all the agony and ecstasy, the trials and tribulations, the ups and downs of this amazing sport. In this arena there is simply no hiding place from the huge glare and intense scrutiny of a packed house and millions watching on BBC TV all over the world. And indeed watching and listening to the whispering of the commentators can be completely mesmerizing. Who will ever forget the most famous final of all when Denis Taylor beat Steve Davis on the last black ball of the last frame? In that historic final frame with the score tied 17-17 Taylor potted all the colors leaving only the black as the winner to take the trophy. It remains one of the most famous and memorable moments in sporting history. That epic contest finished at 12-20 am and I sat with my late mother who had a passionate interest in all sports, she puffing her cigarettes as the final drama unfolded.

Snooker has always been a huge sport in my life as I grew up right alongside St Mary's Parish Hall Killarney following our house move from New Street in the early sixties. The attraction of two snooker tables there took precedent above everything else with the exception of football and those long winter evenings as well as Christmas holidays were spend on the green baize. Practice makes perfect they say however I never became perfect at this precision sport and my late brother Geni was always my master. He was running up big breaks from an early age and went on to win numerous championships and play all over Munster. One of Kerry's greatest and legendary players Jer "Shy" Nolan from Castleisland defeated Genie on the black in the last game in a classic county semi final in the CYNS hall in Tralee in the sixties. Geni had been introduced to the sport by another recently deceased brother Dermie who had learned the game at a beautiful exclusive snooker club in College St Killarney. It was known as The Central Club and sadly is no longer in existence.

The two lads were huge followers of the game and would remain glued to the box as the championship unfolded every year. Dermie was a regular visitor to The Crucible with his great friends Connie o Sullivan, (Kerrys Mr. Snooker) and Sean McMonagle.  And it was there they befriended one of the all time greats of the game, Steve Davis. Steve won the world title six times, first in 1981 and his last in 1989. He was the first snooker player to win more than a million pounds from tournaments. Now 52 years of age he is currently ranked 23rd in the world. Steve and Dermie became great friends and he loved telling the story about the holiday Davis spend in Killarney with his girl friend. Dermie was a Killarney fisherman all his life and owned his own boat so doing his bit for Killarney tourism he took the two visitors on the lake for the day, picnic and good foot included. Later that evening when they were returning to Ross Castle as the day was drawing to a close and the sun setting in a golden glow in the West this world renowned snooker player stood up in the boat looked around him, spread out his hands and declared " snooker has been good to me and I have travelled to every corner of the world but never have I seen such beauty as what I have seen to day". Like generations before him Steve Davis had fallen under the magic spell of Heavens Reflex.

This time last year Dermie was as always closely following the world snooker Championship. However for him everything had changed and changed utterly, this would be his very last time viewing his life long favourite sport. Now he was a patient in Mary Mount Hospice in Cork. Suffering from terminal prostate cancer death was fast approaching but every day he would be wheeled to the TV room by the exemplary staff of this magnificent facility for the dying.  It was a Thursday and Joan and I were sitting with him chatting and talking snooker when something amazing and beautiful happened. The door opened and those two great afore mentioned friends Sean and Connie who had accompanied him to see Davis win those world titles strolled in and said "Dermie someone has come from England to see you". And there framed in the door way was Steve Davis. It was as if time stood still. Eventually when the initial shock had worn off both men embraced and this genial quite spoken legend of the game sat at Dermie's chair side, a priceless last photograph was take, the rest of us left the room and Steve remained alone with my brother for the next thirty minutes. It was for everyone present a very emotional moment something that will forever remain firmly etched in the memory. Dermie died three weeks later and just eight weeks following the death of his other snooker mad brother Geni.

Connie O Sullivan has revived the Kerry snooker county championship. There has been an excellent entry and all games will be played in his own premises in Killarney, namely, The Cue Club.  The competition is already under way and the top seeds include, Mark Tuite, John Friel, Derry o Sullivan, and James Shannahan.  Snooker is struggling to survive in Kerry, however if you search back in the old issues of The Kerryman in the county library you will come across all the great names of the game in the county. Names that will certainly be a story for another day here in this column. Paul Sherry of the Killarney Outlet Centre is the very generous sponsor of the Kerry championship and as a lasting tribute in memory of the two recently deceased snooker fanatics in our family we will present a special perpetual trophy to the eventual winner. So for me the World Snooker Championship will for ever be a bitter sweet occasion always evoking a legion of wonderful memories of two brothers for whom the game of snooker was their always first love. 



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