It was a plan hatched with Seany to see if we could revive the Dobey Cup. The germ of the idea was prompted by The Curragh RFC Reunion in May 2009. It was developed further as we walked around the Lake District with Seany. Brigadier General Sean McCann, now Officer Commanding the Curragh Camp, and a team mate of Seany's from his Curragh days, was very supportive of the idea.
It came to pass on a cold Friday evening in November. It was a good match which Newbridge played against an Army team. There were lots of conflicted people on the pitch and on the sideline. Rory McCann who is Captain of Newbridge, was also captain of the Army team and captained the Army against hos own team. Pearse McCorley walked up and down the sideline shouting "come on the Curragh!".
Greg, Kevin and I flew the Dobey flag. Us members of the Dobey family weren't sure who to shout for. We were made feel very welcome by the Newbridge club and were well looked after on the night. Tom Treacey presentedthe three of us with a very rare item - an Old Kilcullen tie each. In the old days "Old Kilcullen were the local rivals to the Curragh - Newbridge RFC of courcse was the merger of these two rivals.
Newbridge win Dobey Cup,uploaded by M+MD.
The following is an extract from the match programme:
Commandant Barney Dobey. (1931-1981) was President of the Curragh RFC for 2 years from 1997 to 1979. It was an exciting time for the club. Barney had a drive and enthusiasm for the Curragh which was infectious.
Gerry McMahon was Chairman for the same 2 years and they were both involved in building a club house extension and laying a new pitch on the Green Road.
Barney was a strong advocate of a community based club and knew that Army was just one important element of the greater rugby community. Civilians were playing for the club for the first time during this era, Barry O Sullivan , Mick Walsh , Steve Kinneavy, Sean Hayes (nephew of Joan and Barney Dobey) to name a few. Some years later Barney's son Brian played No 8 for the first team, this would have given Barney great joy
In that first year as president, Barney helped recruit a Welsh coach Bob Cole who brought a whole new dimension to the Curragh team in that famous 1977/78 season. The team reached the final of the Towns Cup; won their section of the J1 league and qualified for the first round of the Leinster Senior Cup. They also played in the J1 league final – victory could have meant senior status, but it wasn’t to be.
Barney resigned as president in 1979 when he was posted to the Middle East for 18 months. After his untimely death in August 1981, aged only 49, Barney’s wife Joan donated a trophy in memory of Barney.
The Curragh RFC in conjunction with the North Midlands area ran an underage competition for a number of years up until the early nineties. For many young players in the North Midlands clubs in the eighties and nineties this was their first piece of silverware.
The Dobey family (Martin, Sheila, Paul, Brian, Greg and Kevin) wish for the trophy to be played for again. They believe that a fixture between an Army XV and a Newbridge XV is an appropriate remembrance of their father Barney and of his views and aspirations for rugby. The family hope that new bonds of friendship can be built between Civvy and Army and that Rugby in Newbridge benefits.
Barney was born in Roscommon but lived in Newbridge for almost half his life. If he were alive at the time of the merger, he would have been a strong supporter of the foundation of Newbridge RFC. It is appropriate that the inaugural fixture coincides with the turning on of the new floodlights at the Newbridge RFC grounds.
The Dobey family are thrilled to have Barney’s love of Rugby, Newbridge and the Army remembered and celebrated in an annual fixture. It is a fine trophy – and any team should be proud to have it in their cabinet.
