THE IDEA of holding a hurling/poc fada tournament in the grounds of Stormont might have sounded far-fetched in even the very recent past.
But the notion that the wife of a former loyalist paramilitary might be among those taking part would surely have sounded like the stuff of fantasy.
That is precisely what happened on Saturday, when Parliament Buildings played host to Poc ar an Chnoc – a long-distance hurling event that for many years has been part of the west Belfast festival, Féile an Phobail.
Those arriving in the morning must have pinched themselves when they saw Ireland’s four provincial flags flying at the top of the “royal mile”, the majestic, tree-lined avenue leading to the bastion of unionism. Their confusion would not have been allayed by the sound of hornpipes, reels and traditional ballads pouring from the PA, only intermittently interrupted by the harsh roar of engines from a rally over the hill.
The first throw-in of the day signalled an under-10 blitz. More than anything else, the relaxed, cordial atmosphere resembled that of a community sports day. For most spectators though, the main attraction was still to come – the celebrity tournament for the Edward Carson Trophy.
Naming the cup after the original big man of Ulster politics was, of course, a dig at his modern political descendents, yet not without some basis in reality, as he played on Trinity College’s hurling team while studying there.
Passing Carson’s imposing statue, many wondered aloud what he would have made of the thoroughly Gaelic spectacle being played out under his eyes. The common consensus was that the figure’s expression of indignation and outrage might not have been too far off the mark.
When he managed to stop signing autographs, the increasingly avuncular Gerry Adams got things rolling with a respectable volley. Among the others competing were his Sinn Féin colleagues Caitríona Ruane and Conor Murphy, RTÉ presenter Marty Morrissey, boxer Martin Rogan and Tipperary TD Matty McGrath.
An especially warm round of applause went up for Jeanette Ervine, the widow of PUP leader David Ervine, who in competing in the event carried on her late husband’s tradition of crossing old sectarian divides.
However, all were left trailing when BBC Northern Ireland presenter Mark Sidebottom left his commentary position and blasted the sliotar. A hurler in his youth, he had been hotly tipped, and joked when accepting his award that Carson would have been glad that a “wee man called Sidebottom, from the glens of Antrim, with a cricket-loving father” had won the award bearing his name.
By the time the main event rolled round, the sun was high in a clear sky and the majestic avenue that formed the field of play looked uncommonly beautiful. The main sponsor of the event, Dublin businessman Marty Donnelly, later joked that “whichever architect designed that avenue, he must have had poc fada in mind”.
Those watching were afforded a close up glimpse of hurling greats such as Derry’s Brian McGilligan, Kilkenny’s James McGarry, Clare’s Davy Fitzgerald and Antrim’s Terence “Sambo” McNaughton, yet it was no great surprise when Down goalkeeper Graham Clarke came in first place, having won the All-Ireland poc fada title the previous Saturday.
Handing out trophies from the steps of Stormont, Gerry Adams quoted Bobby Sands, saying the day had been a fulfilment of his prophecy that “our revenge shall be the laughter of our children”.
Having done so, he passed the microphone to a young girl who sang Amhrán na bhFiann. An entirely fitting end to a completely surreal day.