Cuala hurler Cian O Callaghan pictured ahead of the AIB All Ireland Club SHC Final.
By Cian O'Connell
Cuala's journey back to the summit of the club game in Dublin was a long and winding road, but the links between the eras are strong.
In 1989, 1991, 1994 Cuala triumphed in the capital before securing victories in 2015 and 2016. "I suppose when we won the Championship last year you get a bit of success and then suddenly people want to be involved and are happier to be in and around the club," Cian O'Callaghan remarks about the surge of interest in all matters Cuala recently.
"I suppose the initial seed were the team who won three Championships. Of that team, my Dad played, I'm a cousin with the two Sheanons, John and Colm, their Dad would have played. "The Schuttes father played, the Holdens would have been the Schuttes uncles, the Treacys father played.
"You nearly have this second generation coming in Cuala so there would be quite a bond there. I suppose we all played at underage like any club, people just become really good friends. You go to war together on the pitch so there is bound to be a bond."
Were most of those fathers involved in underage teams during the past two decades? "Yeah, I think everyone referenced there would have taken at least their own sons team or if not a second team.
"That is what makes the GAA is people like that who volunteer to help out with teams to give a young lad an opportunity. That is one of the real beauties of the organisation."
The Cuala Ultras.
So is the fact that Cuala are forging a deep sporting connection with youngsters in the area. The Cuala Ultras, including one of O'Callaghan's brothers, are enjoying their trips around Dublin, Leinster and Ireland.
"One of them is, the youngest lad is, he is getting great craic out of the journey," O'Callaghan laughs. "When I was younger, I'd be good friends with some Kilmacud Crokes lads from Colaiste Eoin and even before.
"When I was younger and Kilmacud were going to All Ireland Finals in the Football I remember being so jealous of them. All of my friends were going on these journeys throughout the country, heading off on journeys just having the craic. "Brilliant enjoyment, brilliant days out. The younger lads are getting that now in the club. It is a huge opportunity for them, they are really embracing it."
Another of O'Callaghan's siblings, Con, one of the most promising and exciting footballers in the country has occupied a key scoring role for Cuala. An All Ireland football medalist with Dublin last year Con O'Callaghan is also an accomplished hurler. "He is doing really well at the moment, he got a good goal there the last day," Cian O'Callaghan says about the Slaughtneil win.
"All you have to do is to look at our whole forward line to see how hard they are working. Mark Schutte is playing brilliantly, Colm Cronin is playing brilliantly, we haven't played a team like Ballyea, though, yet, who just bring this ferocious intensity, savage work rate.
"They are a team from 1 to 25 and obviously they have a few match winners as well Tony Kelly, Niall Deasy, Gary Brennan. They have come through a lot this year especially in the Clare Championship and against Thurles. They have won a lot of very close matches so they really are a battle hardened team."
Cuala manager Mattie Kenny.
With Mattie Kenny a shrewd coaching and sideline mind, Cuala, have located a nice formula. "I suppose he has brought his own brand to Cuala hurling," O'Callaghan states. "We are quite a sturdy outfit under him, he is a very impressive man, he really cares about his players and he gets that back in spades because his players really want to play for him, to give their all for him.
"He has brought a bit of toughness to Cuala, where traditionally we mightn't have been known as the tough boys of Dublin hurling. Now we are known as hard working men."
Through the years Cuala have toiled incessantly with Damian Byrne's diligent work critical in re-establishing them as a force.
"I suppose Damian Byrne would have actually got man of the match in a Leinster Final against Kilkenny," O'Callaghan comments about an influential figure in the club.
"I think he made a load of saves against DJ Carey, but he has been doing work when nobody else wanted to do work. When Cuala was a Division Two club and there was no underage set-up.
"He is one of these people who has given his life and soul to the club. They are the sort of people who make Cuala what Cuala is and make the GAA what the GAA is." Watching blood red and white jerseys run out on to the hallowed Croke Park turf will be a fitting reward and tribute for those who kept Cuala afloat.
