Patrique R.I.P. ...An intriguing character...Favourite memories here please

In the light of his untimely departure from his family, his club, his musical friends, his work, his union colleagues and his beloved Antrim, I feel its' only fair to recall some of his musings on this forum.
Perhaps there may be some who might feel this is in-appropriate, but I feel that his views on many matters are worth considering....I'll start:

Mossbags raises a hare about students..

My original sojourn as a student was at Queen's University Belfast, from 1971-75 during the height of the troubles.

Queen's was like the Vatican, in that it was a "state" within a state.

Everything in Belfast, pubs, restaurants and such shut at 5pm for a while, and everything else was getting blown up. Any entertainment to be found in Belfast was at Queens.

Horslips and Planxty burst upon the scene then, and the Friday disco, concerts, everything was at Queens.

We were in a little world of our own, I practically lived in the Student's Union for 4 years.

As for ladies, well that was when contraception was becomming readily available, especially in civilised countries. Mini skirts were still popular, but students wore something called "smocks" made from cheese cloth, and jeans. We were the first inheritors of the swinging sixties and sexual revolution so it was reasonable enough, if you ignored the Bay City Rollers.

Now certainly among ladies from a Catholic, convent educated country background/ persuasion you might have still encountered a reserved attitude towards relationships with the other sex, but ladies from a non conformist background, who we had rarely met, well they loved what they saw as a "bit of rough" fromWest Belfast.

Those years were truly wonderful, and I never really moved on from them. No-one had ever told me there was a real world to be faced after university. But loads of things to do, loads of "action" in a war time situation, and loads of memories.

Alas I fell in love in first year, which was a bit of a restriction, and I am still with her. Things were old fashioned like that in those days.

The BIG difference I see nowadays, as I pass Queen's on a regular basis and would now and again call in, is that students are like the rest of moronic teenagers., In my day we actually liked meaningful music, theatre, film and such. nowadays students are just part of the ordinary crowd, and watch "Big Brother" the same as those other unfortunates.

It was wonderful being elite and an aesthete, and I do miss it.

To sum up Moss, if you wanted a leg over in 1771 never mind 1971 it was readily available if you knew where to look. Some things NEVER change.
patriqueGAA Hero




County: Antrim
Club: st comgall's antrim town
Number of posts: 2428
Age: 58
Reputation: -1

On Cavan's demise.

The day Antrim won the U21 all Ireland was the day Cavan played Offaly in an all Ireland semi final replay.

That was in August 1969.Obviously I watched the Cavan game that day as Hugh Newman had excited us all as Cavan beat all Ireland title holders Down in the Ulster final.

If someone had told me that day that Cavan would only back ONCE since then we would have had them certified.

Cavan were the aristocrats of Ulster GAA. My early memories are of casement Park full to the rafters as Cavan beat Down in 1964, again in 67 and 69. And Down had appeared as a challenge to Cavan's supremacy.

When I was born Cavan, Monaghan, Antrim and Armagh, with about 3 titles, were the ONLY teams to have won Ulster. Cavan were the team, 5 all Irelands, legends like John Joe, Tony Tighe, Mick higgins and the rest. Even in the 1960s with Charlie Gallagher, Ray Carolan, Jim McDonnell, Gabriel Kelly, and Gene Cusack they were a force.

Amazing that they never made another final after John Joe's untimely and tragic death.

I was also at Clones this year when Antrim beat them. Now although I was "going mental" I also had a word with many Cavan fans, expressing the view that I was sorry it was them as they were possibly the only people in the GAA kingdom who had suffered worse than me during my lifetime following the games.

What happened is the question no one can answer. It is true that the games spread to new strongholds as derry, Tyrone, Down and Donegal emerged, and Armagh and Monaghan made a comeback, but how could Cavan go from complete dominance to also rans? St Pat's in Cavan won the Hogan the year after my school in 1972, with big Ollie Leddy and others, and the future looked secure. To me it is a mystery, to a Cavan person I imagine it is a sorrowful mystery.

Personally I would LOVE to see Cavan back in the big time, with those famous blue jerseys triumphant again. In my youth I hated Down with a passion (probably still do when exposed to the red and black jersey) and rejoiced when Cavan won those epic Ulster finals at Casement in front of large crowds in the sun. It was always sunny in the past as well, strange that.

So I lament Cavan's passing and await their return, but alas I cannot see a break through to the top level in the immediate future. The famine has now lasted so long that the "tradition" has been damaged. The sight of a blue jersey was enough in the past to defeat most Ulster teams, but not any more.

One of those quirks of sport and indeed life.

An epic view, one of many of his......Tear-jerking without his untimely passing....Great shout JS.

From 2010....

bumpernut wrote:
theyve met twice i believe bocerty, i'll let padraig fill you in on the details, was a record defeat for kerry for many's a year until meath in 90s i think he said, 3 5 to 0 2, around the beginning of the 20th century. Not a bad record against Kerry though, won 1 lost 1 !!!


Thank you Bumper.

This week's piece I did for Club Aontroma, Bocerty.

You will see we are well ahead on aggregate.

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patrique
GAA Hero

Patrique....

On modesty
Suarez doesn't have half of Paddy's natural talent, he just works harder

On optimism
Antrim have just completed ten in a row minor titles in Ulster. Expect the McCarthy Cup to be a permanent feature in Casement soon.

On Derry
Derry without the Bradley's is like Apple pie without cream, chips without vinegar, Bonnie without Clyde, Butch without Sundance

On his love of the Banner
[Nasri's] demeanour, constant moaning, and lack of fortitude inclined me to believe he was from Clare.

On Lewis Hamilton
He needs to be banned before he kills someone.

On Umpires
Umpires by and large are totally useless. Whoever shouts the loudest at them usually gets the decision. I think it is those stupid white coats......

On Neil Lennon
I always said it was me who sent the threats to get him off the Ireland team because he was useless.

On Greg Norman
One year Greg Norman "The Great White Shark" led all fout majors on Saturday night. He lost all 4 the next day. Up here he became known as "The Great White Presbyterian", never on a Sunday.

On Rio Ferdinand
There are many clowns in the premiership but Rio is out on his own....a complete self abuser.

On policing
For 30 years I called for a new police force that EVERYONE could hate, rather than just one side.

On Jonsmith
Absolutely spot on Jon. For once.

On...just about everything
Debatable

I guess there would be a lot of memories but the lasting ones would be of a poster who loved sport, and in particular loved Antrim GAA and Manchester City FC. The McGourtys, Mario Balotelli, Neil McManus, Dzeko, Yaya Toure, he liked to champion those guys! There were probably many others but those are the ones freshest in my mind. In a way it was fitting that in the year of his passing, City won the FA Cup for the first time in 42 years, and beat their Salford rivals in the final. McIllroy's win earlier this year gave him immense pleasure too. But he knew it all, GAA, soccer, golf, boxing, etc. He really was a sporting encyclopedia.

He also enjoyed a wind-up now and again but I found there was usually a deeper meaning in anything designed to provoke. He had unique way of articulating his views, but a very effective way. Great grasp of language too which usually meant his posts had a kind of peotic flow to them. Wonderful poster though and a joy to have read his opinions over the last five years - I think we all have learned so much from his contributions.

Such a lovely man. I couldn't believe it when I saw this thread, hoped it couldn't be true. I'm so sad to hear of his passing and to know that we won't be hearing from him again.

May he rest in peace.

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:
,
City won the FA Cup for the first time in 42 years, and beat their Salford rivals in the final.

Stoke?

The Puke wrote:

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:
,
City won the FA Cup for the first time in 42 years, and beat their Salford rivals in the final.

Stoke?

Semi-final.

The Puke wrote:

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:
,
City won the FA Cup for the first time in 42 years, and beat their Salford rivals in the final.

Stoke?

In-appropriate.......But not un-expected from you.....Respect where it's due and all that....

If Pat was here he would have pulled him up on the very same thing

The Puke wrote:If Pat was here he would have pulled him up on the very same thing

Sunken to that level have we.....Where's the "clutching at straw" thingy when you want it.....

Fooks sake Puke, I respect your internetting skills, your knowledge and posting abilities, but to set out for point scoring on this thread smacks of a nappy change.....

Boxtyeater wrote:

The Puke wrote:If Pat was here he would have pulled him up on the very same thing

Sunken to that level have we.....Where's the "clutching at straw" thingy when you want it.....

Fooks sake Puke, I respect your internetting skills, your knowledge and posting abilities, but to set out for point scoring on this thread smacks of a nappy change.....

I could not stand idly by as LTTR tried to pass off factual inaccuracies unchallenged

Patrique's passing is probably unique on these boards in the sense that almost everyone remains anonymous.. It's strange to think the disappearance in the past of some posters or indeed future disappearances could be the same as this and because of the anonymity we will never know.. That is the nature of such forums of course but a sad thought nonetheless..

The Puke wrote:I could not stand idly by as LTTR tried to pass off factual inaccuracies unchallenged

I'l take you first Puke if thats OK.......

Jesus this is shocking news. I visited an aunt in Raheny hospice yesterday and while the long term prognosis was not good she was eating, chatting and was in good form. I left at about 6. She was 91 and died today just after 6. RIP.

So it was a sad evening already but this makes it a lot sadder. Hard to say much else at this moment.

RIP Patrique - good skin and all round antagonist.

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Great half-time entertainment Patrique!

What do ye reckon for Antrim as GT team of the year 2012?

Good idea royal As a tribute to a great man. Count me in.

Patrique is a poster I remember on many boards and his comments were always worth reading. He was not afraid to get stuck into any subject and never allowed himself to get upset by the many barbed comments he received in return.
I had a particular fondness for him because he defended Cork on many occasions when our “enemies” looked like overwhelming us. God be with you, Patrique.

Patrique - Worst All Ireland Champions of the Last 25 Years

One of my favourites due to his reasoning in it, some excellently articulated points by Pat here....

Worst All-Ireland champions last 25 years
Donegal - 1992
Derry - 1993
Dublin - 1995
Kerry - 1997
Armagh - 2002
Cork - 2010


Right then. The argument that Dublin were knocking on the door for a number of years before 1992 does not alas hold water for a number of reasons. They Lost to Donegal in 1992, and I backed Donegal. They lost to Derry in 1993 and I won a fortune. So in the early 1990s Ulster football actually was strong. So take one example from Ulster to illustrate the fallacy of the Dubs knocking on the door.

In 1991 Derry surprisingly lost a replay to Down in ulster, Down having equalised with the last kick in the first game. Down won the all Ireland. In 1992 they surprisingly lost to Donegal, who won the all Ireland. In 1994 they lost a cracking game to Down, who won the all Ireland. In 1995 they lost to Tyrone, who should have won the all Ireland.

As late as 1997 on holiday in Mayo the shop keeper I knew reckoned Cavan would beat Kerry. I told him Antrim would beat Cavan, and he said with awe "they beat....Derry"

Derry were winning the league every year ad I think they must have gone about 5 years at one stage without a non Ulster side beating them. Hence they were feared throughout Ireland. They only had two really useful scoring forwards in Gormley and Brolley but that was enough as the others did the donkey work. The man credited with "puke" football was attached to this side sometime. In Tohill they had a wonder, as good a mid fielder as I ever saw, and were powerful all over the field. Given a back door, and if the county board had stuck with Coleman a la Tyrone and Harte, Derry may well have won 3 or 4 all Irelands, and maybe even 3 in a row 1995-1997. I saw them beat Donegal at Casement circa 1993 and they were awesome. Possibly the BEST Ulster team in the 25 year period we are discussing.

Donegal in 1992 again cannot be taken in isolation as they could not get out of Ulster and were losing to the all Ireland winners in Down and Derry.

Dublin in 1995 took their chance, although the shenanigans in the final were a disgrace, but they had some all time favourites of mine. But given their losses over that period, a large question mark hangs over them.

Kery in 1997, not a lot of pedigree going there, lost to a useful Mayo the year before, and done by Kildare the following year, so a question mark there as well.

Armagh 2002. Easy way of looking at this is where do we rate Tyrone 2001-2005? They played Armagh in about six championship games, and at the end of all that, Tyrone come out as aggregate winners by....one point. Indeed n 2005 Armagh should have lost the two Ulster games against Tyrone, but should have won the all Ireland semi. In Diarmuid Marsden they had one of the best Ulster players of the decade, and I often think if Diarmuid had still been about in 2005 Armagh would have won sam. We will never know.

So to sum up, the worst team to have won Sam in the last 25 years....Meath 1996. In that year Tyrone were miles ahead of everyone, bar maybe Derry (I know they beat Derry) but Meath butchered them, and then proceeded to butcher Mayo. In a replay.

So...Meath 1996.

Royal_Girl2k9 wrote:What do ye reckon for Antrim as GT team of the year 2012?

Good shout but maybe we can do better than that? He should be honoured and remembered here in a meaningful way. Any suggestions?