Waterhouse Byrne Baird Shield

Oldest Cross Country in the World
Waterhouse Byrne Baird Shield
The Waterhouse Byrne Baird Shield trophy with Donore Harriers emblem in background
View of the shield detail
The Waterhouse Byrne Baird Shield & Donore Harriers Singlet
View of the centre detail of the Waterhouse Byrne Baird Shield

The Waterhouse Byrne Baird Shield is the oldest and longest consecutively run club cross-country event in the world.[1]

History

In 1896, a Dublin jeweller, Mr. Samuel Waterhouse, presented the Donore Harriers club with a silver shield for a 10-mile handicap cross-country race. The shield was known as the 'Donore Harriers Waterhouse Challenge Shield'.

This race now known as the Waterhouse Byrne Baird Shield has been competed for every year, except 1916, since then, on St. Stephen’s Day (26 December). The race starts and finishes every year at the same tree beside the Dog Pond on the horse gallop in the Phoenix Park, Dublin, Ireland.

The shield has to be won three times by the same person in order for the trophy to be claimed as the property of any one individual. In 1919, P.J. Byrne, after winning the trophy three times, re-presented the trophy to the club, and the same thing happened when Davie Baird similarly had three victories. A Mr. Uhlemann has also won the trophy three times overall, but two of those occasions occurred after Mr. Baird managed to achieve immortality and add his name to the trophy; thereby resetting the clock for all other previous winners who had to begin again in their quest to win it three times to get their name added to the ’shield name’.

The closest finish was in 1962, when Leo Lynch got to finish less than one yard/metre ahead of the fast finishing scratch man Mick Neville. Earlier that year in January & February Neville became the only athlete ever to win all four individual Irish Cross Country Championships: AAU and IAAB Senior and Junior/Intermediate.

Past Winners
  • 1896/97 J.J. Dunne
  • 1897/98 G. Hubard
  • 1898/99 M.E. Heyden
  • 1901/02 F. Moore
  • 1902/03 J.C. Greenan
  • 1903/04 T.P. Bolton
  • 1904/05 P. Mernagh
  • 1905/06 W.F. McLoughlin
  • 1906/07 M. Pender
  • 1907/08 M. Pender
  • 1908/09 H.B. Gunn
  • 1909/10 W. Waterfield
  • 1910/11 M. Cooke
  • 1911/12 G. Gilbert
  • 1912/13 W.E. Murray
  • 1913/14 J.S. Palmer
  • 1914/15 J. Byrne
  • 1915/16 Paddy Byrne
  • 1916/17 No Race (due to World War I)
  • 1917/18 Paddy Byrne
  • 1918/19 Paddy Byrne (3rd Win)
  • 1919/20 Paddy Byrne
  • 1920/21 Davie Baird
  • 1921/22 Davie Baird
  • 1922/23 H. Rusk
  • 1923/24 P. Harris
  • 1924/25 K.E. Coard
  • 1925/26 K.E. Coard
  • 1926/27 J.R. Harding
  • 1927/28 W. Goff
  • 1928/29 P. O'Farrell
  • 1929/30 B. Kelly
  • 1930/31 M.J. Solan
  • 1931/32 G. Kelly
  • 1932/33 N.M. Kelly
  • 1933/34 F. Kavanagh
  • 1934/35 P.J. Cooper
  • 1935/36 J. Callan
  • 1936/37 L. Uhlemann
  • 1937/38 Davie Baird (3rd Win)
  • 1938/39 L. Uhlemann
  • 1939/40 W. Sherringham
  • 1940/41 L. Cooling
  • 1941/42 L. Uhlemann
  • 1942/43 F. Daly
  • 1943/44 W. Bryan
  • 1944/45 M.D. Porter
  • 1945/46 L. Cooling
  • 1946/47 M.J. Harte
  • 1947/48 J. Crossan
  • 1948/49 T.P. Duke
  • 1949/50 S. Kennelly
  • 1950/51 J. Owens
  • 1951/52 P. Cooke
  • 1952/53 T. Dunne
  • 1953/54 D. Dicker
  • 1954/55 J. O'Reilly
  • 1955/56 C. McAlinden
  • 1956/57 P. Roche
  • 1957/58 T. Dunne
  • 1958/59 Willie Smith (youngest winner – 15 years)
  • 1959/60 T. Tully
  • 1960/61 Dermot Lynskey
  • 1961/62 Bertie Messitt
  • 1962/63 L. Lynch
  • 1963/64 G. Dicker
  • 1964/65 Tommy Redican[2]
  • 1965/66 M. Cox
  • 1966/67 P. McMahon
  • 1967/68 John Sheridan
  • 1968/69 Eddie Spillane
  • 1969/70 A. Duandas
  • 1970/71 E. Cooper
  • 1971/72 Willie Smith
  • 1972/73 K. Dunne
  • 1973/74 Eddie Spillane
  • 1974/75 Tony Brien
  • 1975/76 P. Nevin
  • 1976/77 Frank Cahill
  • 1977/78 Frank Cahill
  • 1978/79 T. Hopkins
  • 1979/80 Eamonn Coghlan (the only sub 50-minute time)
  • 1980/81 B. Good
  • 1981/82 Joe Rankin
  • 1982/83 C. Lyons
  • 1983/84 L. Carey
  • 1984/85 John Sheridan
  • 1985/86 Valerie McGovern (first Lady Winner)
  • 1986/87 Jim McNamara
  • 1987/88 C. Lyons
  • 1988/89 Valerie McGovern
  • 1989/90 A. Lynch
  • 1990/91 Joe Rankin
  • 1991/92 P. O'Reilly
  • 1992/93 Helen Saunders
  • 1993/94 D. Murphy
  • 1994/95 E. Hayward
  • 1995/96 D. O'Sullivan
  • 1996/97 M. Doyle
  • 1997/98 M. Doyle
  • 1998/99 D. Fenton
  • 1999/2000 F. Coffey
  • 2000/01: B. Cornelia
  • 2001/02: Adrienne Jordan
  • 2002/03: Richard Fitzgerald
  • 2003/04: Paul Graham
  • 2004/05: Iain Morrison / 2nd – Andrew Rogers / 3rd – Paul Graham
  • 2005/06: Mark Dooley / 2nd – Ciarán O'Flaherty / 3rd – Barry Potts
  • 2006/07: Susan Walsh / 2nd – Anne Curley / 3rd – Keith Daly
  • 2007/08: John Breen / 2nd – Colin Moore / 3rd – Ken Nugent
  • 2008/09: Simon Meyler / 2nd – Eileen Walsh / 3rd – Fred Kiernan
  • 2009/10: Fred Kiernan / 2nd – Andy Hanrahan / 3rd – Cindy Hickey
  • 2010/11: Colin Moore / 2nd – Tom Hickey / 3rd – Fergal Swaine
  • 2011/12: Arthur Connick / 2nd – Jonathan Daly / 3rd – Ken Nugent
  • 2012/13: Michelle Dawson / 2nd – Angela Eustace / 3rd – Terry Mee
  • 2013/14: Paul Cummins / 2nd – Barry Potts / 3rd – Angela Eustace
  • 2014/15: Ian Redican / 2nd – John Dunne / 3rd – Jim McNamara[3]
  • 2015/16: Alan Farrell / 2nd – Tom Fagan / 3rd – George Brady
  • 2016/17: Tony Griffin / 2nd - Ian Redican / 3rd - Niall Lynch
  • 2017/18: Niamh O'Neill / 2nd - Barry Potts / 3rd - Desmond Gill[4]
  • 2018/19: Anne Curley / 2nd - David Campbell / 3rd - Gavin Keogh
  • 2019/20: Luke Boland / 2nd - Julia Hackett / 3rd - Gavin Keogh

Other Donore Harrier Trophies

The Faugh-a-Ballagh Challenge Cup

The Faugh-a-Ballagh Cup is contested by club runners from the men's section of Donore Harriers annually over 6 Miles traditionally in the Phoenix Park, Dublin. It is the Donore Harriers Club Cross Country Championships Cup. Since 2017, Donore women compete on the same day for the Jim McNamara Cup.

Faugh-a-Ballagh Cup

The course traditionally takes in the horse gallop trail, which runs adjacent to Chesterfield Avenue in the Phoenix Park. It turns close to the stone wall, which is in the clearing at the end of the gallop & with the Pope's Cross in view. It turns back entering the inside part of the tress at the top of the Kyber before emerging through the open ground with its numerous dips, heading in the direction of the Civil Service Pavilion; where loops around again to the Horse Gallop.


The Faugh-a-Ballagh Cup which was first awarded in 1907 to the senior men's winner, is one of the oldest trophies in Donore Harriers; and club trophies in Ireland. It was presented by the 87th Royal Irish Fusiliers in 1907 as a perpetual trophy for the men's club cross country championship over 6 miles.


The first running of the cup took place in Meadowbrook, Dundrum. A report from the time stated that there was "a big gathering of spectators, including many old associates of the club foregathered to witness what turned out to be a very interesting event..." It goes on to give at length to give details of the race, including that, '"V.P. McDonagh, Hon. Secretary sent the 13 competitors on their journey to a capital start"


Previous winners of the cup include well known Irish International and Donore Harriers Athletes: Bertie Messitt, Tom O’Riordan and Jim McNamara.

L.Kelly was the first winner of the cup. Since then there have been three '4 time' winners of the cup:

  • Paddy Byrne 'the Byrne from the Waterhouse Byrne Baird Shield' - 1916/1917/1919/1920
  • Kevin Maguire - 1948/1949/1950/1951
  • Eddie Spillane - 1970/1971/1973/1974

However, the most prolific winner was Bertie Messitt with six wins in 1953, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961 and 1964.

Other notable winners of the cup were :

  • Tom O'Riordan (3) - 1967/1968/1969 (Olympian - 1964, Tokyo / 9 times Irish Cross Country International)
  • Jim McNamara (2) - 1965/1966 (Olympian - 1976, Montreal)
  • Tony Brien (3) - 1975/1978/1979 (4 time Irish Cross Country International)

Other Donore Harriers Internationals to win the Cup were:

  • Tommy Dunne (2)
  • Mick Neville (2)
  • Jack Dougan (2)
  • Tony Murphy
  • John Phelan


Faugh-a-Ballagh Cup Previous Winners
  • 1907 - L. Byrne
  • 1908 -
  • 1909 -
  • 1910 -
  • 1911 -
  • 1912 -
  • 1913 -
  • 1914 -
  • 1915 -
  • 1916 - Paddy Byrne
  • 1917 - Paddy Byrne
  • 1919 - Paddy Byrne
  • 1920 - Paddy Byrne
  • 1921 -
  • 1922 -
  • 1923 -
  • 1924 -
  • 1925 - Douglas Coard
  • 1926 - Ken Coard
  • 1927 -
  • 1928 - Douglas Coard
  • 1929 -
  • 1930 -
  • 1931 -
  • 1932 -
  • 1933 -
  • 1934 -
  • 1935 -
  • 1936 - T. Hopkins
  • 1937 -
  • 1938 - J. Callan
  • 1939 - T. Hopkins
  • 1940 - W. Sherringham
  • 1941 - S. Banks
  • 1942 - S. Banks
  • 1943 - B. Foreman
  • 1944 - B. Foreman
  • 1945 -
  • 1946 -
  • 1947 - Pat Haughey
  • 1948 - Kevin Maguire
  • 1949 - Kevin Maguire
  • 1950 - Kevin Maguire
  • 1951 - Kevin Maguire
  • 1952 - S. Kennelly
  • 1953 - Bertie Messit
  • 1954 - J.V. Dougan
  • 1955 - J.V. Dougan
  • 1956 -
  • 1957 -
  • 1958 - Bertie Messit
  • 1959 - Bertie Messit
  • 1959 - Bertie Messit
  • 1960 - Bertie Messit
  • 1961 - Bertie Messit
  • 1962 - Mick Neville
  • 1963 - Mick Neville (29:27) / 2nd: M. Connolly (29:55) / 3rd: B. Dunne (30:30)[5]
  • 1964 - Bertie Messit
  • 1965 - Jim McNamara
  • 1966 - Jim McNamara (33:30) / 2nd: T. Hopkins (35:10) / 3rd: W. Dunne (35:33)
  • 1967 - Tom O'Riordan
  • 1968 - Tom O'Riordan
  • 1969 - Tom O'Riordan (31:03) / 2nd: J. Sheridan (31:33) / 3rd: T. Redican (32:44)[6]
  • 1970 - Eddie Spillane (31:07) / 2nd: J. McNamara (31:10) / 3rd: T. Redican (31:31)[7]
  • 1971 - Eddie Spillane (31:07) / 2nd: T. Redican (31:08) / 3rd: J. McNamara (31:32)[8], [9]
  • 1972 -
  • 1973 - Eddie Spillane
  • 1974 - Eddie Spillane
  • 1975 - Tony Brien
  • 1976 -
  • 1977 -
  • 1978 - Tony Brien
  • 1979 - Tony Brien
  • 1980 -
  • 1981 -
  • 1982 -
  • 1983 -
  • 1984 -
  • 1985 -
  • 1986 -
  • 1987 -
  • 1988 - C. Lyons
  • 1989 -
  • 1990 -
  • 1991 -
  • 1992 -
  • 1993 -
  • 1994 -
  • 1995 -
  • 1996 - C. Lyons
  • 1997 - C. Lyons
  • 1998 -
  • 1999 -
  • 2000 -
  • 2001 -
  • 2002 -
  • 2003 -
  • 2004 -
  • 2005 -
  • 2006 -
  • 2007 - George Brady
  • 2008 -
  • 2009 -
  • 2010 -
  • 2011 -
  • 2012 -
  • 2013 -
  • 2014 -
  • 2015 -
  • 2016 -
  • 2017 - Fergal Swaine
  • 2018 - Alan Farrell
  • 2019 - Des Tremble
  • 2020 - Josh O’Sullivan-Hourihan


Jim McNamara Cup Previous Winners
  • 2017 - Barbera Cleary
  • 2018 - Maura Kearns
  • 2019 - Barbera Cleary
  • 2020 - Grace Kennedy-Clarke


Faugh-a-Ballagh and the Donore Connection with the Royal Dublin Fusiliers

The club along with many members of Donore Harriers has a strong connection with the Royal Dublin Fusiliers. Davie Baird joined the 10th Battalion of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers and was badly wounded at the Battle of Ancre in 1916. He made a full recovery and went on to win, most famously the Waterhouse Byrne Shield over three occasions to add his name to that trophy.


There is also an amazing connection and coincidence between 6-time winner of the cup Bertie Messitt and the Fusiliers and the Faugh-a-Ballagh Cup. Years before he joined Donore Harriers, due to lack of work he joined the British Army in 1946, aged 18. His regiment, the Royal Irish Fusiliers were known worldwide as the 'Faughs'. Bertie wrote poetry, and he wrote this short poem about his time in the Regiment:

FAUGH-A-BALLAGH

I wore a hackle in my hat,

and marched behind a band.

Carried a Lee Enfield rifle,

and served in foreign lands.

They were the best days of my life,

I cherish those golden years.

When I was a proud member of

the Irish Fusiliers.

Strahan-Cahill Cup

The Strahan Cahill Cup is a Donore Harriers Club Cross-Country Handicap race run over 6 Miles traditionally in the Phoenix Park alongside the Faugh-a-Ballagh Cup.[10]

References
  1. Locteau, Sebastien (26 January 2009). "History of Donore Harriers". runireland.com. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
  2. 27 December 1964, The Irish Times, Athletics Article titled: 'Redican Best in Donore Race'
  3. January 2015, Irish Runner Magazine, Article titled: 'Great Day for Redicans'
  4. 4 January 2018, The Echo, Athletics Article titled: 'O’Neill records historic win in Donore’s long-running Shield race'
  5. 17 February 1963, Sunday Independent, Athletics Article titled: 'Neville keeps his title'
  6. 10 March 1969, Irish Independent, Athletics Article titled: 'O'Riordan - easily, http://www.independent.ie
  7. 8 March 1970, Sunday Independent, Athletics Article titled: 'Donore Race for Spillane'
  8. 29 March 1971, Irish Independent, Athletics Article titled: 'Eddie Spillane retains title'
  9. 29 March 1971, The Irish Times, Cross Country Athletics Article titled: 'Eddie Spillane is Champion', http://www.irishtimes.com
  10. 20 February 1966, Sunday Independent, Athletics Article titled: 'McNamara Field Day'

External sources
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