Looking back on 2006. “Those great shots I made, nobody saw!”
March 2006 Irish Spring Festival
Beginning 2006 with the Irish Spring Festival in Ireland, WV, where this Civil War era sport was revived in 1995, on Saturday for the first time our road bowling registration was completely overrun. We stopped counting at 188 bowlers and easily well over 200 bowlers were in the road. Skills continue to improve, about 80% of the opening shots from the Start Line flew far up the road, a higher percentage than ever in years past.
Also on Saturday, the “old original” Ireland, W.V. Road Bowlers, Travis Craig, Brian Craig, Jerod Putnam & Shawn Stewart, again set yet another new course record, an “easy 30” shots over the 2.2 mile course, as Brian Craig “laid down a miler” as they say in Ireland the country, on the homestretch.
On Sunday, 2005 North American Champion Con O Callaghan and Shawn Stewart defeated Jerod Putnam and Travis Craig in a “two-handed score” both teams rolling well below the previous day’s course record. Con and Shawn won on the last shot when Jerod powered kerplunk into the middle of the stream, while Con safely caught the curb on the bridge just before the finish line.
May 2006 Strawberry Festival
The WV IRB Association sponsored a team tournament Saturday, and the Singles Qualifying Tournament on Sunday at the Strawberry Festival. Our Secretary Amy Hall once again did a beautiful job of making everyone welcome on the Turkey Run course north of Buckhannon. On Sunday the singles qualifier attracted 25 of the best Irish bowlers in West Virginia, with the top eight qualifying for the first ever Singles Championship Tournament July 22, 23 in Ireland, WV. The top eight scores over the 1.1 mile Turkey Run Road were 14 shots Travis Craig, 16 shots, (in order of distance across finish line) Justin Shaffer, Josh Burnside, Ken McClintic, 17 shots, Adam Burnside, Carl George, Jerod Putnam, Jeff Hamman. Sonny Arbogast was first alternate with 18 shots.
July 2006 Singles Championship, Wildcat Road, Ireland, WV
In West Virginia’s first ever Open Singles Championship July 22, 23, veteran bowlers Jerod Putnam and Travis Craig advanced to the Sunday finals with some fine power bowling as well as help from a higher power in the form of a Sunday summer storm rainout. Jeff Hamman pushed Travis Craig hard on Saturday before finally Travis won by a bowl of odds. In Saturday’s most exciting match, Holly River’s Sonny Abogast, first alternate replacing Ken McClintic, bowled strong and far ahead nearly all the way until five straight incredible closing shots by Adam Burnside gave Adam the win, nipping Sonny by only 30 feet on the last shot over the finish line, after a mile and a half of long bullets bowling.
On Sunday, it was Jerod’s day as he bowled long and consistent, getting a lead on Travis, then holding off Travis’s comeback with the help of an old fencepost deep in a curve that Travis almost knocked over when trying to cut that curve a little too closely to make up yardage. Congratulations to 2006 Singles Champion Jerod, it was a good close match, and overall the best two days of high quality bowling West Virginia has seen, (at least since the Civil War). In this tournament the top two finalists advance to the North American Region Championship.
In Ladies Finals WVIRB President Shannon Gear continued her powerful and straight shooting, gradually taking a long lead, and became the first ever WV Ladies Champion. Judy Mize made a great pressure shot across the finish line to overtake Pam Cronin for second place.
Thanks to the Ireland CEOS, Sharrey Craig, Sandy King, and many others, we had a delicious summer picnic lunch much needed after several hours of loud hollering and hard throwing. As always, again in 2006 Con O Callaghan from Boston, an All Ireland Champion and road shower was a big part of our success, thanks be Con did not fall into the river chasing his duck during Saturday’s historic duck race.
August 12, 13 2006 North American Region Championships
The North American Region Championships, Bol~Chumann na hEireann, hosted by the West Virginia Association on the Turkey Run Road in Buckhannon, were completed with an award ceremony Sunday August 13, 2006. These were the national championships, and the winners in the Novice 1 and Novice 2 grades went on to compete in the All Irelands, the World Series of Irish bowling, in Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland.
Bob Gross aka General Robert E. Lee and Sam Krafft blasted a Civil War cannon that rocked the valley on Turkey Run morning and noon both days. More of this Civil War heritage in 2007!
On Saturday Jerod Putnam, W.V. faced Colm Murphy of New York in the Novice 2 semi final. Both throwers began long and straight with a close match over the first half mile, but the heat seemed to affect all the matches over the weekend, and Colm was more steady while Jerod began to stray into the deep weeds. In spite of a billiard style “kiss,” when Jerod’s flying bowl kissed off his opponent’s bowl lying just off the road and shot back into the road for an extra 40 yards, Colm’s steady bowling won the score.
In the afternoon Novice 2 semi final Travis Craig, WV, got a bad shot off the start line and faced an uphill battle to catch Mike O Donavan of Boston, who bowled long and straight on the un-shaded road in summer heat. Travis came roaring back with a 250 yard monster bowl which took an entire small valley, closing to less than a bowl of odds, but could not follow up on this long shot and Mike held him off with good consistent pressure shots to the finish for the win.
In the Novice 2 Final Sunday New York’s Colm Murphy again bowled steady and accurately while the heat seemed to finally catch up with Mike O’Donavan of Boston and Colm won the first Irish Road Bowling North American Region Championship ever held in West Virginia. In the Novice 1 title match, the speed and experience of Mike Fleming of Boston prevailed over the not as accurate power of New York’s Paul Laverty who bowled with the straight-back Armagh style rather than the one-whirl Cork style of the Boston bowlers.
Four beautiful crystal trophies, with maps of West Virginia and the Country of Ireland etched on them, were by Buckhannon resident Catherine Miller, cmdesigns@excite.com and were very well received by the winners and runners up, Novice 1 and Novice 2 grades.
John Nelson won the “deepest in the green-brars and pisa nivy” award, for plunging over and under the barbed wire fence, mucking out lost bowls with our much battered metal detector. Secretly John had a little known breed of West Virginia “bowl retriever cat” that hid deep in the weeds and was there on “cat-point” after every shot.
John Twomey of Boston and Samantha of Glade Springs United were co winners for Golden Voice in singing competition in a pub afterward.
Hunters to the Rescue, thank you Jessica Hunter, designer/editor for a tournament program which will set a very high and hard to match standard in years to come, Chris Hunter for logo and design under tight deadlines, Justin Hunter for always encouraging, Burt Hunter for the WV Irish road bowling shuttle. Thanks to Amy Hall for her organizing skills, Judy Mize for her hard work, long drives from DC and long throws in WV, Shannon, Jerod and Travis for hard work while also competing.
Thanks to C.J. Martin and Jim Lambert for setting us up so well on Turkey Run. Thanks Dena’ Jane Crider and the Bicentennial Inn in Buckhannon for wonderful food and hospitality. www.bicentennialinn.com .
New York Road Bowling see www.newyorkroadbowling.com
New York Road Bowling meets on Sundays on Palisades Avenue, 232 Street, off the Henry Hudson parkway.
O’Neill Claims Final Spot. Darren O’Neill claimed a final spot on Sunday last in the New York Road Bowling Championships Division 2.
Darren defeated Mick Moloney by a last shot verdict having had a two hundred yard lead after three. Moloney put up a fight however and took over the lead with two impressive bowls of his own. The pair were level at the bottom of the hill but O’Neill went on to win and claim a final spot against O’Connor and O’Donavon.
Next up we saw two newcomers play in a double score - Steven O’Shea and Timmy (Glen) O’Sullivan versus Liam Hanley and Adrian O’Donavon. There was little between this lot as they approached the final straight but Hanley’s miler won the day by a bowl.
Adrain Lappin and Gerry Foley then teamed up to beat Darren O’Neill and Noel Cronin in a last shot decision. This was an excellent score with O’Neill continuing his earlier form - Lappin’s last shot gave them a fifty yard victory.
Finally in another double Steven O’Shea and Moloney defeated Mossie Dore and Liam Hanley by two bowls. A good show from O’Shea gave his partnership a bowl lead as they came down the long stretch and Moloney added to this and make it two, an advantage they held to the line. Courtesy Mark Stokes, Sports Editor, Irish Emigrant/New York.
On Sunday last four doubles scores were played. The opening score saw Kevin O Connor and Louis Holland defeat Mick Moloney and Mossie Dore on the last shot, thrown by Kevin O Connor. In the second score, Darren O Neil and Brendan O Keefe defeated Tim O Sullivan and Kevin O Keefe by a bowl of odds. The third score Holland and O Connor again defeated Moloney and Dore, again on the last shot. And finally the fourth score had Noel Cronin and Timmy O Sullivan defeating Darrell O Neil and Brendan O”Keefe. O Neil and O Keefe had a bowl of odds lead early but Cronin “laid down two milers” to come from behind for the win. For more info about New York road bowling, call club president Mick Moloney 914 473 4572.
In the Country of Ireland – We hope improve coverage of matches from Ireland in 2007. We have very knowledgeable road bowling experts in Ireland sending notices about matches, and we pledge to get this information out more regularly in 2007. For example, Pat McCarthy, Carbery Region Bol Chumann, West Cork, pmc_03@hotmail.com, reports in the Southern Star, County Cork. Fergal Carr, travels between Ireland and New York, see www.fergalcarr.com. Fergal’s brother Eddie Carr has been the Senior All Ireland Champion - the highest grade in the sport, and we would love to get a Senior Grade bowler throwing down West Virginia roads. Simon Atkins of Kilbrin, Kanturk, Ireland has started www.bowlsocial.com, contact him at simatkins@eirecom.net. Jim O Driscoll and Susan Greene, Secretary and Chairperson of Bol Chumann ,respectively, have encouraged and inspired our efforts for several years to get this ancient sport rolling in West Virginia, and we thank them again.
Paddy Garvey, tulleysaranbullets@gmail.com Vice Chairman of Tulley Saran Club, Armagh, is attempting to teach me all about the competitions in Ireland during their year, and I very much appreciate Paddy’s reports. ***Please see his blog : http://tullysaranbullets.blogspot.com/. Soon this month for example Wolly Toms Cup will be thrown (not the cup, they throw bowls for the cup). It is a format of 9 scores (matches) thrown over three days, usually Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The winner is the club who wins the most scores, essentially it’s a race to 5 wins. Last year Paddy’s club Tullysaran won 8 – 1, the year before lost 5-4. Wolly Toms Cup is followed by the Cullen Cup, and Mary Ann’s Cup. Later comes the Top Twelve in March, in April starts the Championship season, competitions from Men’s Senior through Junior B. Also youth championships, Under 12 through Under 18, boys and girls. The Keady/Tassagh club at Easter pits Cork against Armagh in their centuries old rivalry, called “An Bol Fada.” These are just a few and we hope to hear more from Paddy Garvey in 2007.
Our most pressing question, when will Emma Fitzpatrick, All Ireland Champion, Female Bowler of the Year, come to the West Virginia mountains to face our mighty mountain gals??
States. Irish Road Bowling is spreading to other states.
Florida – We know that John Shoe Schumann of Melbourne threw the first ever shot in Florida, hurling himself over the line screaming the Irish Battle Cry, Faugh a Ballach! We think he landed on his feet.
Massachusetts - Many starter packs have been sent to Massachusetts, Mike Weber on Cape Cod, also to Braintree, Cambridge, so maybe the Boston Club will be hearing from some new members soon.
Indiana – Lots of interest, Thom Pommerehn, Ohio Valley Celtic Society, has gotten it rolling in southern Indiana.
Tennessee – Paula Lilly, who learned the game at Holly River, organized 19 teams in the road in Cookeville, Tennessee.
Michigan – see Fenians Irish Pub, 19683 Main Street, Conklin, MI 49403. 616 899 2640, Mary Ann Regean, for road bowling tournaments, Gaelic League of West Michigan.
Wisconsin – Lots of interest and road bowling in Wisconsin. Rusty’s Backwater Saloon, Stevens Point, WI 715 341 2490. rustys@rusty.net
Washington – Randy Hudson of the Heggenes Valley, Washington sent us great pictures of new bowlers getting rained on. Very Irish it was.
North Carolina – the Scots Irish heritage here is getting lots of interest. Johnny Bitter www.johnnyburrito.com has hosted events around Charlotte.
These are a few, we have sent bowls to many states.
West Virginia – We are rolling in Wild and Wonderful West Virginia. Every small town in WV needs to find your perfect, scenic bowling road, about 1.5 miles long, and get ready to defend it against all comers!
See you in the road or in the ditch, O’David O’Powell 202 387 1680 or wdp320@aol.com
