An Old Medal from Ballydaly

2015-08-02 Russell Murphy - Medal 56 009We have in our posesion a football medal of our Grandfather Patrick Murphy , son of John & Hanoria Murphy, from Ballydaly, Patrck was born 6/6/1877 Baptised at Millstreet Catholic Church. The medal is dated 1901/2, is Silver & has MC + P Murphy on the front. Could anyone advise what it means, or where to search for the history of the medal.
Regards, Russell Murphy (Australia)

Considering that it’s in old Gaelic, can someone help with the deciphering and translating (click on the photos to see larger versions). This is what i’ve taken from it:

Cath Cleasuidheacht
Cuideachta
Cond agus liathroide
Sraid a Muilin  [Millstreet]
1901-2

Russell had an interesting story on how it was found: “The medal was dug up on our farm in NZ [while digging a post hole  approx 1958]  &  our late father had no recollection of it, but did say , it was of his father.”


For those that don’t know, this is the letters in old Irish.

=======

Translations from Dineen’s old Irish Dictionary:

cath, -a, pl. id., and -anna, m., a battle; strife, trouble; an Irish battalion of 3,000 men; a tribe.

cleasuidhe, g. id., pl. -dhthe, m., an artful man, an actor, a juggler, a quack, a mountebank; a tugger (Om.).
cleasuighim, -ughadh, v. tr. and intr., I sport, play, gambol, perform feats.

cuideacht, -a, f., company; a party, a company; 1 gc. le, together with, along with; 1 gc. achéile, together.
cuideachta, g. -tan, d. -tain, also g. id., pl. id., f., company, a social gathering; the word is sometimes applied to a single individual; cuideachta mhaith is eadh Tomas, Thomás is very agreeable in company; i dcead bhur gc., begging your honours’ pardon (i M. sometimes cuileachta).
cuideachtain, -ana, f., act of helping, taking part with; company, society.

cond (not listed)

liathróid, -e, pl. -idhe, and -eacha, f., a ball, a football; a knob, a roller.
liathróideacht, -a. f., ball playing, footballing.

25 thoughts on “An Old Medal from Ballydaly”

  1. The first word might signify a battle of some sort ‘cath’ the first word means battle. it could also be a place name ‘cath clearacht’????.
    the second line says cuideachta which means a group/society/association.
    my guess is ‘cond’ liathroide which means ball but not sure about the ‘cond’ part.
    Ball association/society of millstreet maybe????

    Pádraig O’Driscoll

  2. line 1:
    Caṫ Cleasuiḋeaċ (Cath Cleasuidheach)

    cath means fight or battle
    cleasaí means playful person http://www.teanglann.ie/en/fgb/cleasa%C3%AD

    so
    Cath Cleasuidheach = mock battle, play-fight????

    line 2:
    Cuideaċta, or Cuideachta, = company http://www.teanglann.ie/en/fgb/cuideachta

    line 3:
    Cord ???
    -hatroide ??

    The letters “troid” are in there; “troid” means fight; I can’t offer any explanation of this line, the letters are hard to read

  3. the dash in the third line when looked at properly has a slight leg on it, which would make it the “agus” character.
    the third line would then be “Cond agus liathroide”. not sure what “Cond” means

      1. it’s quite possible that the “cond” in the third line would be short for ‘condae’ which is an inflected form of ‘contae’ which means county
        … if so the third line would read “County Football”.

        … so checking the records, Millstreet lost the county junior football final to Nils in 1902 [1]. “Millstreet Green and Gold” – history book for Millstreet GAA by Jim Cronin (1984), may have the team listed, but my version disappeared years ago so i’ll have to check from someone else.

        [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cork_Junior_Football_Championship

        1. Hi Michael,that looks promising.
          Grandfather Patrick Murphy was born in Ballydaly 7th June 1877,
          So in 1901 – 1902, he would have been 23 / 24 yrs old.
          Would that age match for Junior football ?
          Regards
          Russell Murphy

          1. Hello Michael, Ok & thanks
            Would be interesting if you could follow up on the book you mentioned,
            Appreciate your help
            Russell Murphy

          2. I think, thanks to Fr Sean Tucker, that the origin of the medal has been found.
            In Millstreet that year a series of events to encourage a social gathering, as was the way in previous years, was held. One of those events included a Gaelic football tournament. Eight or nine teams participated in that tournament and Millstreet were the outright winners. The Millstreet team included a P Murphy who most likely was the Patrick Murphy who went to New Zealand). So it is likely the winning Millstreet team were awarded those medals.
            Cath Cleasuideacht was an athletic contest of a type. Cuideachta can mean a social gathering. So to tie the words up it was a gathering of people for an athletic contest which included a trophy for football.
            Also Cumann Lúthchleas Gael = GAA (Literally: Association Athletic Gaelic)

          3. The post by Mary Hackett re Fr Sean Tucker’s comments looks most interesting
            We appreciate this input & information
            So M C on medal may be Millstreet + Cork perhaps ??
            The Murphy family appreciate all of you kind peoples contributions so far ,on this search
            Russell Murphy

    1. Thanks Jack Lane , but it seems odd to have a silver medal for a one off game + the date is 1901 – 1902 ??
      Regards
      Russell Murphy

    1. Thanks Mary M , although we were told by an old Irish Priest [ in New Zealand ], many years ago that he thought it was most likely a Football Medal , but he could not read the back in full
      Regards
      Russell Murphy

    1. Thank you Mary ,that is fantastic news.
      There was also another brother Joannes / John b 1883
      + 3 sisters
      Catherine 1878 (Possibly married name Buckley )
      Hanora / Nora b 1880 [ in NZ till about 1954, returned to Ireland //never married ]
      Johanna b 1885

      Regards
      Russell Murphy

      1. Thanks Mary,Edward Murphy,is indeed our Grandfather Patrick Murphy’s brother
        Catherine 1876 is found [known as Kathleen in NZ] married Denis Hickey = buried Opotiki NZ [ Catherine/Kathleen d 18/02/1941]
        Honora / Nora b 1880 is also found = buried same cemetery in Opotiki, as Catherine / Kathleen Hickey, [ Honora /Nora d 13/09/1961 @ 81]

        Patrick ( d 1955)+ Maurice (d 1967) are both buried Napier New Zealand
        Parents of Grandfather Patrick & 10 others, were John (Joannis) Murphy & Nora (Hanoria) Condon Married Millstreet 16th May 1875 Resided in Ballydaly / Buried in Drishane Cemetery.
        Regards
        Russell

    2. Also Mary , there was Patrick & Maurice .
      Both buried in Napier New Zealand ,We have all details re these 2
      Regards
      Russell

    3. Greetings Mary Hackett,
      As I have expressed , we thank you for your input & information.
      Michael from the Millstreet site has a copy of my family history
      as we know it to date .
      I have emailed him , my permission to share it to anyone that may have an interest.
      Once again , Thank you
      Russell Murphy

    4. The Murphy family in New Zealand & Australia, thank Michael ,Mary Hackett & also Sharon Lane from the Millstreet Roman Catholic Church.
      Your help has solved an old family puzzle re two of our Grandfather’s sisters final resting places in New Zealand.
      Both locations are now found & confirmed, due in no small part, to all your kind help.
      Kind Regards
      Russell Murphy & family.

  4. Our thanks to this site for the most valuable information provided so far
    As well as information regarding the medal search , much family information has come to light , from Mary Hackett & Sharon Lane , & Michael
    We thank you all ,for your kind help we have been blessed with
    Best wishes to all
    Russell

  5. The Murphy family from New Zealand, are pleased to advise ,that the Medal of our Grandfather ,Patrick Murphy , mentioned here in these posts, is now on its way to the Millstreet Museum
    It has been forwarded to Mary Flahery & Eddie & Brendan Murphy
    with a request that it is gifted on permanent loan, to the Millsree Museum
    We thank Sean Radley, Mary Hackett & Micheal Cashman
    We fell it is time, that Grandads Medal went home
    Best wishes to all
    Russell

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