Page 221 - Gonzaga at 60
P. 221
Facing page,
top: Cricket
c1958
L to R: Peter
McCutheon,
Donnacha
O’Buachalla,
Kevin Liston,
John O’Leary,
Paul Durkan,
Tom Lenehan,
Simon
O’Leary, Barry
Bresnihan,
John O’Neill,
David Murphy,
Brian Kirby
Right:
Gerry Duffy
Gerry Duffy
It was early in 1990 when I approached Gerry Dufy to enquire if, following his reirement from
the insurance business, he would be interested in coaching cricket in Gonzaga College. I had
reired from my posiion in the college in 1988 and cricket in the college had a diicult season
in 1989 – we needed someone to build on the progress made during the 1980s. In approaching
Gerry, I was not acing on a hunch or taking much of a risk – merely asking one of the legends
of Leinster and Irish cricket if he would like a new avenue for his unwavering devoion and
commitment to cricket! Of course, Gerry said yes and twenty-one seasons later his inluence on
the development of cricket in the college is there for all to see. Even now, in his eighieth year,
his enthusiasm for and love of cricket is undiminished!
Gerry Dufy played 477 matches between 1948 and 1990 for the First XI of his beloved
Leinster Cricket Club in Rathmines, scoring over 10,000 runs, taking almost 1,000 wickets and
taking over 200 catches in his club career. He was capped 55 imes for Ireland, inclusive of that
most famous of games in July 1969 in Sion Mills when Ireland bowled the great West Indies team
of that era out for 25 – with two gully catches to one G.A. Dufy! His greatest performance for
Ireland was at Ormeau in 1961 when he took 6 wickets for 29 runs against the touring Australians,
including the wicket of the great Richie Benaud.
I irst got to know Gerry during the 1970s when, as a young bowler on the Merrion team,
I played regularly against this man now in his mid 40s and yet sill a formidable opponent!
top: Cricket
c1958
L to R: Peter
McCutheon,
Donnacha
O’Buachalla,
Kevin Liston,
John O’Leary,
Paul Durkan,
Tom Lenehan,
Simon
O’Leary, Barry
Bresnihan,
John O’Neill,
David Murphy,
Brian Kirby
Right:
Gerry Duffy
Gerry Duffy
It was early in 1990 when I approached Gerry Dufy to enquire if, following his reirement from
the insurance business, he would be interested in coaching cricket in Gonzaga College. I had
reired from my posiion in the college in 1988 and cricket in the college had a diicult season
in 1989 – we needed someone to build on the progress made during the 1980s. In approaching
Gerry, I was not acing on a hunch or taking much of a risk – merely asking one of the legends
of Leinster and Irish cricket if he would like a new avenue for his unwavering devoion and
commitment to cricket! Of course, Gerry said yes and twenty-one seasons later his inluence on
the development of cricket in the college is there for all to see. Even now, in his eighieth year,
his enthusiasm for and love of cricket is undiminished!
Gerry Dufy played 477 matches between 1948 and 1990 for the First XI of his beloved
Leinster Cricket Club in Rathmines, scoring over 10,000 runs, taking almost 1,000 wickets and
taking over 200 catches in his club career. He was capped 55 imes for Ireland, inclusive of that
most famous of games in July 1969 in Sion Mills when Ireland bowled the great West Indies team
of that era out for 25 – with two gully catches to one G.A. Dufy! His greatest performance for
Ireland was at Ormeau in 1961 when he took 6 wickets for 29 runs against the touring Australians,
including the wicket of the great Richie Benaud.
I irst got to know Gerry during the 1970s when, as a young bowler on the Merrion team,
I played regularly against this man now in his mid 40s and yet sill a formidable opponent!
