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The Irish Sun
a day ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Cian O'Connor channels family legacy for fairytale win at Connacht Men's Stroke Play
ROSCOMMON golfer Cian O'Connor sealed a fairytale win at Galway Golf Club on Saturday afternoon. The golfer held his nerve late on to claim the Connacht Men's Open Stroke Play Championship by a single shot at Galway Golf Club. Advertisement 2 Cian O'Connor claimed the Connacht Men's Open Stroke Play Championship on Saturday Credit: INSTAGRAM @irish_amateur_golf_info 2 Cian O'Connor's golfing roots run deep - his great uncle is the late legend Christy O'Connor Junior The 22-year-old, whose golfing roots run deep at the Salthill course thanks to his family legends Christy O'Connor Snr and Jnr. He fired a stunning final round 65 to finish on -3 - one ahead of Castleknock's David Reddan. Home support roared him over the line, with his dad, sister and grandparents all there to witness his first senior victory. Speaking after the historic win, O'Connor spoke of his emotion and joy at winning such as prestigious competition at the venue. Advertisement read more on golf He stated: 'This is where golf started for my family. It's a special place to win. The University of Memphis student showed his bottle as he carded a gritty bogey at the last after a nervy provisional tee shot He added: 'It wasn't over until the very last group came in. 'I was just relieved to get it done.' Advertisement Most read in Golf 'This is definitely one of my best ever days on a golf course.' Irish golfing royalty runs deep in the O'Connor family. Amanda Balionis accused by Scottie Scheffler of 'trying to get him emotional' during live TV interview Christy O'Connor Senior racked up an incredible 24 professional wins, including two British Masters and multiple Irish championships. The Galway native never won a Major but was a Ryder Cup mainstay across four decades. Advertisement Christy O'Connor Junior made headlines of his own, famously winning four times on the European Tour. But it was that 2-iron at The Belfry in the 1989 Ryder Cup that cemented his legacy. The shot is widely regarded as one of the most iconic shots in Ryder Cup history. He also bagged two Senior British Opens in a glittering career.. Advertisement
Irish Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Ireland's most famous golfing dynasty continues as O'Connor wins Connacht title
Cian O'Connor continued a rich family dynasty as he won the Connacht Men's Open Stroke Play Championship on Saturday. O'Connor, a relative of the great Christy O'Connor Snr and Christy O'Connor Jnr, shot a closing round of 65 to finish on three-under-par, one shot clear of Castleknock's David Reddan. The victory was all the more poignant for Roscommon golfer Cian O'Connor as it arrived at the course where his famous uncles grew up playing the sport. Cian told Golf Ireland: 'It is special. This is where golf started. My family, my great uncle and great great uncle, all played here and I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for them. It's just a good place to win. 'They definitely were big inspirations for me. Growing up and getting into golf and looking up to them and wanting to be like them definitely pushed me on and gave me something to work towards. They're still doing that because I have a long way to go. 'We stayed with my auntie and uncle last night which was handy. I didn't have to drive as far and then my sister was down this morning and my dad came up then and my grandparents as well. 'Big, big crowd for support and I appreciate them.' O'Connor, who has just returned following his junior year at University of Memphis, said: 'This is one of my best days on the golf course.' Knocknacarra man Christy O'Connor Snr (1924-2016) was one of the leading golfers of his generation, winning over 60 professional events and coming close to winning the Open Championship on numerous occasions. The O'Connor golfing heritage continued through Christy O'Connor Jnr (1948-2016), who was the nephew of Christy Snr. O'Connor Jnr had a successful career on the European Tour for many years and is best known for beating Fred Couples at the 1989 Ryder Cup. O'Connor's two-iron into the final hole at the Belfry that skipped to within four feet of the hole is one of the most famous shots in the history of the competition. Now Cian O'Connor looks to have inherited the talents of his famous uncles as he begins to make his own mark on the game.
RTÉ News
2 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Ireland complete hat-trick of La Baule Nations Cup wins
For the third time in history, the Irish show jumping team emerged as winners of the five-star Nations Cup of France in La Baule. In a team that included a mixture of youth and experience, they were pushed all the way by Belgium, but it was the Irish who came out on top at the French seaside venue after a flawless display. Ireland arrived in La Baule on the back of a Nations Cup win last weekend in British Columbia and knew they would face an event tougher test in La Baule where a world class field had assembled. Wexford's Bertram Allen got Ireland off to the perfect start when he jumped clear as the first rider to enter the arena with 9-year-old gelding Qonquest De Rigo. Seamus Hughes Kennedy and ESI Rocky (ISH) were next to go, fresh from an impressive fourth-place finish in the Rolex Grand Prix of Rome a week earlier. They delivered a textbook clear to keep Ireland on a zero score. Tom Wachman with Tabasco De Toxandria Z then picked up 8 faults, but that could be discarded when anchor rider Cian O'Connor jumped clear with the 14-year-old gelding Bentley De Sury. That left Ireland on a zero score at the half-way stage and in a tie for the lead with Belgium. The second round saw Allen again jump clear, while Nicola Philippaerts matched the score for Belgium to keep the two nations out in front. Hughes Kennedy then added another Irish clear, and when 20-year-old Wachman also jumped clear second time out, Ireland were guaranteed to finish on a zero score without the need for Cian O'Connor to jump in the second round. With Peter Devos having one fence down in his second round, Belgium's final rider, Gilles Thomas, had to jump clear to force a jump-off with Ireland. Thomas picked up four faults at the second fence in what was an otherwise perfect round meaning Ireland were clear winners as the only team to finish on a zero score. Belgium finished second on four faults, while Brazil took third place on the podium with 8 faults.
Irish Examiner
29-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Easy to lead a horse to water at €1m East Ferry home with floodlit arena
THE sons of a couple who bought a home with the scope to develop an outdoor equestrian arena have been going gangbusters at showjumping ever since: One lives in the US, where he continues to show jump, along with advising clients on the best horses to buy; the second stayed closer to home, in East Ferry, where he remains professionally involved in showjumping and producing horses to compete. Both sons have competed at home and abroad. The sons grew up at Seaview Stables, bought by their parents in the late 1990s, when the property consisted of a cottage on seven acres. 'We bought the cottage and land and some outhouses,' the mother says. 'The plan was to build a sand arena for the boys, so that they would have the facility to ride, to produce ponies, and to compete.' Mane attraction at Seaview Stables The fringe benefit was the view. The land, in Jamesbrook, all but grazes the water near the tranquil, navigable inlet that separates East Ferry from Great Island. To the west is the green canopy of Marlogue Woods, to the south is Cork Harbour. Site almost grazes the harbour 'The view is stunning and it's south-facing across the harbour,' the owner says. Upon acquiring the land, she and her husband drafted in an architect to design a new home. The original cottage remains and is used for storage, but the main house is a contemporary-looking, four-bedroom dormer. Out front, a patio next to the sunroom faces south west. The grounds are expertly landscaped and there's plenty of room to park up. Just west of the house is a paddock, and, beyond it, four stables, and the sand arena, which can be floodlit. The remaining six acres are to the rear of the property, in the form of grazing land for horses or ponies. It's an ideal set-up for a family of horsey types whose children are mad keen to road test their efforts to become the next Cian O'Connor or Bertram Allen or Eddie Macken or any other colossus of Irish international showjumping. The owner says her sons 'did well over the years'. The stables were built for their own use, but, in more recent years, the son who remained in East Ferry has grown his business — training horses for showjumping and sale — and requires more space for his venture. With their sons grown up and pursuing their own interests, the parents have decided to downsize. They hope to stay local, having enjoyed the benefits of this tremendously scenic location, which is known for its picturesque waterside walkways and its suitability for water activities. 'When the winds are too high at beaches like Inch, you'll see the windsurfers around the inlet, because it's more sheltered here,' the owner says. Kayaking is popular locally, too, and there's a marina where SailCork sailing school has its main base. The nearest primary school is in Saleen, less than two miles away, while secondary schools are plentiful in the busy town of Midleton, 10 minutes away by car. Less than a mile down the road is a bird sanctuary. Jointly selling this waterfront property are James Colbert, of Colbert and Co, and Mallow-based auctioneer Liam Mullins. Mr Colbert says it's a 'superb property in an unbelievable location'. 'Where else would you find a property with an outdoor floodlit arena next to the water?,' the agent says, adding that for equestrian enthusiasts 'this property is a rare gem, offering a flood-lit sand arena, purpose-built stables, paddock and a variety of outbuildings that offer both storage and conversion potential'. The agents believe it's an ideal spot for a family with children keen to get in to showjumping or who already have an interest in equestrian sports. If new owners didn't need the entire seven acres, they could always consider the possibility of letting out the land to a farmer for grazing, the agents add. The house itself is generously proportioned and extends to 2,500 sq ft. Accommodation includes two generous large living areas, four bedrooms, and a kitchen/dining room. A sunroom, 'perfect as a dining area or additional sitting area, captures the panoramic views', the agents say. The attic was insulated and floored last year and a new boiler was installed. Mr Colbert says it's a 'must-see' for house hunters seeking a country escape, or a family home with space to grow, or an equestrian haven in one of East Cork's most picturesque settings'. The guide price for Seaview Stables is €1m. VERDICT: Perfect set-up for horsey family keen on showjumping. Waterside setting is a major bonus.
Irish Examiner
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
'There was no one around': Cian O'Connor on his lockdown images of Dingle
Five years on from the first COVID lockdown, of March 2020, many look back on the pandemic years with a certain nostalgia. They remember the Great Pause, the first time in their adult lives they had the chance to step off the treadmill and reassess their values and priorities. For Cian O'Connor, it was something else entirely. Having recently completed his degree at the National Film School in Dun Laoghaire, he had moved home to Dingle, Co Kerry while he tried to figure out what to do next. 'I had terrible job prospects, and most of my relationships and friendships had broken down,' he says. 'I had existential malaise. I was like, I've got to move to New York. I'll start a new life and become a new person. I was getting all geared up for that. I'd bought my visa, I was about to buy my plane ticket, I was just going to get the hell out of Ireland. 'And then the pandemic happened. And there I was, stuck at home with my parents. You can't imagine how upset I was.' As the days and weeks crawled by, O'Connor realised he had to find something to occupy his mind. 'I had an old film camera, and I decided to take photos of the town and its people,' he says. 'Tourism is the lifeblood of Dingle, and we had a heatwave for two months. It was beautiful, the perfect tourist weather. But there was no one around. The streets were empty, and all the businesses were closed, with signs outside saying, sorry, hopefully things will change. I just couldn't get over it. It was too interesting not to document.' O'Connor arranged to interview many of those he photographed around the town. 'We did the interviews by Zoom, which was really new back then. Everything was so uncertain for people, they told me loads. Stuff they wouldn't normally talk about at all. A lot of people looked forward to getting back to work. Jimmy Flannery, who ran the boat tours to see Fungie the Dolphin, said something like, 'I still go out and see Fungie, just to check in on him.' "But then, on the other side, some people found that the lack of tourism was maybe a good thing. It was a reason for us to reflect on how Dingle is going because, with tourism being the biggest industry, a lot of other things have fallen by the wayside.' Cian O'Connor, photographer. One of those interviewed was Finn Mac Donnell, the fourth generation of his family to work at Dick Mack's Brewhouse bar. 'Finn felt that the town is too expensive now. Young people can't live there anymore. And that was back in 2020, before the cost of living crisis.' Another interviewee was Philip King, producer of the Other Voices television music series that has become synonymous with Dingle. 'Philip brought up this analogy of the hare's corner, a part of a field that wasn't ploughed, so the hare would have a place to live. He compares that to Dingle. You need an arts and culture centre in the town, he says. You can't just be maximising every square foot of land for profit. A lot of people feel that way, to be honest.' O'Connor finally got out in November 2021. He'd befriended a music producer and record company executive named Steve Ralbovsky, who has a holiday home in Dingle. 'Steve's a music guy,' he says. 'He signed the Strokes and Kings of Leon. He helped me get an internship with a script consultancy in New York, a company run by John Coles, who directed House of Cards and Sex and the City.' O'Connor now works full time with the company, Talking Wall Pictures. 'I make short films as well,' he says. 'The last one is called An Chathair Mór/Big City. It's a low-budget film, which we funded ourselves. I flew over my two best mates from Ireland to act in it. It was post-COVID, so we got cheap airline tickets, a €300 round trip. They stayed at my apartment, and we shot it in Woodlawn up in the Bronx.' An Chathair Mór/Big City tells of a young man who arrives in New York and forms a connection with a distant relative, an older woman who shares her love of the Irish language. It is, says O'Connor, the first film in the Irish language shot in New York. 'We got good press here on account of that,' he says. The film premiered at Galway Film Festival, and has since been screened at the Newport Beach Film Festival. 'And it's screening this month at the Fastnet Film Festival in West Cork.' It was O'Connor's mother who encouraged him to revisit the material he'd shot in Dingle during COVID. 'One of the first people I photographed was Kathleen O'Sullivan at the Phoenix Cinema. I remember she was very nervous, but the photo came out really nice. There's a Facebook group called Dingle Photos Past and Present. I stuck the photo up there and said I'd see how it goes. People loved it. Even the first day, it got hundreds of likes.' Another image from Cian O'Connor's exhibition, entitled 'Dingle 2020: The Year the Tourists Never Came'. The response encouraged O'Connor to approach Féile na Bealtaine with a proposal to showcase his work. The result is Dingle 2020: The Year the Tourists Never Came, an exhibition of twelve B&W images, along with a selection of audio recordings, at An Díseart. 'It's five years on from that first lockdown,' he says. 'Which is really not that long, but it does feel like a long time ago, so much has happened since. The people in the photographs have never had a chance to see them before. The same with the interviews; no one has heard them. The main thing for me is, I just want to give this exhibition back to the town. I hope it'll make people think about the resilience we had during COVID. Everybody was freaking out about the lack of tourists, but I'd never seen the town so bound together. I don't think I would have been able to take these photos if the community wasn't so strong.' O'Connor is busy making plans for his next short film, about a woman who's forced to move back to her hometown after she loses her job. O'Connor himself has no plans to return to Ireland just yet. 'Here in New York, there's a lot a talk of a recession,' he says. 'But I have a job, for now at least. And to be honest, I'm paying the same rent here as I'd be paying in Dublin.' Cian O'Connor's Dingle 2020: The Year the Tourists Never Came exhibition is showing at An Díseart, Dingle as part of Féile na Bealtaine, until Thursday, May 8. Further information: Read More John Patrick McHugh: 10 of the books that have influenced me through the years
