Writing in 1962, John T Collins was dealing with places and place names not too far from Cork city.

“Glanmire - Glean Maghair, and Tubbereenmire - Tobairin Maghair, both derive their names from some personage, cleric or chief - who he was is not known,” he wrote.

Well that’s one theory.

Others say Tubbereenmire is Tobairin Muire, or Mary’s Little Well, whilst another suggestion is that the well at the crossroads took its name from priest of penal times Fr Myers, or Mires.

Fascinating, isn’t it, that a little rural place in the parish of Carrignavar should have so many possibilities as to the origin of its name.

In truth, the name Tubbereenmire could be derived from any one of these aforementioned, or perhaps from an entirely different source.

We were there with about 200 others last Friday night for a unique and memorable event. A century ago, this crossroads and Hickey’s forge nearby were, you could say, the ‘headquarters’ of a very famous sporting club.

Formed in the 1890s, Tubbereenmire Tug-of-War Club was, by the 1920s, one of the most famous in the land.

It’s easy to describe their fame as being national, but it’s pure true. Their pulling power was not simply on the rope, but they were capable of attracting huge crowds to carnivals, church fetes and the like.

It’s said that the sport of tug o’ war was introduced into Ireland in the 1800s and was used particularly in the training of the police and constabulary, with Inter Police District competitions being very popular amongst RIC members.

Strange, then, wasn’t it, that a sport connected with ‘foreign rule’ and the ‘establishment’ should quickly become part and parcel of Irish life.

From the 1920s on, the sport enjoyed a truly golden era with clubs springing up all over the country. Many were established at rural crossroads or near a forge or a public house, but the sport took off in towns and cities too.

The basis of the sport is simple enough, eight........

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