Skittles & Pins Match, Co. Cavan, Ireland 1979

Aughalane take on Bakersbridge in a skittles match before the television cameras.
Over the years, John ‘The Lock’ Fitzpatrick, captain of the Bakersbridge skittles team in Cavan has won eight or nine medals, two cups and runner up trophies from the 1977 and 1978 All-Ireland Skittles Championships finals held in Mitchelstown, County Cork.
He recites a poem written about him when he started out playing skittles in 1959.
Donncha Ó Dúlaing is throwing for the Aughalane skittles team and John demonstrates a warm up exercise for him to try before the game commences.
Five skittles with values 1, 2, 3, 4 and 10 are placed in a ring in a cross shape. Each player takes his turn at a throw line and attempts to knock all of the skittles with four throwers made from cylindrical blocks of wood.
Tom Francis Brady for Bakersbridge goes first and scores 17. First up for Aughalane is Edmund McManus. He once beat John the Lock in the All-Ireland Skittles Championships.
Edmund is a great thrower.
Next up for Bakersbridge is Charlie Corrigian who has thrown with John for 25 or 27 years.
He never lets me down of a game.
Aughalane man Eamonn McKiernan, one of the young throwers is next. Bakersbridge thrower, the musician and singer Ian Corrigan follows him. Then John Brady for Aughalane clears all five skittles.
He’s a good thrower.
Aughalane are three points ahead when it is John Fitzpatrick’s turn. The great man of skittles clears all five, putting Bakersbridge ahead. Aughalane’s fate lies with Donncha who admits,
I can see I don’t stand a hope in hell here.
Both John and Donncha agree that it was a great game.
‘Donncha’s Travelling Roadshow’ was a series presented by Donncha Ó Dúlaing highlighting the people, music and traditions of rural Ireland.
This episode of ‘Donncha’s Travelling Roadshow’ was broadcast on 4 April 1979.

[@MWDFrancis]

Absolutely delightful. Also, the red sweatsuit is an unspoken Star of the video.

[@danhealy3261]

The Cork Colours worn by Donnacha Dualing. Proud Cork man

[@Lee-nh5bb]

I thought so too! 😄

[@benji.B-side]

I really enjoyed watching that, the two outstanding characters, the game and the crowd.

[@RedGmanNYC]

John was the best skittles player I ever saw

[@baxpiz1289]

interviewer must've been a fan of the six million dollar man

[@seanmaher7733]

Brilliant.

[@TerryTerryTerry]

Red track suit was brave on that figure.

[@paddymurphy4791]

Bright red Adidas tracksuit and brown shoes 🤣🤣🤣

[@bernardgenty1400]

Jhonn a hacker bridge ❤

[@legin3753]

prob 200 quid for that tracksuit in shop now lol

[@rumpelstiltskin9729]

Yung Lean

[@samholden9660]

The man in red tracksuit looks like my dad who was also Irish 😀🇨🇮

[@jodyguinness3864]

red track suit is dirt...me uncle joe used to wear shirt, tie, big woolly jumper and blazer - he must've been sweating!!!

[@noelmaher4633]

Wearing the Serbian dinner suit}

[@JDLeonard74]

Disco news man showed up for a good bit of bowl. Poor dyslexic devil...👻 I understand most everything they're saying on here unless they're speaking Gedlig. You would be surprised at how words are rolled together in the same way in some parts of the South of the U.S. Most people feel abandoned by sports stars and such, these days here in the States. Sorry for the uncalled for bitterness.

[@JDLeonard74]

Well that's good then, news men around here haven't been much for a long time. I'm glad yours haven't abandoned you. They're all part of the globalist Hollywood agenda over here cuz. But everything empirical is my fault because I'm here? But it's not like a smack down and Purges don't wait for us here man. And some dictator on one shoulder or another. Poking our minds out. Or have you no eyes? Or do you watch the shadows on the wall about what we are here?