A Little "Bit" of Irish Basketball History: (Cork) Blue Demons

In 1959 Rev. Charles Sinnott a Vincentian stationed at St.Vincents Church in Sundays Well, Cork, formed a youth club, the De Paul Boys Club.

Another Vincentian (Father O’Farrell) helped organize the basketball team and hung a rim down in the crypt of the Sundays Well church as the first training facility. Later a tennis court owned by Fred Murray on Strawberry Hill was used, Eventually a basketball court was built down the Rope Walk (known as the One Miler) on Wyse's Hill in Sundays Well. This was commonly referred to as the "Wannah" and was the main training court for Blue Demons until the late seventies when all training relocated primarily to the indoor facilities at the Parochial Hall.

The De Paul teams quickly made a name for themselves in the local Cork youth leagues. In approximately 1964 there was an unsuccessful attempt to establish a team at the Senior level. In 1966 a second attempt was made to establish a club at the senior level which would accommodate De Paul graduates.

Thru the efforts of Jim Dineen , Noel McCarthy and Michael O'Sullivan among others, the Blue Demons Basketball Club was established. They quickly proved to be a major player in the area and by 1968 started to participate in the National Cup competitions. This was reorganized into the National League in 1973 and the Demons became National Champions in that 1973-1974 inaugural season.

During this time (the early seventies) they also made major contributions to both Cork and Ireland's basketball environment thru their efforts in hosting the Major Extra Size International Basketball Tournament at the Parochial Hall. That exposure to the higher skills of the international players inspired many aspiring young "hoopsters" up the Northside. Although they did not repeat as champions until the 1980s, the club continued to compete at the highest level with foundational players such as Seanie Murphy, Andrew Houlihan, Peter Coughlan and John Cooney. During those years their battles with arch-rival Neptune (on both the local and national levels) continued to grow to legendary heights. . (1)