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Chairman of Austin Stacks Gaa Club Billy Ryle — “The rivalry was always intense between Stacks and Rahillys.” Photo by Dermot Crean
SUNDAY will be a proud day for Billy Ryle.
A Rockie all his life, Billy is Chairman of the Austin Stacks Club for a Kerry SFC county final against their greatest rivals Kerins O’Rahillys, something that hasn’t happened since 1936 when the black and amber triumphed.
It’s an exciting time and anticipation in the club keeps on building as Sunday approaches and the prospect of winning back the Bishop Moynihan Cup for the first time since 2014.
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“We never expected it [an all-Tralee final], but we’re pleased because it hasn’t happened for so long,” said Billy, when we visited the club in Connolly Park.
“There’s such an ongoing rivalry between the two clubs, but we’re great friends. It’s given the whole town a great lift, everyone’s talking about it and they’re buying into the atmosphere,” he added.
Despite being great friends, there’s always been an edge to the rivalry with Strand Road, especially when Billy was a youngster living in Rock Street.
“The rivalry was always intense between Stacks and Rahillys. I remember as a young fella visiting my grandmother, Kathy Spring’s house in Strand Road and there was a certain gentlemen who would come into the house.
He would say to me ‘young Spring, are you playing for Strand Road?’ and I’d reply ‘I’m young Ryle and I play with the Rock’.
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He said ‘there’s only one type more despicable than a Rock man and that’s a Strand Road man who plays with the Rock’. That’ll tell you the intensity of it!”
“But when I was growing up we were all friends with each other, except on the football field. There was a real respect there because we were neighbours and there was always a dispute about where the Rock ended and Strand Road began. We would say it was the Dominicans, but they would say around the Brogue Inn.”
Chairman of Austin Stacks GAA Club Billy Ryle with club stalwart Paddy Barry. Photo by Dermot Crean
Billy said Sunday is going to be a great occasion for Tralee and something that the whole town should get behind, especially businesses.
“What I’d like to see is businesses in town putting out both club’s colours in the run-up to Sunday. It’ll provide a great boost for them too in the hospitality sector. It’s going to be something very special in Tralee.
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I’m really looking forward to the day itself. We’ll have a huge troop marching up through the town centre and the craic should be great. Our supporters are very important to the club, they’re the 16th man and we felt that through the championship so far,” said Billy.
It’s likely to create some noise with the passionate blue side of town also making their voices heard. With such a heated rivalry, defeat for either side on Sunday would be unbearable, wouldn’t it Billy?
“Oh, whoever loses will have to hide away for about a fortnight…but we’re determined we won’t have to hibernate!”
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