An OBT Article

The following article is to be published in Italian magazine Conde Nast… penned by 2013 Captain Katie Maher-Barry… enjoy!

The O’Brien Trophy Family Weekend
Who are all these people? Some familiar faces, some not so familiar, old and young. I sat on my father’s shoulders, I stood on tall bar stools, looking over heads to see and listen to my relatives sing lyrically in the Golf club that night. They had given out a funny looking teapot to the winner of the golf completion after dinner, what was this all about..?

I remember even now my first set of golf clubs. My father had them cut down to size, just for me. We were holidaying in Co. Wexford, as we still do and he taught me how to swing those clubs. Standing tall behind, showing me how to grip that club so awkwardly. The sweeping motions, back, up and through. Then he’d place a ball, imagine a line behind that, drag the club back and do not lift your head, he would say. A lovely clean sound “doink”, as the small white ball lifted into the air and landed so gracefully on the grass across the driveway.

Why is it, that so many of us only ever meet at weddings and funerals. Surely families can make time for each other? Well this is how our or family reunion started all those 27 years ago this year. My four uncles, Joe, James, Paddy and Aidan were the first to play the sport of Golf and in the years to follow the sisters, Anita, Eileen, Mary, Bríd, Siobhan and Catherine also took to golf. They decided to meet on an annual basis to play golf as a family and to break bread as a family. Unfortunately my eldest uncle Joe never made it to any “O’Brien Trophy”. Joe (RIP) died in 1979, on a golf course, before the reunion was later established in 1987. This is why golf is on our DNA as a family, we have loved and lost through this wonderful sport on so many levels. My own father Brendan (RIP) also passing away in a golf club in 1997.

On the death of my Grandmother in 1980 and my grandfather in 1985, the family home in Dublin was sold and belongings divided out between the siblings. One coveted item being the teapot, now known at the “O’Brien Trophy”. This was a teapot that stood proud on my grandmother’s dresser, angled slightly so you could not see, its now, much loved flaw. My grandmother had a very well to do friend for lunch one day and so took her silver teapot out. On putting the teapot on the gas cooker, the bottom, on one side of the teapot melted. From there after it became “kitty”, money and bills would be landed in there weekly for safe keeping.

My own mother Siobhán received this precious heirloom. It was decided that this would become our Trophy, in which we would play golf for every year. The silver teapot was mounted on a marble plinth and topped with a swinging golfer.

Our family reunion originated in Co. Wexford, as this is where my grandmother came from. As our family grew with succession so did our needs. We needed larger amenities to cater for our kids, grand kids and great grand kids. So each year, a captain is chosen. It is their job to organize and create the event all over again for the following year. Somewhere suitable for our large family and of course our golfing tournament.

We have travelled Ireland’s golf clubs far and wide,
Wexford golf Club, Co. Wexford,
Enniscorthy Golf club, Co. Wexford,
Ballykisteen Golf Resort, Co. Tipperary,
Killerig Castle Golf and Country Club, Co. Carlow
The Goldcoast Golf Club in Dungaravan, Co. Waterford
Turfarris hotel and Golf, Co. Wicklow,
Mount Wolseley, Co. Carlow
Shannon Golf Club in Co. Clare
Pine Ridge Golf Club, Manitoba, Canada

This year, as Captain, I wanted to bring it for the first time to my home town of Cork. So I will be hosting this years “O’Brien Trophy” in Fota Island Golf Resort, Co. Cork.

Two years ago we celebrated out 25th anniversary. Our relatives travelled as most of them do every year, from New Zealand, Australia, Saudi Arabia, England, Canada and America to name but a few. In 2011 we had 164 people attend our gathering with over 60 people unable to attend.

As it has now been passed to us, the second generation to organize this event and now as a wife and mother I appreciate, how lucky we really are to hold this long standing tradition. In years to come, may my children, nephews, nieces and cousins continue to value family and of course golf. It echoes in my mind, as a ten year old girl starting golf just how far we’ve all come in 27 years.

So Thank you to my grandparents for their memory. Thank you to all of my Aunts and Uncles for starting this. And Thank you to all of my cousins and extended love ones who make this a reality year after year.

Katie Maher-Barry
OBT Captain – 7-2-2013.

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