Royals seeking trophy named after Cork legend

On Saturday the Meath hurlers will show up at Croke Park to take on Down. The prize for the winners is the Christy Ring Cup. 
It's a trophy that's named after one of the true legends of hurling. 
Christy Ring died 40 years ago this year and, no doubt,  he's still considered by many as the greatest hurler of all time. 
The longevity of his inter-county career was extraordinary - especially when compared to modern circumstances. He played hurling for Cork for 25 years, finally bringing the curtain down on his distinguished career in 1963 when he was already in his forties. 
He was extremely skilful, of course, but arguably what made him stand out, was his undoubted courage. It was a courage mixed with a huge desire to win. He simply couldn't stand losing. 
So who was this figure who made hurling his own? 
He was born in Kilboy, just outside Cloyne in Co Cork, the second youngest son of Nicholas and Mary. He had two brothers, Willie Johan and Paddy Joe and two sisters Katie and Mary Agnes. 
His father was a gardener for local landowners and when Christy was still a youngster the family moved to live in the village of Cloyne. 
Behind the family home was a GAA pitch and there young Christy spent countless hours with his hurling stick and ball; honing the skills that made him famous.   
He was to come to believe that to be a good hurler you had to take the stick in hand everyday and practice - then practice some more. 
That's what he did and by 14 he was already playing minor for the county. The unrelenting commitment to his game gave him real confidence as well as sharpness. 
One of the first demonstrations of this confidence could be seen in the way he stepped up to take a free in the closing stages of the 1937 All-Ireland Minor final. Ring went for goal and found the net to help put Cork in the clear. 
While still a teenager he was a regular on the Cork senior team. Like many of his era he left school at 13 trained as a mechanic. He moved to Cork and worked as a lorry driver for CIE and in 1953 he became a delivery driver with Shell Oil, a company he worked with for 25 years.  
It is said he always had a hurley and sliotar in his cab ready to use at any opportunity. All he needed was a pitch and somebody to knock the ball back to him.  
In 1941 Ring enjoyed one of the best years of his career winning his first All-Ireland senior medal. It was also the year he joined Glen Rovers in Cork city, one of the most famous clubs in the county. 
Over his long career Ring was to win eight All-Ireland senior hurling medals. He also made history when he became the first captain to be presented with the MacCarthy Cup three times in 1946, '53 and '54. 
In 1956 Cork and Ring went close to winning another All-Ireland but they were to be denied by a pwerful Wexford side. 
In that game Wexford goalkeeper Art Foley made a save from Ring that was to go down in folklore as one of the greatest saves of all time; something similar to Gordon Banks' famous dive to deny Pele in the 1970 World Cup or Packy Bonner's penalty save against Romania in the 1990 World Cup. 
Over his career Ring also loved to represent Munster helping the province to 18 inter-provincial titles. With Glen Rovers he won 13 Cork SHC medals as well as a county SFC honour with the Glen's sister club St Nichola's. 
When eventually he had to draw the curtain down on his career Chrsity Ring kept kit by playing a lot of squash and as Val Dorgan pointed out in his book on Ring that competitive edge remained undiminished. 
To stay involved in the game he loved, Ring became a selector forthe Cork senior hurling team although such roles paled into near insignifance compared to  playing. 
His last vist to Croke Park was for the 1978 All-Ireland final between Cork and Kilkenny when he was a selector. Cork won and as he rushed onto the field to congratulate the players he lost a watch that had been given to him for his 25 years service with Shell. 
Despite extensive searching the watch was never found. A very religious man Christy was married to Rita and they had three children. 
While he didn't smoke or drink Ring died unexpectedly of a heart attack in Cork city while on his way to see his friend Dr Jim Young on 2nd March, 1979. He was 58. 
His contribution to hurling was honoured in various ways. A statute was erected in Cloyne and in the 1980s the GAA purchased the old soccer ground, Flower Lodge (once the home of Cork Hibs) and developed it and called it Pairc Ui Rinn. 
It was officially opened in May 1993. As part of the opening Cork took on Kilkenny in a hurling game and Meath played Cork in a football match. 
Another way the GAA honoured Ring was in the way they named the trophy for the winners of the third tier championship after the Corkman. 
This Saturday Meath will be looking to win the Christy Ring Cup in an arena that is very different to when the famous Corkman played there. 
The old Croke Park might be gone but memories of the great Corkman and his many feats live on.