Here's an edited version of a film I made a couple of years ago. When I set out to follow the Queen's Park team at the tournament I had no idea of the drama that would unfold.
Peter Cutts (Owen's Dad)
Monday, November 02, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
The Max O'Connell Cup 4th July 2009: Results
To paraphrase Leon Nelson, The Max of the Day player of the tournament, we'd all rather not be here, but we are, and it's the most fitting way to remember Max I think there is.
The fourth Max O'Connell Cup was another great occasion for the Max community who came to play or watch football and see old friends.
This year there were a few more babies and a few more new faces in amongst the regulars. The sun again shone down on this bitter-sweet occasion that mark's another years passing without Max.
West Hampstead deservedly won (4th year in a row!), but not before being pushed right to the limit in the thrilling 3-3 semi-final where an own goal helped them come back from 3-1 down in the second half. Once they drew level a single goal in the penalty shoot out was enough to get them to the final: a shoot out noted for containing 5 spectacular saves between the two keepers before the ice-cold winning penalty from Leon.
Queens Park had a shaky group stage and got the better of one penalty shoot out to get to the quarters before luck deserted them and they went out to Scott Nelmes (Salusbury Old Boys) in their second penalty confrontation despite a much improved display.
Scott Nelmes had a fantastic debut tournament making it all the way to the final before the heat and injuries meant they had little left for the final against the fittest team in the tournament. Newcastle finally lived up to their billing as contenders making it the semis before their lack of a single substitute was exposed and fatigue got the better of an otherwise strong outfit.
The groups proved testing and rewarding for the rest of us almost as much as the the cold beers, home cooked pizza and endless supply of fruit. It was a measure of the quality of this tournament that every team except The Brass Nanans got at least one win - The Brass Nanas however can claim for Goal of the Tournament from Callum.
A special thanks to Louis who's organisational skills meant the day ran as smoothly as it did, to the rest of Queens Park for chipping in, to the mums and parents for supplying such stellar catering (especially those cold beers - Max really would be proud of that), to Remel for running the bar, to Dave Ferguson for another T-shirt that doesn't let anyone forget that Max used to be called "Ducky", and to everyone else who came and played and watched and continues to help keep Max's spirit close.
There are a few photos below but if you have any more please post them or check out Facebook - Leon Nelson has a great set of pictures, and captions, that tell the story.
See you next year.
The fourth Max O'Connell Cup was another great occasion for the Max community who came to play or watch football and see old friends.
This year there were a few more babies and a few more new faces in amongst the regulars. The sun again shone down on this bitter-sweet occasion that mark's another years passing without Max.
West Hampstead deservedly won (4th year in a row!), but not before being pushed right to the limit in the thrilling 3-3 semi-final where an own goal helped them come back from 3-1 down in the second half. Once they drew level a single goal in the penalty shoot out was enough to get them to the final: a shoot out noted for containing 5 spectacular saves between the two keepers before the ice-cold winning penalty from Leon.
Queens Park had a shaky group stage and got the better of one penalty shoot out to get to the quarters before luck deserted them and they went out to Scott Nelmes (Salusbury Old Boys) in their second penalty confrontation despite a much improved display.
Scott Nelmes had a fantastic debut tournament making it all the way to the final before the heat and injuries meant they had little left for the final against the fittest team in the tournament. Newcastle finally lived up to their billing as contenders making it the semis before their lack of a single substitute was exposed and fatigue got the better of an otherwise strong outfit.
The groups proved testing and rewarding for the rest of us almost as much as the the cold beers, home cooked pizza and endless supply of fruit. It was a measure of the quality of this tournament that every team except The Brass Nanans got at least one win - The Brass Nanas however can claim for Goal of the Tournament from Callum.
A special thanks to Louis who's organisational skills meant the day ran as smoothly as it did, to the rest of Queens Park for chipping in, to the mums and parents for supplying such stellar catering (especially those cold beers - Max really would be proud of that), to Remel for running the bar, to Dave Ferguson for another T-shirt that doesn't let anyone forget that Max used to be called "Ducky", and to everyone else who came and played and watched and continues to help keep Max's spirit close.
There are a few photos below but if you have any more please post them or check out Facebook - Leon Nelson has a great set of pictures, and captions, that tell the story.
See you next year.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
The Kite
Max was a friend of John and Mary McCormack’s sons, John, Mike, and Jamie. John wrote this poem for Max, and Mary has asked me to post it. It is included in John's selected poems, ‘The Trouble with Creation’, published in 2009.
The Kite (For Max)
A boy is like a kite,
bound yet free
and if the wind holds
there is mastery.
Sometimes it will obey
the tug of will against air,
yet a wayward gust may
take it away
anywhere in this sky.
The clouds can hide so much,
yet somewhere a kite is flying
free and wild as a
reckless friendly child.
John McCormack
2006
The Kite (For Max)
A boy is like a kite,
bound yet free
and if the wind holds
there is mastery.
Sometimes it will obey
the tug of will against air,
yet a wayward gust may
take it away
anywhere in this sky.
The clouds can hide so much,
yet somewhere a kite is flying
free and wild as a
reckless friendly child.
John McCormack
2006
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
The Max O'Connell Cup 4th July 2009
Hello all,
This Saturday is the 4th Max O'Connell Cup at the Linford Christie Stadium. You can see last year's blog lower down the page for directions.
You can check out your groups and who you are playing below! There are 15 teams this year, making it the biggest tournament by far.
Games are kicking off at 12.00 noon so try and get there in good time. It's £40 per team to be collected and sorted by the Captains before kick off so we have a good day of football ahead of us.
For those coming to support and those who make an early exit the parents are again very kindly providing some food and drink (but you can always bring more!)
We'd like to thank everyone in advance for still making the effort and wanting to be involved, it means a lot to us and it's good to see it means the same to so many of you.
The weather is looking good, let's play in the spirit that Max would have wanted and we'll see you there.
Queens Park
-------------------
| Teams | Rules | |||
| 1.Queens Park | Can't pass straight back to goalie | |||
| 2.West Hampstead | Goalie can't come out of area | |||
| 3.Newcastle | No slidetackling | |||
| 4.John McCormack | Only headers and volleys can be scored in the area | |||
| 5.John McKinney | ||||
| 6.Sam Greene | ||||
| 7.Natty | ||||
| 8.Dom/Rob | ||||
| 9.Nile | ||||
| 10.Dave Stars | ||||
| 11.Scott Nelmes | ||||
| 12.Big Chin | ||||
| Groups | ||||
| Group A | Group B | Group C | ||
| West Hampstead | Dave Stars | Scott Nelmes | ||
| Queens Park | Newcastle | John McKinney | ||
| Sam Greene | Dom/Rob | Big Chin | ||
| Nile | Natty | John McCormack | ||
| Group A | Ref. | ||
| West Hampstead | vs. | Queens Park | Sam Greene |
| Sam Greene | vs. | Nile | Queens Park |
| West Hampstead | vs. | Sam Greene | Nile |
| Queens Park | vs. | Nile | West Hampstead |
| West Hampstead | vs. | Nile | Sam Greene |
| Queens Park | vs. | Sam Greene | Nile |
| Group B | Ref. | ||
| Dave Stars | vs. | Newcastle | Dom/Rob |
| Dom/Rob | vs. | Natty | Newcastle |
| Dave Stars | vs. | Dom/Rob | Natty |
| Newcastle | vs. | Natty | Dave Stars |
| Dave Stars | vs. | Natty | Dom/Rob |
| Newcastle | vs. | Dom/Rob | Natty |
| Group C | Ref. | ||
| Scott Nelmes | vs. | John McKinney | Big Chin |
| Big Chin | vs. | John McCormack | John McKinney |
| Scott Nelmes | vs. | Big Chin | John McCormack |
| John McKinney | vs. | John McCormack | Scott Nelmes |
| Scott Nelmes | vs. | John McCormack | Big Chin |
| John McKinney | vs. | Big Chin | John McCormack |
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Poem read for Max on 26 February 2009
We had a gathering of friends and families at our house on the anniversary of Max's death. I read a poem, and I have been asked to put it on the blog.
Rachel had asked us to read this poem. This year she was in New York for the anniversary, continuing with her studies, but she was keen for us to read the poem. It is one she knew Max had liked, from an anthology called Poets of the Nicaraguan Revolution. It contains poems in Spanish with English translations.
I used Max's well-thumbed copy of the book, in which the poem has been annotated by him (and in pen - I used tell him off for that), and I read the English translation.
So here it is - Spanish first, then the English translation.
Seamus
ERNESTO CARDENAL
EN LA TUMBA DEL GUERRILLERO
Pienso en tu cuerpo que se ha ido desbaratando
bajo la tierra
haciéndose suave tierra, humus otra vez
junto con el humus de todos los demás humanos
que han existido y existirán en la bolita mundo
haciéndonos todos juncos tierra fértil del planeta Tierra.
Y cuando los cosmonautas miren esta bola azul y rosa
en la noche negra
lo que estarán mirando, lejos, es tu luminosa tumba
(tu tumba y la de todos)
y cuando los extraterrestres desde alguna parte
miren este punto de luz de la Tierra
estarán mirando tu tumba.
Y un día será todo tumba, silenciosa tumba,
y ya no habrá más seres vivos en el planeta
compañero.
¿Y después?
Después nos desbarataremos más, volaremos,
átomos en el cosmos.
Y tal vez la materia es eterna hermano
sin principio ni fin o tiene un fin
y recomienza cada vez.
Tu amor sí tuvo un comienzo pero no tiene final.
Y tus átomos que estuvieron en el suelo de Nicaragua,
tus átomos amorosos, que dieron la vida por amor,
ya verás, serán luz,
me imagino tus partículas en la vastedad cosmos
como pancartas, como afiches vivos.
No sé si me explico.
Lo que sé es que nunca se olvidará tu nombre
y para siempre se gritará: ¡Presente!
THE GUERRILLA'S TOMB
I think of your body that has been rotting
underground
becoming good earth, humus again
together with the humus of all the other humans
who have existed and will exist in the ball of the earth
all becoming fertile earth of the planet Earth.
And when the cosmonauts look at this blue and pink ball
in the black night
what they will be seeing, far off, is your luminous tomb
(your tomb and everybody's)
and when extraterrestrials from somewhere
see this point of light that is Earth
they will be looking at your tomb.
And one day it will be all tomb, a silent tomb
and there will no longer be living beings on the planet
comrade.
And then?
When we have disintegrated further, we shall fly,
as atoms in the cosmos.
And perhaps matter is eternal brother
without beginning or end or it ends
and keeps beginning again.
Yes, your love did have a beginning but it has no end.
And your atoms which were in the soil of Nicaragua,
your loving atoms, that gave their life for love,
you'll see, they will be light.
I imagine your particles in the vastness of the cosmos
like placards, like living posters.
I don't know if I am explaining myself.
What I do know is that your name
will never be forgotten
and for evermore you will be acclaimed: Presente!
From Poets of the Nicaraguan Revolution
Translated by Dinah Livingstone
Katabasis, 1993
Rachel had asked us to read this poem. This year she was in New York for the anniversary, continuing with her studies, but she was keen for us to read the poem. It is one she knew Max had liked, from an anthology called Poets of the Nicaraguan Revolution. It contains poems in Spanish with English translations.
I used Max's well-thumbed copy of the book, in which the poem has been annotated by him (and in pen - I used tell him off for that), and I read the English translation.
So here it is - Spanish first, then the English translation.
Seamus
ERNESTO CARDENAL
EN LA TUMBA DEL GUERRILLERO
Pienso en tu cuerpo que se ha ido desbaratando
bajo la tierra
haciéndose suave tierra, humus otra vez
junto con el humus de todos los demás humanos
que han existido y existirán en la bolita mundo
haciéndonos todos juncos tierra fértil del planeta Tierra.
Y cuando los cosmonautas miren esta bola azul y rosa
en la noche negra
lo que estarán mirando, lejos, es tu luminosa tumba
(tu tumba y la de todos)
y cuando los extraterrestres desde alguna parte
miren este punto de luz de la Tierra
estarán mirando tu tumba.
Y un día será todo tumba, silenciosa tumba,
y ya no habrá más seres vivos en el planeta
compañero.
¿Y después?
Después nos desbarataremos más, volaremos,
átomos en el cosmos.
Y tal vez la materia es eterna hermano
sin principio ni fin o tiene un fin
y recomienza cada vez.
Tu amor sí tuvo un comienzo pero no tiene final.
Y tus átomos que estuvieron en el suelo de Nicaragua,
tus átomos amorosos, que dieron la vida por amor,
ya verás, serán luz,
me imagino tus partículas en la vastedad cosmos
como pancartas, como afiches vivos.
No sé si me explico.
Lo que sé es que nunca se olvidará tu nombre
y para siempre se gritará: ¡Presente!
THE GUERRILLA'S TOMB
I think of your body that has been rotting
underground
becoming good earth, humus again
together with the humus of all the other humans
who have existed and will exist in the ball of the earth
all becoming fertile earth of the planet Earth.
And when the cosmonauts look at this blue and pink ball
in the black night
what they will be seeing, far off, is your luminous tomb
(your tomb and everybody's)
and when extraterrestrials from somewhere
see this point of light that is Earth
they will be looking at your tomb.
And one day it will be all tomb, a silent tomb
and there will no longer be living beings on the planet
comrade.
And then?
When we have disintegrated further, we shall fly,
as atoms in the cosmos.
And perhaps matter is eternal brother
without beginning or end or it ends
and keeps beginning again.
Yes, your love did have a beginning but it has no end.
And your atoms which were in the soil of Nicaragua,
your loving atoms, that gave their life for love,
you'll see, they will be light.
I imagine your particles in the vastness of the cosmos
like placards, like living posters.
I don't know if I am explaining myself.
What I do know is that your name
will never be forgotten
and for evermore you will be acclaimed: Presente!
From Poets of the Nicaraguan Revolution
Translated by Dinah Livingstone
Katabasis, 1993
Max's second tree
On Wednesday 3 December 2008 we planted a second tree for Max. The first one had never looked completely healthy. There were always a few branches that did not have any leaves, were in fact dead, and over two years this showed no improvement. It was very upsetting for us that Max's memorial was a damaged tree, and we told the Queen's Park managers that we would like to buy a new one.
The park managers were very sympathetic and helpful. They offered to buy the new tree, and arranged for two park keepers to drive us to a tree nursery where a specialist looked at trees with us and advised on the choice. The park then organised the transport of the tree to Queen's Park and on 3 December the tree was planted, with a few of us looking on.
The New tree is a Maple Autumn Blaze - the foliage goes a bright red in the autumn. So far it seems to be thriving and is now in leaf.
Some pictures of the tree being planted.
Victoria
The park managers were very sympathetic and helpful. They offered to buy the new tree, and arranged for two park keepers to drive us to a tree nursery where a specialist looked at trees with us and advised on the choice. The park then organised the transport of the tree to Queen's Park and on 3 December the tree was planted, with a few of us looking on.
The New tree is a Maple Autumn Blaze - the foliage goes a bright red in the autumn. So far it seems to be thriving and is now in leaf.
Some pictures of the tree being planted.
Victoria
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