IF Hughie Heron’s passport could talk, it would narrate a sporting classic – tug of war has taken him the world over. His eyes light up when talking about his beloved sport. His radiance fills the front room in his Bancran Road home.
It was a privilege to sit down and talk to a man of this ilk and be greeted with a firm, genuine hand of friendship. It makes you think of how many memories from yesteryear that never get told.
With the current squad of Bancran pullers assembling for the regular Thursday night workout, Heron is in his element. He is thriving on it – the younger batch are making him feel young again.
Not only that, but nestling inside the back door was his pride of place - a Pinnerello racing bike (assembled himself). It’s no ornament. Heron is a regular on the roads of South Derry and further afield. Some man for one man.
During our conversation the phone rings and Hughie politely answers. “There is a man in here and we’re talking about tug of war, I’ll ring ye back around eleven, okay….thanks for calling…bye,” says Hughie. His massive hand replaces the handset and our conversation continues.
Hughie loves his tug of war and sure enough it was shortly after eleven when we parted our ways. “You’ll call again,” Hughie added.
It was an education, a pleasure and a broadening of the horizons.
Tug of war has been part of Heron’s life for over fifty years, from the ‘first pull’ back in 1965 right up to the present day.
Back in 2004, just months shy of his 62nd birthday Heron bowed out of the international stage on American soil, in the Minnesota town of Rochester.
The colossal collection of silverware speaks volumes of Heron’s achievements but friendships made over the years strike a chord with the influence of sport.
BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME
During our conversation we relocate out the back, past the gathering of cars to the shed. The “Bancran European Champions 2015” banner on the outside wall may be a giveaway but this isn’t any old shed. It’s a special place.
This is where it all happens. A hub of activity, 6 bays long, a makeshift gym at one end and outside a floodlit training field.
On the floor there are three lanes. The central channel has a base of gravel, at each side are ‘slatted’ training lanes – resembling train tracks. At each end are pulleys leading to a weight cart. Heron echoes the power needed in the legs and the ‘slat work’ is where the power is generated.
When Paddy Andy (Kelly) planted the Tug of war seed back in the 1960s the shed was not even on the radar.
The shed is a more recent addition to the Bancran tapestry but more impressive, it was built by the pullers themselves. A sense of ownership, of self-sufficiency and respect for Heron – their leader.
The re-emergence of the tug of war legacy arrived in 1998 and by the following year Heron’s newly formed band of brothers had assembled their own base. Heron fed the troops and the lads brought materials from here, there and everywhere.
It creates a great atmosphere the perfect haven for success.
Then pullers arrive around 8pm, step into ‘the loft’ to change, don the yellow training gear and the big boots. Up the short lane to the shed, set the water bottle up on the ledge leaning against the zinc. A tub of resin is closeby and it’s time for action.
But only sparse usage as Ronan Kelly explains. “Grip is important but too much resin burns your hands.”
The midges are in overdrive but once the work starts, they fade into insignificance.
Under the stewardship of Heron and his trusted friend Mickey Bradley, eighteen pullers meet three times a week. Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday mornings.
Heron has terrific respect for the pullers. “They are married, courting, building houses and working – none of them are lying about.” It’s work ethic you find when you scratch the surface of any winning environment.
“Four of the boys are on holidays, but they’ll be training too I hope – running and getting hewn down,” adds Heron.
A random visit from ‘Wee John Manás’ sparked this new era of pullers in the famed yellow of Bancran.
“These boys came to me in 1998 when they were at school and I thought they wouldn’t come back. Then I went up to the loft and got them going, Wee John Manás and them. Bajaysus they stuck together,” Heron outlined.
“Wee John said ‘I’m too wee for tug of war’. I said ‘Who told you that’?
“I said gather a few of you up and I’ll get a rope and see what youse are like.” Heron didn’t expect anything to materialise but thankfully it did.
“He came back with Bernard McWilliams, Ronan Pa-Den (Kelly) and a lock of lads, boys from Moneyneana. People used to laugh at us, but by-jaysus we put the laughing out of them,” Heron laughed, but there was a pride behind the humour.
Tug of war is a serious business in this neck of the woods.
“People used to what they ‘wouldn’t make marking for the rope’ but that’s where they were wrong. It doesn’t go by your size,” Heron quipped.
Heron’s theme is consistent, today’s breed is about conditioning and fitness. A contrast to his all-conquering days on the rope.
Like any sporting story, the knock backs are never far away as Heron explains. “They won the UK (title) and we should have had a European in 2007. We were badly done, there was not that much to take (Hughie used his hand to highlight the fine margins) and the referee blew it out and made us pull again.
“They (Bancran team) just weren’t cute enough but we had the beating of England and it was a bad decision and we should have won it.
“We didn’t eff or blind or curse or anything like that. We just had to take it.”
The disappointment was filed away, a lesson learnt and something to build on. “No matter how long you’re at tug of war you’re always learning,” Heron exclaimed.
It all began back in 1965 and a trip to nearby Carnamoney.
THE BEGINNING
“Carnamoney had a team going and there was a boy Paddy Andy down ploughing and they said ‘why don’t you take a locka boys down from Bancran to give us a pull.’
“We didn’t know what it was, we were only young lads at the time,” added Heron as he recited the names of the founding members with ease.
“There was Paddy Andy and Jim Glasgow (RIP) from Crieve. In Bancran there was Charlie Conville (RIP), Oliver Kelly (RIP) and myself. There were three more from Glengomna – John Donnelly, Frank Donnelly and Frank Murray.
“Carnamoney beat us every night, but we went down to Magherafelt and drew with them and ended up runners up. That started tug of war in Bancran.”
Over the next two years regular success followed at various carnivals and tournaments before a more organised element came in during 1968. It changed the makeup of the teams.
“TWIF (Tug-of-war International Federation) was formed in 1968 and it was 640kg. Before that there used to be big heavyweight men pulling but this was 640kg made up of 8 men at 12 ½ stone.”
“We went to a place Bull??? in Holland. We didn’t win but we did alright. We were just greenhorns. We lifted and heaved.”
“We were the first team to win the 640kg (in 1968). Aghadowey had a good team but our auld team went down and beat them.
“They were all from this (Bancran) road but they were while strong. We averaged 13 stone each, I was over the heaviest on it, and I was over 14 stone,” said Heron.
The next year brought success in the 720kg down in Fermoy, but this was the end of that initial era in Bancran as the team broke up.
Heron followed his passion with other teams. He pulled in Sweden, Folkstone, Nottingham, Switzerland and back to Holland. There were treks to Germany, America and Australia.
For all the travelling over that period Heron’s memories of the early Bancran days are every bit as important.
“We used to leave here on a Sunday and head to Donegal and you’d think we were going to America. There wasn’t as much thought of me going to Australia, or America as there was going to Donegal,” Heron recalls.
“That was in the 1960s and were never beaten in Donegal with that team.”
The pride of place can never be replaced and when John Manás came calling the third chapter in Bancran’s tug of war heritage had a strong foundation.
As the conversation develops, the horizon of tug of war begins to unfold. It’s a lean man’s game now. It was different from Heron’s day.
“The old teams weren’t trained at all. It was only brute force and that’s no good. You need a good supple muscle, sinew like wire.”
Heron’s experiences have shaped him and his array of trophies commands respect. He doesn’t mention the accolades but the current crop of pullers are aware of their heritage. Tradition is a silent, yet powerful tool.
Absent from the last Thursday night’s session was current coach, Mickey Bradley. Heron is vexed that his confidant is missing but succinctly acknowledges the added value he brings.
“I got Mickey involved for I couldn’t handle all these young boys myself. Two heads are better than one. We figure out things we get on well together and Mickey can handle them.
UK success arrived back in 2004 and this was inception of a regular trend. It was followed by two silver medals in Europe (2007 and 2013), culminating in a European Gold medal (2015) – the jewel in the crown.
Did Heron feel there was a secret? Not really just hard work and training.
“There are no stars in tug of war. Eight men pulling together with cool heads. You have to train, it’s endurance and when you go out to pull against ten countries, you need to be fit.
“It’s not like football with the ball away at the other end of the pitch. Once he (referee) says pull (Hughie’s loud clap of the hands) everything is asked of you at once and you’re down at it.”
Starved of competition close to home, Bancran have met come serious opponents in Europe, with Spain, Sweden and Switzerland currently the benchmark.
“We beat Spain last year and they said they were ‘disappointed but beat by a better team,’” Heron highlighted.
In September this year the destination is Sweden for the World Championship. “It’ll be tough but we’ll not be far away,” Heron suggests
As the sweat appears on the eighteen brows up in the shed, the noise levels echo against the tin and the effort rises – Sweden is the long term goal. It’s about getting to the next level.
Wales set the soccer world alight with their exploits at the Euros, but Bancran will head to Wales in August for the UK championships. It’s familiar ground with great memories.
“We’ve won it (UK) the last two or three years, in fact I don’t know how many times we’ve won it,” joked Heron.
Himself and Bradley have decisions to make. Getting the balance of the teams to perfection, calculating the weights and keeping everything in control.
Meanwhile the messages will continue to trickle down. Keep cool, hold tight, get the power in the legs. They have walked the walk and with that comes both a respect and a trust. The current team are in safe hands.
But it’s a two way street, give respect and you’ll get respect.
From the early days in Carnamoney to his swansong in Minnesota, Heron has seen it all. Back in the day there was no such thing as a warmup or a cool down but now, with military precision, the last effort of the night is followed by a series of squats.
To the untrained eye, Tug of war is as Heron described it ‘an eejits sport’. A trip to Bancran paints a different picture.
It’s no different to any other. With the conclusion of the warmup, follows a trip up to ‘the loft’ which doubles as a dressing room. Dotted around are chairs, with the various characters changing in their allotted spot. Bancran kitbags scattered across the floor.
Bernard McWilliams (Bouncy) helps the name checks for the press duties. The banter fills the air and the set of electronic scales are well used. Mickey and Hughie need ‘hewn men’ to meet the weight.
The Tyrone contingent don’t let anyone forget their origin. Afterall, many a night Heron had his squad run up to the nearby Tyrone border, all with the bigger picture in mind.
In another corner a discussion starts about one of Eddie Shannon’s cycle races. All run of the mill characteristics defining the dynamic of a sporting team.
A sport with training three times a week is a serious one. All for that four metres. The distance from the mid-point of the rope to the winning mark. Just four metres.
It’s significantly more than that though. With the other team refusing to be denied there is a stalemate. It never lasts any longer that ten minutes though.
Thankfully not. It’s way too intense as Heron explains. “If you’re sitting on a rope for over six or seven minutes it’s a long pull. There is real pressure.”
For all the efforts and successes every team needs to have standards. Traditionally Tug of war would have led to arguments but not on Hughie Heron’s watch. He won’t tolerate it, there is too much at stake.
“Nobody roaring, effing or cursing. Any boys start roaring or cursing, I say ‘there’s the gate.’ You’ll get nothing out of that.”
So there you have it. A snippet from Bancran’s story. From Peter Phadraic (Convery) back in 1965, to the barren years in the 1970s and 1980s. The reinvention of the late 1990s and the ball has been rolling since.
Of the 1998 crop that came knocking on Hughie Heron’s door looking for direction, seven are still on board. The shed still stands and three times a week you can hear ‘pick up the rope’, ‘take the strain’ and the collective groan of competitors pushing each other to the limit.
Sport is special, sport inspires, it creates friendships and in the case of Hughie Heron…..it pulls generations together.
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