Adopted Corkonians

5th May 2008

Adopted Corkonians
Danny Elbow

Adopted Corkonians form an important part of the county's reputation. Here are a select few who have pledged allegiance to the People's Republic and never looked back…

Flatley: hawkish but sound

Michael Flatley
He's flamboyant and well-groomed but the Irish American dancer's career began in the humble environs of the Eurovision's interval entertainment. Adding flare and bravado to Irish dancing that would have had Eamon De Valera turning in his grave, he subsequently toured the world with the new Riverdance package before concocting his own Lord of the Dance spin-off which saw him become one of the country's biggest entertainment successes.

The people of Fermoy raised a few eyebrows when Flatley decided the People's Republic would be the best place for his posh pad. A town which had little more than sandbags and heavy N8 traffic to show off was delighted to play host to Flatley's wedding and subsequent nest building. Publically declaring his love for the area has won him favour with locals although hopes of cameo appearances at the town's SG1 nightclub never materialised.

Larry Tompkins
The voice of the last man to lift the Sam Maguire trophy in a Cork jersey may have taken the younger generation by surprised last year when speaking on national radio in the run up to the semi-final clash with Meath.

A veteran of a series of notorious bruising clashes with Meath footballers in the late eighties and early nineties, Tompkins was sought after by countless radio stations to reminisce about the good ol' days in the build up to the game which saw the Royal county collapse under a monstrous Rebel onslaught.

The Kildare drawl can still be heard poking out from his adopted Cork accent - much to the frustration of the Lilly Whites who missed out on his impeccable free taking and dictatorship of Cork's midfield. Now, with his name emblazoned on one of Cork's better known GAA pubs, and Rebel flags and memorabilia adorning its walls, Larry is clearly comfortable with his adopted nationality.

Bishop: learned Irish in 11 months

Des Bishop
The New Yorker was sent to boarding college in Wexford by his parents and when he first emerged on the national comedy scene in the nineties, citizens from Ireland's south eastern corner naively rushed to claim the comic as their own. Sadly for a county bereft of talent in any sphere, Corkonians were quick to point out that it was the comedian's latter years in Cork setting up comedy clubs that defined him.

Putting any doubts to bed, Bishop finally drew closure to the issue when he appeared on the Late Late Show decked out in a Cork jersey two days before an All Ireland final. His passport to the People's Republic was posted the following Monday.

Kevin Doyle
With Bishop's declaration of loyalty to Cork on national television, Wexfordonians could feel justified in their frustration at the defection of another they had thought to be their own. Although never publicly stating that he was resigning his yellow belly citizenship, Kevin Doyle's nurturing at Cork City FC and subsequent call up from Steve Staunton had him sitting opposite Pat Kenny before Wexford's population had barely recovered from Bishopgate.

When asked by the plank about his time in Dublin with St. Pats he didn't hide his distain for the Free State's capital, the thought of its grime and gridlock contorted the Reading striker's face until his interviewer mentioned the Rebel Army.

Glowing reports of good times and warm friendly people had the anti-Cork brigade reaching for the remote to hide from The Truth but Corkonians understood the well worded message only too well.

Doyle's form at the forefront of the Irish attack has been putting serious pressure on captain and Tallaghtfornian Robbie Keane, who despite playing in the UK for almost his entire career, has been shown a few lessons by the adopted Cork man.

Dan Murray: doesn't do April fools

Dan Murray
It is said that the Cork City FC captain sleeps with one eye open and half a leg sticking out of the bed "just in case". Nothing gets past big Dan who followed John O'Flynn from Peterborough Untied on loan in 2002. A year later Liam Murphy signed him and in 2005 he captained the infamous league winning side on the last night of the old Shed (all bow in silence for three seconds at this point).

Without a shadow of a doubt, the number one defender in the Eircom League, Dan lets nobody fool him. In fact, while the rest of us leave out February 29th on our calendars, Dan chooses to leave out April 1st instead. He really has no time for fools.

When others only shine against minnows, Dan is also the classic "big game" player, scoring two notable European goals - one against Malmo in the 2004 Intertoto Cup and one against Apollon Limassol in the Champions League two years later. Despite bearing a name that wouldn't sound out of place in any Cork GAA team, Dan's English accent often takes people by surprise. Don't be fooled though this fella had his PROC citizenship in the bag a long time ago.

A youthful Prendeville - news anchor at South Coast radio.

Neil Prendevillle
Born, Edole Umbuko, in Nigeria in 1962 Neil Prendeville arrived in Cork seeking asylum as a refugee on the Inis Fallon in the early eighties. Making his name as a DJ in Lagos's afro-beat scene he fled the country on a blow-up bed after a row over advertising and airplay with one of the country's best known musical exports, Fela Kuti.

Spotted by the Inis Fallon's crew, drifting north towards Dublin a few miles from the Tusker Rock, the Cork captain, plucked the grateful DJ from the treacherous seas and brought him straight to Cork prison by the vinyl enthusiasts own request. There he formed a musical group with fellow inmates Wyclef Jean and Lauren Hill.

A disagreement and subsequent split about how the plight of refugees worldwide could be best highlighted, left Niall at the centre of the local radio scene while Wyclef and the old doll, formed s group called The Fugees, and concentrated their efforts on delivering the message through song and phrases like "one time".

Now a respected authority on fine wines, a purveyor of anecdotal evidence of immigrant invasions and an advocate of Flor Griffin's latest bargains, Neil is here to stay. Despite his reputation as "dat langer on de radio" and a reluctance to increase the decade-long cash call competition prize in line with inflation, his morning chat show on 96FM still rips up the ratings and shoves them up your cranky Cork hole.