Myles Cullen Appreciation
Myles’ contribution to the club in it’s early years is immeasurable, as Nick Davis recalls following his passing in 2007:
The death has taken place of Myles Cullen one of Liffey Valley’s founding members and the clubs first Chairman.
Myles’ contribution to the club in its early years is immeasurable as he was fund raiser in chief when the clubhouse was being renovated. Football coupons, raffles and the “All Priests Show” were among his many forays into fund raising.
“There has to be at least ten lads who will give us a lend of a hundred quid” was how he described to this writer one of his many good ideas when we were short of the inevitable “few quid” as we sought to rebuild the clubhouse . More than ten generous souls were parted from their “100 quid”, quite a substantial sum in the mid seventies and what began as an extension ended up as a total rebuild. Many of those whose generosity was utilised never saw the loan repaid but in the words of the legendary Myles “sure they don’t need it.”
Liffey Valley was first mooted in Myles’ house in a conversation between Myles and Jim Davis over a few Pint Bottles of Guinness for whom Myles worked. Myles knew every pub in the country through his work. On one of our early trips to Cork for the National Road Relays he organized a few sandwiches in The Glochamorra Inn on the main Dublin Cork road outside Fermoy. Upon arrival we found three large tables full of sandwiches. “I told the woman of the house that there was a crowd of hungry Dublin lads coming down. She must have killed a pig” was how he explained the load of sandwiches.
Myles sat in at the back of the long runs on Sunday’s and he would have what he called an “armchair run” code for sitting in and taking it easy. Marathon Running was his specialty long before it became popular when it was a lonely occupation with sparsely populated roads and only a few club mates for support.
Cycling and GAA were his other main interests and he was a HILL 16 regular and he could be found holding court on a high stool in Lowes Bar in Dolphins Barn.
Myles the quintessential Dubliner emigrated to Castleconnell in Limerick but kept up to date with all Liffey Valley happenings
Those of us who had the pleasure of working with him in the early years of the club will remember him for his enthusiasm for making Liffey Valley a club that would enjoy running and compete well cherishing all runners in equal measure.