FOOTBALL FANS FROM Cork are blue in the face from telling outsiders that they’re saying it wrongly, so one can only wonder how sick Conor Hourihane must be of hearing his surname butchered over the past decade by people from Sunderland, Barnsley, Birmingham and, of course, Dublin.
The West Cork man will make his Premier League debut with Aston Villa this season at the age of 28, having already made his international breakthrough over the last couple of years.
But where staunch Rebel Des Curran started the movement in the gantry for eir Sport during Ireland’s 1-0 friendly defeat to Iceland on 28 March 2017, before RTÉ’s George Hamilton — famed for his consummate delivery of even the most exotic names, ‘Hourihane’ obviously being one of them — brought it to the Irish masses, many of their altogether less cultured British counterparts are still making a total bags of the midfielder’s name.
And so, ahead of his big break in the English top flight, Hourihane has decided to take a stand once and for all.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live Sport — surely among the chief culprits where such botchery is concerned — the Villa star provided a handy set of instructions as to how to say his surname.
'People have been getting it wrong for 10 years!'@ConorHourihane has set a challenge to commentators this season.
— BBC 5 Live Sport (@5liveSport) August 2, 2019
Over to you @BBCMOTD 👀🎙
A special #AVFC podcast 👇
📲⚽ https://t.co/5pe0a7PiBt pic.twitter.com/mrKNPVK7rS
“No, it’s ‘How-rih-han’,” Hourihane said, immediately dismissing two alternative suggestions made by his BBC interviewer.
How. H-O… Pronounce it like a ‘W’, like — like, ‘How are ya’. How-rih-han.
“It’s not ‘Hoo-ri-han’ — everyone says ‘Hoo-rih-han’ — it’s ‘How’. How. How-rih-han.”
His interviewer seemingly still somewhat sceptical — as if the letters ‘O’ and ‘U’ simply can’t be combined to make such a sound — or soond, as he might well pronoonce it — Hourihane then offered a final incentive to the BBC and commentators across Britain:
“It’s been the same for, obviously, years and years — 10 years since I’ve been in England — so if you change it, I’ll buy you a bottle of wine or something.”
One can only hope his Hou-to guide will travel through the grapevine.
Very lazy choice for coach of the year Hansens a good coach but Schmidt was magnificent
Ya your dead right! Never mind the blacks breaking the world record of any team for consecutive wins throw in southern nations championship win and where they are now…. Very lazy choice!
Subjective awards are meaningless anyway.
@phillipryan did the AB not just equal the record cause they drew 12-12 with oz when they lookin to break it?
Don’t loose too much sleep he was never going to get it
If he goes though the 6 nations and the world cup the way he has gone through the last 3 games he’ll get it next year .
Should do! His all round performances have been superb and and his place kicking has improved quite a lot. If he keeps this form coming into the six nations and world cup then he is surely in with a shout.
Fancy that. A man from New Zealand named player of the year. A Cinderella story, if ever there was one.
Nothing worth getting upset over.
If sexton was from the south he would of won. Irb prefer to award anyone who plays down south
He wouldn’t have been my winner! Savea or Le Roux would have gotten it off me
Never heard of him
John if you’ve never heard of Retallick you obviously don’t know or watch the fantastic game that is Rugby Union. Well deserved. Maybe watch a game or two and you might be qualified to comment then champ.
It may be a long shot, but if Murray keeps up his form, I’d stick a few quid on him for next year.
If an ape coached NZ they’d still win, and the ape would get coach of the year. Although that’s more or less what’s currently happening. They’re about to be toppled in the next year, far to many close games and a shambles at fly half to maintain their supremacy going forward.
No disrespect to apes meant by the way, I just don’t think they’re coaching material. Although I’m sure they’d make a monkey out of me.
Apparently Joe isn’t even the radar in New Zealand….. Maybe we should be thankful the sign him up to a 10 year contract.
Shame on them if they’re not considering him!
I’m not being bitter but I find it very hard that southern and northern players are put in same category cus lets be honest they hardly play each other and its very mindset in both spheres probably fair if they spit them (exulting Rwc years)
Wouldn’t say bod would have been overly impressed if he did get it!
Hard luck Johnny