Billy Carpenter, aged 93, is a former president of the Irish Hockey Union and the Munster Branch, an international umpire of yesteryear and the doyen of Cork Harlequins. The club's second astroturf pitch at Farmer's Cross has been dedicated to him.

The club was originally formed in 1925 by the female staff of GW Dowden, a drapery store in Patrick Street, and some male hockey enthusiasts were invited to link up with them. Carpenter joined Harlequins from Maryville in 1933. An inside forward "quick on the rebound," he captained the side which lost in a replay to Railway Union in the 1938 Irish Senior Cup final.

Membership: Six men's teams, six women's teams and veterans, plus approximately 300 junior members.

Status: One of the strongest, most social and progressive clubs in the country - but have not won any major national trophies (have lost four men's Irish Senior Cup finals and also reached four Junior Cup finals).

Recent honours: Men: Munster Senior League winners, 198990 and 1990-91; Munster Senior Cup, 1989 and '91. Represented Ireland (as runners-up to Lisnagarvey) in the European Cup Winners' Cup in Holland in 1991.

Women: Munster Senior League, 1990-91 and 1997-98; Munster Senior Cup, 1989, '92, '96, '97, '98.

Carpenter's finest hours: Being elected president of the club in 1956; the opening of Harlequins's permanent pavilion and grounds in September 1970, and umpiring the Holland-Ireland international (3-2) in Amsterdam in 1965.

Worst moment: When Harlequins were renting various grounds in the 1950s, we turned up for a match one Saturday and found the pitch had been ploughed.

Club's outstanding figures: To name one would mean naming dozens, especially behind the scenes - everyone had been marvellous. You could mention, though, two of our 12 internationals (mostly from the present era), Ivan Bateman and Sarah Kelleher.

Greatest rivals: Cork C of I, no doubt about that.