RITA DONS THE JERSEY!

Tributes to Oliver as new Shabra national fundraising drive gets off to flying start

THE LATE, great Oliver Brady’s “Up Monaghan” jersey-wearing routine was given an unexpected re-run at the Shabra Cheltenham Preview held in his memory in the Glencarn Hotel on Tuesday night, when his partner in business and life Rita Shah took it on herself to give his much-loved party piece another run on the stage!

And if she had any jitters prior to going through with it, who better than man-of-the-moment Tommy Bowe to help her whip off the shawl and proudly display the white and blue?

She even went a step further, putting the seal on the performance by shouting out Oliver’s legendary lines: “Ballybay for drinking tae, Monaghan for brandy, And Castleblayney beats them all, for eating sugary candy — Up Monaghan!”

Many poignant tributes were paid to big man, who seemed present in spirit at Tuesday’s packed-house event (see full story on page 6; also more pictures on page 4). ©Rory Geary/The Northern Standard