KEN DOHERTY: 

International Snooker Player  - World Champion 1997 

Born in Holles Street Hospital Dublin in 1969, one of a family of four, the young Ken attended Westland Row Christian Brothers School. It was during these early formative years that the first seeds of a glittering career were firmly planted. "I was given my first snooker cue at the age of ten, but I wasn't allowed into 'Jason's', so I had to wait for my older brother to bring me on Sundays" he recalls. "There were loads of kids  there, pool tables, space invaders machines -- it was a cool place to be."

Although the youngster was clearly becoming more accomplished with each game, as a thirteen-year-old school-going child, he could obviously ill afford to spend all his pocket money on the table -- and this is where the intervention of the owners made a difference. "They approached the manager, Andy Collins, who still works here and agreed to give me free play every day; then they began to sponsor me in a local tournament, the Irish U.16 senior league. Without their support, I would never have adapted or developed" he says, deep gratitude plainly evident in his voice." 

From those amateur competition and hours of disciplined practice, ("sometimes by the sunlight because I had no money!") Ken Doherty and his now escalating loyal team of supporters, strove to make it into the highly competitive arena of professional snooker, a journey which was to see him leave behind the security of a close-knit community and venture out into the unknown. 

From the isolation of his own flat and the major struggle in climbing in the rankings, the earnest Ken accepted a job at Goffs, a move which was to place him that little bit closer to his revered heroes. "I worked in Goffs as an usher and it gave me a great insight, I got to meet all the players....and I always dreamt of being a great player."  

Yet the rocky road to success was not uneventful and along the way there were many obstacles and hurdles to overcome -- at such times the day when he would finally raise the world championship trophy in front of an exuberant audience seemed an unattainable dream. "Yes, I got frustrated" he admits, momentarily immersed in those difficult times again. "Especially the year I didn't qualify for automatic professional status....I had to wait for another year...I threw my cue under the bed and said I never wanted to see it again!"

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(C) Ogma Consultants 2002

(c) Audrey Healy 2001/2002