and so had to appear in a borrowed pair.
The bout was a hectic one. Hoey encouraged by the roar of his followers and a large contigent of the Dublin jarveys put up one of the finest performances of his career. It appears that the Dublin jarveys were only too eager to see Rafferty defeated as they had lost a packet of money sometime prior to this bout by Rafferty defeating one of their "fancies" in the Phoenix park. The encouragement heartened Hoey so much that he performed wonders on this occasion. As the bout proceeded without a fall on either side both the participants became excited and it developed from a highly scientific exhibition of wrestling into one of rough tactics. In the end Hoey won winning the first and third falls Rafferty won the second fall. When the affair had ended Rafferty repaired to a neighbouring stream to wash his blood stained skins which may informant told me looked "like raw beef steaks" they were so badly mutilated.
Hoey victory was short lived as in a return bout at the "Thatch" Rafferty won.
Although long past his pime Hoey took the ring in the Theatre Royal Dublin against Hackeuschmidt the then world's champion and rendered a good account of himself in the exhibition.
Hoey was very popular with the Dublin "fans" and often appeared in bouts on the nine acres Phoenix Park with marked success.