By Elliott West
“It was a dream come true”.
Ken Doherty remembering his 1997 World Championship victory.
Introduction
In the year that the ‘Darlin’ of Dublin’, Ken Doherty celebrates his 25th anniversary of winning the 1997 World Championship, a title that he claimed by beating the likes of Steve Davis and John Higgins along the way and defeating Stephen Hendry 18-12 in the final. In this celebratory year, Ken has been taking in a number of exhibitions across the country and the latest is taking place at the Paddock Wood Social Club in Kent. Organised by Lee Smith and with a supporting cast of his son, Dylan Smith, a National Under-14’s and Kent Under-21’s champion, Colin Gross and Martin Glassett as Masters of Ceremonies, Alisha Lancaster as the night’s walk on girl and Richard Barnicoat as the referee.
Laughter and Entertainment
Having attended several of these exhibitions with Ken, it is always a joy to meet up for a catch-up and to experience the craic of this legendary snooker player. He has been there and got the titles to prove it, a total of 6 ranking and 18 non-ranking titles, not bad for someone who first started out as a programme seller at Goffs and worked with a whole host of snooker household names including Alex Higgins. A player who won the Irish Amateur Championship in 1987 and 1989 and was runner-up in 1985, won the 1989 World Under-21 Amateur Championship, beating Jason Ferguson 11-5 in the final and the 1989 World Amateur Championship.
Doherty is highly respected in snooker and still holds an invitational card on the main tour. A raconteur and brilliant commentator, Ken still loves snooker, it is in his blood and revels in the limelight. An extremely funny person, this Irishman loves to entertain and if you give him a karaoke microphone, you literally have to tear it out of his hands to stop him from singing his favourite songs including Neil Diamond’s classic song, Sweet Caroline.
Either on the snooker table or the golf course, this Dubliner is clearly at home. A firm favourite of the snooker community, Ken has a plethora of talent, even having his own radio show, Dublin’s Talking Sport on Sunshine 106.8 which he co-hosts with Reggie Corrigan every Saturday. On this two hour show, the duo discuss the sports news and as a lifelong Manchester United fan, football always forms part of the conversation.
Still a great snooker player, Ken Doherty lives up to his reputation of being crafty and is still capable of producing the odd shock victory. A player who has always been a high break builder and who is highly focused when in the snooker zone. His smile is definitely put on hold when he plays but he has been known to have numerous jokes with his opponent and the audience to cut the tension.
Afterthoughts
A night with Ken Doherty is always a pleasure. There are plenty of laughs, flowing snooker, drinks and merriment. His exhibitions always leave you exiting an event with a smile and feeling that you have had a brilliant night of entertainment. A man with a generous heart and who write a joke book, Doherty has funny bones and was probably dipped in the same comical solution as Frank Carson.
The exhibition at Paddock Wood Social Club will be a brilliant evening, a place where I recently was lucky enough to spend some time with Cliff Thorburn. Colin Gross and Martin Glassett are always a fantastic side accompaniment to the snooker and although they turn the air blue with some of their jokes, they are guaranteed to do what it says on the side of their tin, to make your ribs ache with laughter and leave your feet tired from dancing when they get involved in the musical entertainment later on. Expect a late finish if you have been lucky enough to get a ticket but I guarantee it will be worth every pound paid.
