Tremendous night in honour of our veteran GAA heroes
CHARLEVILLE’S GAA Centre in Baker’s Road has seen some great nights in recent years but none more so than on last Friday night when the players of yesteryear were honoured for the success they brought to the club in the fifties, when times were tough, conditions were poor, competition was fierce and success was difficult to achieve.
The survivors of the successful minor teams of 1952 and 1957 and the intermediate team of 1958 were present to receive the accolade bestowed on them by today’s club committee, and their star player Darragh Fitzgibbon, who presented mementos of the occasion to each former player.
The big attendance was welcomed by club chairman Mike Keane who read an excerpt from the minutes of a meeting of the 8th May 1950, which told of their annual collection of that year and lauding the local support which the club received, signed by the then chairman, Patrick Crowley. Mr. Keane said that the present Charleville team were the current County and Munster intermediate champions that contested the All-Ireland final in Croke Park last February but failed to the Galway county champions, Oranmore-Maree.
The players who received their mementos were Dave O’Sullivan, Jim Power, Ted Kiely, Neilus Scanlan, Ted O’Sullivan, Gerry Scanlan, Con Morrison. Dermot Mooney, Tim Doughlas and Joe Ryan, all from the minor ranks. The intermediate players were Billy Galligan, Jackie Hanley, Noel Copley, Dave Obrien, Mick Mortell and Kevin Owens.
Kevin Owens senior, speaking on behalf of the group of players thanked the club and the committee for honouring them in this way and bringing together all the former players. “We had heroes such as Danno O’Mahony, Mick O’Toole, Mick Mortell, Mick Kearney, ‘Stockie’ Cronin, who won All-Ireland Junior medals with Cork, or played for Cork, Today, we have the marvellous Darragh Fitzgibbon carrying on that tradition and previous to him other club players,” he said.
He said they were all delighted at the success which the present team had achieved and the pleasure they had given local people through their victories on the field of play since 2010 and the memorable trips to Croke Park. He wished the club continued success into the future.
The MC for the night was Martin O’Connor and he interviewed former Charleville, UCC and Cork County player Mick Mortell on his success. The past President of U.C.C., said he had gone to the Cork college when he was seventeen years of age, was immediately drafted into the college hurling team and helped them win a Fitzgibbon Cup that year, and also played on the college team that won their first ever Cork County final. He said that best player he played against, and with, was the late Christy Ring.
Martin O’Connor also spoke to Ted Kiely and Jerry Scanlan of the minor sides for their recollections of their playing days in the fifties.
The names of the players on all three teams were also read out.
Presentations were also made to the ladies committee that ran the successful ‘Hollywood Comes to Charleville’ fund raising venture which was such an enormous money spinner for the club.