Weeshie Fogarty: an icon of the game at local and national level
‘Refereeing took me from Rathmore to Croke Park...’
THE Dr O’Donoghue Cup, East Kerry Senior Championship, is held in the highest esteem in the District, reflecting the very high regard in which Dr O’Donoghue was held. This is enhanced and maintained by the calibre of players and match officials involved in the championship every year. One such individual being Killarney Legions Weeshie Fogarty, who won a title in 1967 with his club Killarney Legion and went on to referee in 4 Dr O’ Donoghue Cup Finals- 1969, 1974, 1979 and 1983.
Weeshies GAA career spans every aspect of GAA life and is one of enthusiasm and helpfulness to everyone. Everything done at the highest level, from player, match official administrator and PR/radio and printed press- starting at club, progressing through District to County and National level.
Weeshie has an impressive role of honour. Joining his club (Killarney Legion) as a youngster, Weeshie played at underage and Senior with his club and District, winning 3 in a row County Championship titles with East Kerry, in 1968 (as team captain), 1969 and 1970. He also won 2 Munster club SFC titles and an All Irelsnd title (1971) with East Kerry and won an East Kerry Dr O’Donoghue Cup medal in 1967 with his club. Weeshie played at Intercounty level, served as ‘THE O’Donoghue Cup took me on a journey that finished in Croke Park’ is how referee Padraig O’Sullivan from Firies GAA Club described the important role of the East Kerry Board in his career. Since 2004 Padraig has refereed at the highest tier at county, provincial and national level.
He started off his career refereeing U12 games but quickly progressed through the ranks before finally taking charge of the O’Donoghue Cup Final. Padraig jokingly said that if you were able to referee a Gneeveguilla versus Rathmore game back then you were ready for anything.
After refereeing his first O’Donoghue Cup in 2007, Croke club secretary from 1972 to 1976(inclusive) and also progressed to a hugly successful career as referee, at District, County and Inter County levels.
East Kerry were honoured to have Weeshie support the successful Killarney Féile Parade in 2016. He has been recognised as top class radio presenter and comentator, having been awarded National Mc Namee award on a number occasions and was inducted into the GAA Hall of Fame in 2015. A most fitting tribute. Park came calling and within two years he was officiating National League Games at GAA headquarters. But the O’Donoghue Cup was the springboard for success. Padraig also mentions the support he got from those who oversaw refereeing in the East Kerry Board: Dermot Griffin, Tim Ryan, Johnny Brosnan and John Dineen.
“I think there may have been a shortage of referees when I first started,” Padraig said. “Marie Falvey was over Bord na nOg at the time and she asked me to get involved. Later on it was Dermot Griffin, Chairman of the senior board at the time, who got me involved at senior level. The O’Donoghue Cup is a huge competition as you have so many top clubs and players involved. I obviously enjoyed it but it was also a great experience. Starting out in East Kerry was a great platform; it took me from Rathmore to Croke Park.”