A strong tradition
Byrne brothers honoured by Stratford-Grangecon
Stratford-Grangecon
AS far back as most remember, the Byrne family have always being associated with Stratford-Grangecon GAA Club.
Being a player and glories on the field are only a small part of what makes a GAA club.
It’s the people at grass roots level, day in day out, year on year keeping clubs like Stratford-Grangecon going is who they want to recognise with their lifetime achievement awards and three men in particulatar stand out as making outstanding contributions in this area.
Jack Byrne played on the Stratford 1955 Junior team beating a Senior Donard team in a west final before progressing to the county final where they lost out to Ballymoney.
When playing days were over it didn’t mean the end of club days and he continued his commitment through the juveniles of the day, providing numerous transport and support to a whole new generation of players among a few were Joe and Shane O’Neill, Paul and Kieran Byrne.
Jack, now 92 years old, on receiving his award from Intermediate player and juvenile chairperson Joe O’Neill, made a small speech saying he appreciated what the club had done in organising the awards night and that the club was his life.
Jack’s two younger brothers could not but follow in his footsteps and become great contributors to the proud club, Bill Byrne was presented his award by club chairperson Mervyn O’Neill.
Mervyn credited Bill with giving him the opportunity to play football with Stratford, reminiscing how he would bring him to all his matches and how if you had a good game you were the best in the word and if you had a not so good game it was always the referee’s fault.
He noted that if the position of juvenile chairperson exsisted back then he would have been a shoe-in for the job.
The next generations from their household would go on to lead the club to some of their best days, winning championships and reaching Senior status, Jimmy, John, Bill Jnr, Michael and Kieran.
They were all and some are still players and committee members of the Stratford-Grangecon club with the same commitment and hard working ethos and its great now to see their children joining the ranks.
Paddy Byrne, the youngest of the three brothers, played all grades of football in the club from juvenile to adult.
He played in the backs and, typical of the time, put the fear of god in to any forward who had the to misfortune to be marking him.
He had a long playing career and epitomised what it means to be player for a small club with total commitment to training and playing matches.
Again, the next generation in Paddy’s house would go on to provide our club with players winning championships and serving as club officers, team selectors and trainers to this day, Paddy Jnr, Mark and Paul.
When receiving their awards at the club award night in the Inis Fail Hotel Baltinglass last weekend, it was encouraging that despite their age and playing days long gone that their passion and enthusiasm for the club and its future is still infectious. If only we could bottle it.
It was such a proud, inspiring night to be surrounded by people like these and hear their stories, how even now their hearts race waiting on match results and to hear how the club are getting on.
By having a night such as this, hopefully it will show current and future members of the Stratford-Grangecon club what it is like to be apart of the club, the community. How it can be a lifelong commitment and celebration.
No one knows the hours that these men have given to this club except perhaps their wives, children and indeed parents.
As with any club contributors it goes without saying that its always with the huge level of support and help of their families from the mammy to the understanding wives and children that small clubs can be beneficiaries of people’s club spirits such as the Byrne family.
These men have gone on to inspire future generations. When Intermediate captain Eoin O’Neill presented Paddy Byrne with his award he said how growing up, the Byrne family was what they aspired to be, brothers and sons following the tradition of GAA, playing along side one another with passion, comradery and pride in their club.
As the Stratford-Grangecon GAA Club made these presentations and entered these men into the club’s Hall of Fame for 2019, they wish to acknowledge the efforts and dedication of so much of their time to Stratford-Grangecon .
‘Welcome to the Hall of Fame, well and truly deserved.’