Members of the Antrim All Ireland winning team of 1967 who were guests of honour at the Antrim Camogie dinner in the Wild Duck Restaurant in Portglenone.
Front L-R, Mairead Quinn, Catherine Neary (Camogie Association President), Kathleen Kelly, Lily Spence, Lily Scullion, Paula Higgins (representing her mother Marion Kearns), BACK L-R: Mairead Carabine, Mairead Magill, Teresa Kearns, Eileen Collins, Katheleen Woods (Ulster Camogie President)
Over 250 patrons gathered in the Wild Duck Portglenone on Friday evening to celebrate another hugely successful year for under-age camogie in the County. The event was attended by Uachtarán Cumann Camógaíochta nan Gael Catherine Neary and Uachtarán Tofa and Ulster chair Kathleen Woods.
All the domestic league and championship trophies were handed out to the captains of the club teams while the various county under-age squads collected medals won playing in the Saffron and White. During 2017 all the Antrim under-age squads excelled on the fields and picked up provincial or national titles along the way.
The Under 14s won the Ulster A Blitz championship, while the Under 15s won the All-Ireland Blitz, bringing the title to the county for the second time in four seasons.
The Antrim under 16s retained the Ulster championship and only lost the All-Ireland final after taking Laois to a replay. The under 17s were runners up as well in the National blitz, while the Minors retained their Ulster title and also collected a first All-Ireland Minor title for the county since 2010, coming from seven points down at the break to hold Kildare scoreless in the second half of the final and eventually win by a margin of four points.
However the undoubted stars of the evening were the members of the 1967 All-Ireland senior winning team from the county who were the invited guests. This team also won Ulster’s first Senior Gael Linn title the Sunday after the All-Ireland final replay, and a second Gael Linn was not won until 2009!
MC Seamas McAleenan expertly set the scene of how high a profile Antrim camogie enjoyed in the local and national media more than half a century ago when Antrim were contesting All-Ireland finals almost on an annual basis.
They won their first three All-Ireland titles in a row 1945-7 and a member of the 1947 winning team (70 years ago) Lily Spence was also in attendance in the Wild Duck. However from 1948 to 1966 Dublin were to win 18 out of the 19 All-Ireland titles. Antrim beat them in 1956 and for most of that period Antrim were the only county to consistently challenge them either in an All-Ireland semi-final or final. Indeed in a county career that spanned the years from 1950 to 1970, Antrim full-back Moya Forde played in Croke Park in a total of 10 All-Ireland senior finals, as well as the 1967 replay – a record for an Ulster player in any code.
She was one of five members of the 1967 team who had won medals in 1956 as well. Goalkeeper Teresa Kearns-Cassidy told the gathering about playing in her first All-Ireland final at the tender age of 14 and about having the same defenders in front of her for most of her nine finals – Moya Forde, Ethna Dougan and Maeve Gilroy, while forward Marion Kearns was also winning her second medal in ’67.
Seamas also interviewed team captain Sue Ward-Cashman, the great Máiréad McAtamney-Magill who was selected at midfield on the Camogie team of the century, Máiréad Quinn-Diamond and goal-scoring sensation Lily Scullion who was to join the Cisterians after her camogie career ended and become Sr Lily Scullion. The two Máiréads soldiered on with Antrim through to 1979 when they were part of the county’s sixth All-Ireland senior winning team, with Máiréad McAtamney captaining that team. All these ladies contributed to an informative, inspirational and humorous journey down memory lane.
There were also contributions from “jersey-grabbers” Laurence Diamond and Patsy Cassidy, the latter reading a poem that he had written to honour the team in following the victory celebrations.
Uachtarán Catherine Neary then made a special presentation to members of the team on behalf of the Antrim Board.
1 – Imelda McLeod presents Cargin with the Under 12 B League trophies
2 – Imelda McLeod presents the Under 14 trophies to A winners Dunloy B winners Cargin and C winners St Enda’s
3 – Imelda McLeod presents the Under 16A to Loughgiel and B to Portglenone
4 – Imelda McLeod presents the Senior League Divisions, 1, 2 and 3 to Loughgiel
5 – County chairperson Julia McMullan presents the Feile Skills award to Orla Convery of Portgleone
6 – Julia McMullan presents the Feile A trophy to Aine Magill of Dunloy and the B trophy to Aiobhinn McCloskey of Portglenone
7 – Ulster President Kathleen Woods presented the Under 14 championship trophies to Aine Magill of Dunloy (A), Nayana Chauhan of Creggan (B) and Tara Cullen of St Enda’s (C)
8 – Kathleen Woods presented the Under 16 A championship trophy to Megan McGarry of Loughgiel and the B trophy to Laura McAleese of Portglenone
9 – Kathleen Woods presented the Minor A cup to Caoimhe Wright of Ballycastle and the Minor B Cup to Cameron McGaughey of Tir na nÓg, Randalstown.
10 – Camogie Association President Catherine Neary presents the Junior Championship Cup to Jessica Rush of Dunloy
11 – 12 – Camogie Association President Catherine Neary presents the Intermediate Shield to Naimh Hamill of St John’s
12 – Camogie Association President Catherine Neary presents the Intermediate Championship Cup to Eimear McGarry of Loughgiel
13 – Camogie Association President Catherine Neary presents the Senior Championship Cup to Emma McFadden of Loughgiel
14 – Camogie Association President Catherine Neary presents the Under 14 Blitz Championship Cup to Antrim team captain Riana McBride
15 – Camogie Association President Catherine Neary presents the Under 15 Blitz trophy to Antrim vice-captain Maria Mooney
16 – Camogie Association President Catherine Neary presents the Under 16 Ulster Championship winners trophy and All Ireland runners-up to Antrim team captain Emma McAreavy of Tir na nÓg
17 – Kathleen Woods presents the Under 16 Most Promising Player award to Roisin McCormick of Loughgiel Shamrocks
18 – Kathleen Woods presents the Club Person of the Year award to James Burleigh of Carnlough
19 – Kathleen Woods presents the Club of the Year award to Catherine Graham of St Mary’s Ahoghill
20 – Kathleen Woods presents the Minor Player of the Year award to Caoimhe Wright of Ballycastle
21 – County chairperson Julia McMullan makes a special presentation to Antrim camogie legend Lilly Spence
22 – County chairperson Julia McMullan makes a special presentation to President elect Kathleen Woods
23 – County chairperson Julia McMullan makes a special presentation to Camogie Association President Catherine Neary
24 – Vice-chairperson Imelda McLeod presents the winning prize for the Development draw and raffle to Naimh Martin of Randalstown who accepted on behalf of her mum.
