Month / April 2020

by thesaffrongael

Jamsie was amongst the winners in 2011 Volunteer awards

Irish News Club & Volunteer Award Winners 2011

Jamesie McAtamney from Casements GAC, Portglenone was amongst the winners when the THE IRISH NEWS unveiled the winners of their highly contested Irish News Club & Volunteer Awards. The Awards initiative recognizes and rewards GAA Clubs, Schools & Volunteers throughout Ulster for their commitment to Gaelic games and their community irrespective of their playing ability.

Jamesie picked up the Small Club’s Volounteer Award and there can have been few more deserving winners than the Casement’s President who has given sterling service to the club, firstly as a player, later as a referee and in recent times as a committee member and, now as president. Known the width and breadth of Antrim and further afield for his passion for the game and for his wit, Jamesie, as he is fondly known, will be a popular choice amongst fellow Gaels in the county and this Gael is delighted for a man I regard as a friend.

  • 6 May 2011: The Irish News GAA Club and Volunteer Awards, Wellington Park Hotel, Belfast. Picture: Cliff Donaldson

Also amongst the awards was St. Mary’s GAC, Ahoghill, who were winners of the Small Club Award and like Jamesie, worthy winners of the category. A club that draws its membership from a relatively small community, St. Mary’s are a very progressive outfit, both on and off the field and the opening of their new pitch and changing rooms in recent years bares testimony to the hard work that has gone on within the club.

Noel Doran editor Irish News, congratulated all the clubs, schools and volunteers that received awards adding that ‘the Irish News Club & Volunteer awards are tangible proof that our clubs, our volunteers & our schools are indeed the foundation of the GAA.’

He added, ‘the Irish News Club & Volunteer Awards have proven to be overwhelmingly successful as recognition for the hard work of the winning clubs, volunteers and schools. The awards are a great celebration of the vibrant communities that are created by schools, clubs and volunteers right across Ulster.’

Aogan Farrell, Ulster GAA President commented, ‘Comhairle Uladh CLG are delighted to partner the Irish News Club & Volunteer Awards which recognise the work and vision of the GAA grassroots in Ulster. I commend the Irish News on this excellent venture and I would like to congratulate the winning clubs, volunteers and schools.’

Attending the awards at the Wellington Park Hotel was Down football manager James McCartan who offered words of advice and support to the clubs, schools and volunteers attending.

The winning clubs were awarded a £1,000 Irish News development cheque & a £1,000 O’Neills Sportswear voucher.

  • 6 May 2011: The Irish News GAA Club and Volunteer Awards, Wellington Park Hotel, Belfast. Picture: Cliff Donaldson

                                         AWARD RECIPIENTS

SMALL

CLUB AWARD WINNER                  St Mary’s GAC Ahoghill

HIGHLY COMMENDED                Naomh Cholmain Droiman Easa

MEDIUM

CLUB AWARD WINNER                  Killygarry GAA Club

HIGHLY COMMENDED                 Saval

LARGE

CLUB AWARD WINNER                  Cumann Pheadair Naofa

HIGHLY COMMENDED                 Killyclogher St Mary’s Cappagh

URBAN CLUB SPECIAL RECOGNITION CLUB AWARD           

St John Bosco GAC, Newry

 

SMALL

CLUB VOLUNTEER AWARD           James McAtamney

Roger Casement’s GAC

MEDIUM

CLUB VOLUNTEER AWARD           Noreen Keown

St Malachy’s Castlewellan

LARGE

CLUB VOLUNTEER AWARD           John Porter

C.L.G Bun Cranncha

SCHOOL, PRIMARY                        St Brigid’s Primary School, Ballymena

SCHOOL, SECOND LEVEL              St Patrick’s College, Bearnageeha

by thesaffrongael

Rossa shocked Cargin in 1989

In 1989 Rossa caused a major upset when they beat hot favourites Cargin in the Antrim Senior Football Championship at Casement Park. Cargin had beaten league champions St Paul’s and reigning county champions St John’s on the way to the final but were made wait as the other half of the draw was held up because Rossa had five players on the Antrim squad that reached that season’s All Ireland Hurling final. To make matters worse Rossa’s semi-final opponents McDermott’s put a spanner in the works when they drew with Rossa in the semi-final, and the subsequent replay set things back again. If that wasn’t bad enough for the Cargin men, who by this stage were waiting on the sidelines for almost two months, they were then nomintated to go forward as Antrim’s representatives in the Ulster Club Football Championship. Kingscourt of Cavan were their opponents and they lost to the Breffni men, which didn’t help their state of mind by the time thefinal came around.

Former All Star Andy McCallin was their manager at the time and in an inverview after the game he certainly felt the delay between their semi-final and final, plus playing in the Ulster Club Championship, had a major bearing on their performance on the day. Nobody who saw the Rossa men struggle in their semi-final with McDermott’s would have been rushing to the bookies to lay money on them winning another football title, but Rossa are a club with a great football pedigree and they produced the goods on the day to bridge a 16 year gap and take their first title since 1973, and their 12th football title overall.

Rossa captain Gerard ‘Yash’ Armstrong receives the cup from county chairman Oliver Kelly while looing on are county secretary Gerry Barry and match referee John Gough.
This is an interview I did with Rossa full-back Ger Rogan after the game
by thesaffrongael

Paddy Mc Ilvenny R.I.P.

It is with great sadness that we learn of the death of Paddy Mc Ilvenny following a short illness. Paddy ‘Mac’ as he was popularly known joined St Agnes G.A.C. in the early eighties. Previous to that he had won a senior football championship medal with St Teresa’s G.A.C in 1980.

Paddy, a formidable player, was part of a very good St Agnes team, of that era, who historically reached Division 1 of the All County Football league. He went on to become club chairman and a trustee of the club. Other roles followed as South Antrim secretary and then assistant County secretary.

He worked in Casement Social Club as a barman and progressed to become bar manager for many years. As a consequence of his varied roles he was therefore widely known throughout GAA circles and his passing certainly diminishes us all.

Our deepest sympathy goes out to his wife, Christine, sons Martin, Stephen, daughter Carolyn, and his extended family.

Marie Mc Larnon

Paddy is second from left on the front row of this St Agnes in the 1991 All County Junior Football final
by thesaffrongael

Saffron Gael Table Quiz on Facebook

Dunloy table quiz aficionado Vincent ‘Bamber’ Rainey has generously agreed to do a GAA Quiz on Saffron Gael starting next Monday evening at 8pm. So we would ask all you GAA trivia fans to tuned in for the opening night. Format is not finally decided yet but probably be 4 rounds of 10 questions, some general and some specific to the Saffron county of Antrim

The quiz will go out on the Saffron Gael Facebook page

Looking forward to it