A dull and wet evening on the last day of April did not dampen the enthusiasm of the County Committee of Antrim GAA as its members, representing the clubs of Antrim, came along to Casement Park for an evening of nostalgia and reflection. As the delegates turned in off the Andersonstown Road entrance, there was already a rekindling of the sense of past glory days. Stewards, many of them experienced hands who have served Antrim GAA on big match days over many years, directed people towards a parking space. Walking towards the meeting point in the Casement Social Club, the hulk of the stand towering overhead, there was an air of the unknown, softened quickly by the hearty and warm welcome from Anne and Maria.
Inside, County Chairperson Seamus McMullan called everyone together, acknowledging all who had enabled the evening to take place. He paid particular tribute to the Social Club Committee and members for their kind hospitality, to John Curly McIlwaine and Mark Sidebottom for assisting with committing the evening to both film and photographic archive, and to Hugh McGettigan who was to deliver a short history lecture and tour.
Hugh, whose late father Sean was one of the main driving forces behind the building of Casemetn Park back in 1953, took to the floor and proceeded to hold all present in enthralment as he brought them from the planning stages, through the fundraising and construction stages, and onto some of the many, many great days and evenings, including recollections of some of the fine Ulster Finals of the era. Innovative fundraising is certainly not a preserve of the modern era GAA – Hugh recalled how concerts were a part of past stadium life, including the hosting of the Dubliners to a capacity crowd in the day.
Having concluded this piece, Hugh led the ensemble on a farewell tour of the current facilities. Underneath the stand, a smell of damp may have replaced the strong aroma of Winter Green that was once the preserve of a big match day around the dressing rooms. Past players such as Dessie Donnelly and James McKeague momentarily brought those days back to life for those present, as they shared memories in conversation. The tea room lights went on, though there was no need for the ‘Tae Pass’, nor confirmation of credentials, to get in on this occasion. Emerging from the building and onto the pitch side, in the shadow of the stand, there was a poignant lowering of tone as people gathered their sense of place and perhaps a fuller realisation of the here and now.
In keeping with the post-match custom of the hey days, proceedings moved into the Casement Social Club. There may have been no Bass, nor perfectly poured pints of Stout on this occasion, though the supper laid on by the Social Club committee was generous and well received. As the County Committee delegates concluded their meeting an hour later, the cars one by one emerged from the grounds and onto the Andersonstown Road. A silent hush fell around the venue once more and County steward of over thirty years, Ray Loughran, moved towards the gates, the last car now gone.
The evening event will be recorded and preserved in the archive of this once majestic grounds. More importantly, it was an evening – like the stadium – that belonged to Antrim GAA.
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