Above – Pearl McQuillan cuts the 35th anniversary quiz cake while Cushendun Emmet’s President Denis O’Hara and Oscar winner James Martin looking on.

THIRTY FIVE years of devoted service to staging a weekly quiz for the Cushendun Robert Emmet’s GAC was celebrated in Randal McDonnell’s iconic rivermouth hostelry where Academy Award winner James Martin joined in the special occasion.

It was a unique gathering to salute the Quiz founder Mrs Pearl McQuillan, whose youngest son Rory is the present manager of the Emmet’s senior hurling team.

Many past hurlers attended this milestone ‘do’ – to join in a fabulously successful weekly community gathering that began in 1989

in the much missed Bay Hotel – then owned by Pearl and her late husband Danny, a former Emmet’s player and team manager.

Pearl recalled the Quiz start when proposing the idea during  the hurling club’s AGM..

“Helping me then – and for a further four years as Quizmaster was Club member Barney McKay. In 1999 the Bay Hotel closed down and Randal McDonnell thankfully came to our rescue, offering the use of a room to hold our weekly quiz.

I’m delighted Barney McKay is here for our 35th birthday,- along with the loyal helpers such as Patsy Patterson, Pat Crummey, Felicity Patterson, our ever present Picture Round expert Marie Mort, Music  Round man John O’Kane, a publican from Randalstown. James Martin also helps set the music round tests – while MC and Quizmaster is Emmet’s regular match referee, Paul McSparran.

Many other people stayed with us – including Anona Robertson, who once travelled all the way every Thursday evening from Carrickfergus to attend the Quiz. Other folk always backing the Quiz included Sean McKendry, Brigid Scally -Millar, the McKay brothers – Patrick and James and their wives. Terence McNeill, Jude McNeill, John Delargy. I could go on and on.

I’m not forgetting the very generous support given by the Martin family – Ivan and Suzanne and their very special son James.

Sadly, many great helpers and faithful followers such as former Quizmaster Robert Laverty, Jim and Margaret Jeffers, Betty Allen and Kevin Murray are no longer with us.”

Of course the highlight of the evening was when Oscar winner James Martin helped Pearl and Emmet’s President Denis O’Hara cut a specially designed occasion cake.

Incidentally, Oscar winner James Martin, who is also the official Ambassador to the Corrymeela project at Ballycastle, will receive his MBE honour this upcoming weekend in London.