WHILE still celebrating their recent epic win in the All-Ireland junior hurling club final, the Killbrittain hurlers, management and their families and friends came together last Sunday morning for a special Thanksgiving Mass in the village, which was also attended by Bishop Fintan Gavin.

It was a special occasion for the victorious hurlers who had also graced the altar late last year when they won the Cork County Final.

Parish priest Fr Pontianus Jaffla – who featured recently in The Southern Star – concelebrated the mass alongside Bishop Gavin.

During the mass, Fr Pontianus brought out his guitar to sing a song of praise too which was warmly received by the congregation and those watching the mass online.

The successful hurling team and management also came up onto the altar with their haul of cups much to the delight of everyone gathered there, while the team captain Philip Wall also spoke on behalf of the victorious team.

Philip thanked Bishop Gavin for coming to Kilbrittain and he also thanked Fr Jaffla for also organising a 7am mass in the church on the Saturday morning before the All-Ireland Club final and for his continued support throughout the year.

‘It probably got us over the line in the end,’ he joked.

He also thanked the parish for their continued support throughout the whole year,

It was also the morning after the team picked up the West Cork sports team of the year at The Southern Star’s West Cork Sports Awards which were held in the Celtic Ross Hotel in Rosscarbery, an award richly deserved for their heroic efforts in winning their first All-Ireland final.

Incidentally, another Kilbrittain local, hammer thrower Nicola Tuthill picked up the overall West Cork Sports Star of the Year at the same event, making it a memorable night for the black and amber of Kilbrittain.

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