‘A year that will go down in the history’

ONE of the loudest cheers at Newcestown GAA club’s victory dinner was reserved for when the four captains, who led various club teams to glory, walked into the banquet hall at the Fernhill House Hotel, holding their spoils of war.

This incredible club captured two unique doubles in 2023 – the county senior A football and hurling titles and the Carbery U21A football and hurling titles. They dominated in their own division, and the county. 

Eoin Collins (senior A hurling), Luke Meade, (senior A football), James Ryan (U21 hurling) and Séamus O’Sullivan (U21 football) were the proud captains who received a hero’s welcome on a night of great celebration.

Guests of honour were Marc Sheehan, ex-chairperson of the county board, and Aidan O’Rourke, chairperson of the Carbery division. 

‘I want to congratulate our senior teams on a year that will go down in the history of the club and can always be looked back on with great pride,’ stated Newcestown clubman O’Rourke. ‘For 2024, Newcestown will be at the top table in hurling and football. It’s absolutely fabulous that Newcestown are leading the way, the only club outside the city that are premier senior in both codes.’ 

With club PRO Mike Minihan doing a marvellous job as fear-an-tí for the night, the crowd was in festive mood, with all the players looking elegant with their special red and yellow bow-ties. 

Winning both county titles and both U21 titles was a wonderful achievement but the huge amount of hard work that had gone into this success both on and off the field was clearly evident from the fact that both the outgoing chairperson Ger O’Donovan and outgoing secretary Donie Keane stepped down at the recent AGM after half a dozen years of trojan work. Both were highly praised by all speakers for their outstanding contribution. 

In his address to the gathering, outgoing chairperson Ger O’Donovan said: ‘This past year has been one of the most joyous occasions we ever had in this club since its foundation. The fact that the bar was set so high this past year means it’s not going to be so easy going forward but I can’t see any reason why we can’t.’

The new chairperson of the club is Seán Dineen and the new secretary is Conor McSweeney.   ‘It is the duty of every club to look forward but for one more night we will bask in the glories of 2023. In years to come, you, the players will look back in time and remember 2023. The club is the players and the players are the club. Thank you for the memories,’ Dineen said.

The new chairman made presentations to the mentors of the senior football and hurling teams. Included were Charlie Wilson, Brian Moloney, Niall O’Sullivan, Seán Twomey and Niall McIntyre (all hurling) and Tim Buckley, Padraig Condon, Eugene Desmond and Kevin Mulcahy (all football). The U21 hurling selectors were Finbarr O’Sullivan, Mícheál McSweeney, Fionn Keane and Cian Healy. The U21 football selectors were Conor Condon, Colm Dinneen, Edmund Kenneally, Daire McAree and Séamus O’Donovan. 

On the night, among the players who received medals were Derek Brady, David Buckley, James Burrows, Cathal Clarke, Eoghan Collins, Podge Collins, Mark Courtney, Colm Dinneen, Dan Flanagan, Conor Goggin, Trevor Horgan, Ciarán Hurley, Cárthach Keane, Fionn Keane, James Kelleher, Gavin Kelleher, Niall Kelly, Eoin Kelly, Edmund Kenneally, Joe Kenneally, Murt Kenneally, Mícheál McSweeney, Darragh McSweeney, Ronan McSweeney, Jack Meade, Luke Meade, Gerard Murphy, Niall Murray, Gearóid O’Donovan, Seán O’Donovan, Colm O’Donovan, Ciarán O’Donovan, Conor O’Neill, Richard O’Sullivan, Cormac O’Sullivan, Séamus O’Sullivan, Robin Sweeney, Cian Twomey, Tadhg Twomey, Olan Walsh, Christopher White, Cathal Wilson, David Barry, Eoin Calnan, JJ Flanagan, Paul Kelly, Tomás Kiely, Eoin McSweeney, Fiachra Ó Donnchadha, Oisín O’Donovan-O’Sullivan, Conor O’Sullivan and James Ryan.