St malachys set to celebrate golden jubilee
Fifty years a-growing, St Malachy’s GAA club are set to celebrate the golden jubilee of their foundation today Friday, October 3.
In a distinguished contribution to Westmeath GAA, St Malachy’s have enjoyed great success on the playing field, alongside the cultural side of the association, in Scór.
Founded in 1964 by Joe Clarke and Seamus Casey, the club adopted the Down colours of red and black and initially they competed at juvenile level before fielding their first adult teams in 1969.
Twelve months on, the club’s junior footballers, led by former county chairman, Séamus Ó Faoláin, annexed the county championship and five years later St Malachy’s captured the intermediate title.
This heralded their entry into the senior ranks and it was to signal a glorious period in the club’s proud history, with successive Feis Cups won before the pinnacle was reached in 1981 – victory in the Senior Football Championship – when a one-point victory over Athlone led to unprecedented celebrations.
Unfortunately, that was to be the stellar moment as appearances in the 1982, ’83 and ’85 finals yielded no silverware. The club experienced a dip in fortunes, including a spell at intermediate level in the late ’90s and again two years ago.
Initially, St Malachy’s fielded as a single club but in 1994 a partnership was forged with Ballinagore and success followed at U16, minor and U21 levels.
St Malachy’s have also tasted success on the national stage at Scór, with Mary Garvin, Sean Fallon and Edward Bouabbse capturing the All-Ireland Scór na nÓg question time title.
All in all the people of Dysart and Castletown-Geoghegan have a rich Gaelic past and great tales will no doubt be told when former and current members meet up on Friday night for a celebration.
The evening will commence with a football match featuring schoolchildren from Dysart and Loughnavalley taking on the combined Castletown-Geoghegan and Ballinagore schools at 5.30pm.
A lot of memorabilia will be on display in the dressing rooms after the game before recently ordained Rev Ciaran Clarke, a son of founder member, Joe Clarke celebrates Mass in the club grounds.
There will be a strong club input to the ceremony. The Prayers of the Faithful will be recited by winning club captains, the readings will be undertaken by Jimmy Hackett, captain of the first team to win a title in 1967, and Mary Garvin, a member of the successful Scór na nÓg team.
The offerings will see Larry Hackett, Seamus McLoughlin and Johnny Hannify present the Johnny Garvin Perpetual Trophy, Tommy Lowry and Alan Mangan will represent players who went on to play with Leinster, Joe Clarke, Tommy Nally and Mattie Corcoran will present a copy of the 1970 side while Maura Clarke and Michaela Hogg will bring up the John Cowley Perpetual Cup.
During the Communion reflection, Sean Casey’s address will focus on the connection between the club and the west of Ireland, from where many of those associated with St Malachy’s came.
Throughout the Mass, Leinster Scór winner Kathryn Nea will be lending musical accompaniment.
Immediately after the Mass, will be offering refreshments on the club grounds when no doubt stories of glories past will abound.