Pitch perfect dedication to ‘The Bossman’
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Noel Doyne, Ciaran and Pauline Williams, Mags Carter, Lisa Coleman and David Buckley walking the Glenidan Hour as part of the 24 hour walkathon at the Lough Lene Gales grounds.Image 2 of 14
Enjoying the last rays of sunshine on their stint in the 24 hour walkathon are Mary Duffy, Teresa Murtagh and Olive Murtagh.Image 3 of 14
The under 10s enjoyed cheering on the evening walkers at the Lough Lene Gale 24 hour walkathonImage 4 of 14
Sean Kavanagh, Tom Nolan, Callum Williams and Emmett Devine supervising the work preparing for the Lough Lene Gaels funday.Image 5 of 14
The Murtaghs; Sarah Louise with her cousin Aoibhinn and her sister Grace were helping prepare the memorial wall and cheering on the walkers at the Lough Lene Gaels.Image 6 of 14
The Devine family have a close association with hurling and camogie in North Westmeath and Sheila, Odhran, RÍona, Erin, Emmet and Ronan were enjoying the late evening sunshine and helping get their pitch ready for the funday.Image 7 of 14
Johnny Keating and Teresa Murtagh.Image 8 of 14
Frank Nugent with his grandchildren Emmet and Ronan.Image 9 of 14
Sheila Devine, Camogie chair, with Brendan Higgins and Joe Potter, current and former chair Lough Lene Gaels.Image 10 of 14
Margaret O’Donnell, Mary Mortimer, Chrissie Murtagh, Maura Carty, Teres Doyle and Gene O’Donnell who was the captain of the 75/76 senior team at the Lough Lene Gaels.Image 11 of 14
Orla Gallagher and her daughter Clodagh preparing hundreds of small candles ready for the Lough Lene Gaels memorial hour that was part of the clubs 24 hour walkathon.Image 12 of 14
Sean Doyne, Valerie Buckley, Mary Doyle and Jean McNicholas walking the Glenidan hour. Membership of the Lough Lene Gaels extends as far as areas outside Castlepollard, Fore, Drumcree, Glenidan and up towards Crookedwood and Delvin.Image 13 of 14
Barry O’Donnell and Fr Carley, the new parish priest, Collinstown Fore, and new neighbour of the club. “I am delighted to be a part of this occasion,” the Milltownpass man told the Westmeath Examiner, “it’s great to see local people gathering for this great occasion.”Image 14 of 14
Darragh Gallagher, Noel Doyne, Martin Griffin, Noel Smith, Ciaran Williams and Cathal Murtagh at the Lough Lene Gaels Fun day.The potential of a talented young person shines so brightly, it lights up the whole community. They begin to sense the opportunities that are ahead of them, the wins life will have in store for them. The whole community begins to share in their aspirations as they share the journey towards glory days.
And when that young person dies, the loss harrows deeply across the community and the pain of that young person never getting to live their great life is something that is always regretted by the people who wanted it so badly for them.
‘The Bossman’, Darren Mortimer (21) was one such special person. He was on the brink of greatness. He belonged to an extraordinary cohort of young players that would go on to secure three in a row wins for their club. A golden era for the Lough Lene Gaels and a group of young hurlers that passed into local legend as the best team the club ever produced. They were faithful in their commitment to training and hungry to compete and win. These were all great players, but everyone who knew Darren described him as exceptional.
On Saturday last, at 3pm, following a blessing of the pitch by new parish priest, Fr Carley, the second pitch was dedicated to Darren as tributes were paid to the young man by Noel Briody, his mentor, and lovely words were delivered by both Brendan Higgins, Lough Lene Gaels chairman, and Frank Mescal, the county hurling chairman.
They began with Brendan Higgins, who stressed the important work done by both clubs, the hurling and the camogie, to raise significant funds for the improvement of both pitches. Brendan did not know Darren, having moved into the area after his passing, but he knew of him so often was his name and talent the topic of conversation.
"Eighteen months ago we had a meeting," Brendan told the gathering, "where we discussed naming the pitch in memory and we came up with seven or eight names, all deserving to have the honour. But when it came down to it, there was one clear winner. Darren was just coming to his prime in the late ‘90s when he was tragically killed in a car accident. Dying at such a young age was an immense loss to his family and his community. And he was of Mortimer and Doyne Stock, families who have always been supportive of the clubs here, and we deeply appreciate it and would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their support."
Giving as fresh an account of the young hurler as if he was only lost yesterday was his coach and mentor Noel Briody. "Darren was a stepson really, when mine were not at home they could all be found together in Mortimers or up in Murtaghs. He was such a loveable young one man and he was not beyond challenging me either.
"I remember in one game I asked him to play the position of wing half back; he said to me ‘Noel, I am a centre back, why are you playing me at wing half back?’. So I explained to him that he had the physical strength and drive and that they have men to mark you but they won’t know where you are.
"Sure enough, he got the ball into his possession and he surged forward with it and got the score. And he turned around from the score to us, Bernie (Connaty) and Johnno (O’Farrell) and he gave us the thumbs up and ran on.
"Not a week goes by that I don’t think about him," continued Noel, "there are a lot of people here today that knew him, that played with him. They will say the same he was a great young man. This is a sad and joyful occasion honouring a special individual and also his team which won three in a row and we are proud of this club, it is a great club; we are still the only club in Ireland to have won a minor and senior on the same day."
County need to follow clubs’ example
Frank Mescal, county chairman, praised the club, commenting that all too often pitches were named after old men and that it was important to recognise the focus of youth in clubs.
"County are chasing north Westmeath hurling clubs in terms of first class facilities for players. What Lough Lene Gaels have built out here is first class and they are to be commended. County need to follow the example being set by this club and clubs across north Westmeath about the standards they are aiming to set and the facilities they are aiming to build."
Family and Friends
After the pitch was formally blessed by new parish priest, Fr Carley, a stone inscribed ‘Welcome to the Darren Mortimer Memorial Pitch’ was unveiled and Darren’s mother and father, teammates and daughter Ashleigh were all present.