Na Piarsaigh/Blackrock CLG 40th Anniversary Dinner Dance

n a pI ar S a IGH 1993 Lou TH Jun I or FooT ba LL C H a M p I on S back row (l to r): Ciaran Tobin, Joey Drumgoole, Damien Shields, pete Drumgoole, Gerry Stewart, patrick Hearty, barry McGill, Marc Wynne; front: paul Smyth, peter begley, Eugene burns, pierce Craven, andrew McCourt (mascot), Kenny Sullivan, Davy boland and paul Sharkey.

NA PIARSAIGH were founded on 27th November 1982 as a Gaelic football club for the rapidly growing Holy Family Parish area. Fr. Vincent Duffy was the driving force behind the formation of the club and the club grounds situated on the Blackrock Road, are officially named Pairc an tAthair Ui Dubhaigh in honour of Fr. Vincy. The clubs first game was a challenge match against Stabannon Parnells played on the 30th January 1983. The purchase of land and a house “Cox’s” on the Blackrock Road which is now the club grounds was approved at an EGM of the club held in Bay Estate School on May 6th 1984.

The club first major champi- onship success arrived in 1993, with an against the odds Junior Championship victory over Glyde Rangers on a score line of 2-6 to 0-10, at Haggardstown, with this winning team to be honoured at the 40th Anniversary Dinner Dance on 18th February in the Fairways Hotel. The club progressed from strength to strength over the years and added another Junior Championship in 2002 following a 0-13 to 1-8 victory over town rivals Dowdallshill. Barry Magill acted as captain for the team and he was joined by Gerry Stewart, Kenny Sullivan, Paul Smith and Eugene Burns as surviving members of the 1993 Junior Championship win. As two clubs with common histories, Na Piarsaigh CPG and Blackrock Camogie and Hurling Club, both of whom were setup and established from scratch to provide access to kids in their area to play the games, and to do it with their friends, while representing their community; formed an alliance in recent years, culminating in the 2 clubs merging to form Na Piarsaigh-Blackrock CLG in January 2022.

The 40th Anniversary Dinner Dance will be the first formal social event for the club since the club merger and will be a great opportunity for club members long-standing and new to celebrate the club’s history and look forward to future successes both on and off the field.