Cavan Gaels Newsletter - Feb 2017

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CAVAN GAELS GAA

NEWSLETTER ISSUE 20 FEBRUARY 2017

Fáilte is fiche chuig eagráin mhí feabhra, an céad eagráin 2017. Ádh mór ar an gCoiste nua agus ar an gCathaoirleach nua, Máire Nic Cárthaigh, ar an mbealach rompu. San eagrán seo tá féachaint siar ar imeachtaí an Chumainn le déanaí agus tá píosa deas faoi Louis Blessing. Bain sult as.

A word from our new Chair With the promise of Spring in the air, we are looking forward to the new season ahead. It will be great to see Terry Coyle full of life and activity over the coming months. To see so many of our members participate is encouraging and bodes well for the future. We are very committed to the Healthy Club Project and the promotion of health and wellbeing in our local community. Our Circuit Training which takes place three times a week is just one example of our Club being open to all.

For me personally, it is a great honour to serve as Chair of Cavan Gaels GAA. My father, Mick McCarthy, would undoubtedly have had a few words of wisdom to impart. He had a passionate interest in our Club and its future development. The proud tradition of the Club is very much in the minds of all our members. We look forward to the challenges 2017 will bring. A warm welcome to Jason Reilly who takes the helm of our Senior Team. Last year was in many ways a challenging year, we know that Jason’s track record and his enthusiasm combined with the talent and dedication of our panel means 2017 will be an exciting year.

Our Clubrooms provide a great focal point for gathering, celebrations and Club activities. We are now into the second year of the Clubrooms being open and clearly they are a huge asset to the Club. The refurbishment of the old dressing room into a Members Gym is almost complete and I would like to acknowledge the huge effort by so many Club members in achieving this.

JJ summed it up perfectly “Ní neart go cur le Chéile”.

By Mary McCarthy

Picture above at the Club A.G.M. on December 18th 2016, is the newly elected Cavan Gaels Executive Committee.

Front row l to r: Sophie Graham (Ladies Football Chairperson), Louis Blessing (Secretary), Jimmy Sheridan (Club President), Mary McCarthy (Chairperson), Michael Sexton (Vice Chairman), Seamus Bennett (Treasurer), Anne Fortune (Culture Officer).

Back row l to r: Niall O Riordan (Asst. Secretary), John Fortune, Michael Mooney, Greg Meehan (P.R.O.), John Smith (Registrar), Pádraic Kavanagh (Insurance Officer), Mickey Lyng (Players Rep.), Joe Johnston (Asst. Treasurer). Missing from pic: Seamus McConnon (Development Officer/Fundraising), Brian McDonald (Underage Chairman), Mary Keniry-Ferncombe (Camogie Chairperson).

FEBRUARY February is regarded by many as the first month of Spring although the weather doesn’t usually agree. It is the shortest month at 28 days and it gets an extra day each leap year to keep us up to speed with the seasons.

February takes its name from the Roman month of Februarius which featured Februa, a purification ritual at the start of Spring:- early spring cleaning! The 1st of February is now the Christian day of St. Brigid although an older festival called Imbolg was observed by our pagan ancestors.

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santa visits terry coyle park A big thank you to Santa and all of his helpers for his visit to Terry Coyle Park on December 10th. A great day was had by everyone who attended, young and old! Thank you to Joey Mc Donald for the excellent snaps also (more on our facebook page).

st. stephen’s day 7-a-side Massive thanks to all 81 players who took part and to those who helped in any way to make our 2nd Annual St. Stephen’s Day 7-a-side such an enjoyable event. Thanks also to Ciaran Murray for the photos below (more on our facebook page).

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camogie

seanfhocal

Camogie training begins in February.

Dates will be finalised and posted to our Facebook page soon!

“An té nach bhfuil láidir, ní foláir dó bheith glic.”

He who is not strong, has to be clever.

NEW club GYM Our old dressing rooms are currently being transformed into a new gym for the club. Work is being carried out, voluntarily, by senior players, past players and a number of others. A special mention goes to Bernie Quinn, Aidan Fortune, Cormac Nelligan and Johnny Farrelly, to name but a few. Check out the Cavan Gaels facebook page for photographs of our progress. We hope to have this exciting project completed by mid February.

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PLAYER Profile EVAAN FORTUNE Name: Evaan Fortune

DOB: 2nd December 1997

Height: 6’ 1”

Favourite food: A Chinese every now and again is nice.

Honours: • U14 Feile County Champions

• U15 Og Sport

• U16 Gerry Reilly Tournament 2014

• U17 Damien Reid Cup 2016

• U21 Div 2 Championship 2016 What is your outstanding memory from your GAA career to date?

Winning the Gerry Reilly Cup in Oldcastle, we beat Dublin which was great.

If you could revisit one moment from your career and change it, which moment would you choose and why?

I’d revisit the U16 Semi Final v Belturbet. It was a very close game and we could have won it.

Who was your toughest opponent?

Conor Smith from Killygarry is a tough opponent, He is so fast and very difficult to mark.

What’s the most you have ever scored in one game?

I scored 1-2 against Laragh at midfield, but I don’t usually score as I play in the backs.

What 3 people, dead or alive, would you invite to a dinner party?

I’d ask JJ Reilly, Mickey Harte and my granmother Ena Fortune (unfortunately I never got to meet her).

What would you like to change about your game?

Speed – need to be faster!

What are you hobbies and interest outside GAA Basketball & Handball Whats the best piece of advice you ever received?

Finbar Reilly (St. Pats) said to me once; “stop yawning in training”. Never forgot that….

Whats your favourite GAA memory?

The Kerry Mayo All Ireland semi final replay in 2014 was enjoyable.

Who is the best hurler and footballer you have ever seen?

Joe Canning is a brilliant Hurler and Keith Higgins from Mayo is a very good footballer.

TORNADOES (3-6 year old boys & girls) Our TORNADOES will restart on Saturday, February 11th.

For more information - please contact Coaching Development Officer; John Fortune on 0876196002.

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louis blessing

BY PADDY REILLY THIS ARTICLE IS PRIMARILY ABOUT LOUIS BLESSING (CAVAN SLASHERS), THE LATE FATHER OF OUR CLUB SECRETARY LOUIS. HE PLAYED ON THE FIRST CAVAN TEAM TO WIN THE ALL IRELAND FOOTBALL FINAL IN 1933. BUT BEFORE THAT I WANT TO GIVE A BRIEF REPORT ON HOW FOOTBALL IN CAVAN WAS PROGRESSING UP TO THE 1920’S. The GAA was founded at a meeting In Hayes’s Hotel Thurles on November 1st 1884. In its early years it made slow progress but a number of things held it back. The GAA’s over involvement in the country’s political goings-on prevented it from developing. Also, particularly in its initial years, it was associated too much with fighting and an over indulgence in alcohol. For all of these reasons, the Catholic Church which had a tremendous influence on people at that time, spoke openly against the GAA. In the early years of the GAA in county Cavan, many clubs were formed, some did not last too long but often reformed a few years later under a different name. In the 1890’s, very little football was played around the county. In the early 1900’s more and more clubs were established but a committee to organise meaningful competitions for the clubs was lacking.

In March 1903, a new county committee for Cavan GAA was set up. John F O’Hanlon, editor of the Anglo Celt (grandfather of Johnny O’Hanlon) was Chairman, Paddy O’Reilly (Atbara) was Secretary and Joe Smith (father of the late Hughie Smith who was Secretary of Cavan Co. Board GAA from 1937 until 1974) was Treasurer. These men were all members of Cavan Slashers. This committee decided to use the Showgrounds, then the home grounds of Cavan Slashers as the official playing field for all Cavan’s home games and county finals until a better venue became available. This did not happen until Breifne Park was opened in 1923.

Between 1903 and 1927 Cavan won 10 Ulster Senior football titles but did not appear in one senior All Ireland final. Cavan people were getting frustrated and wondered what the reasons were for this. The general feeling was that all Ulster teams had an inferiority complex when opposed by southern county teams and that they had a lower level of skill and fitness than their southern counterparts.

A letter into the Anglo Celt around this time had the following sentence ‘’ to expect Cavan to win the All Ireland is like expecting a cart-horse to win the Derby’’.

The opening of Breifne Park in 1923 gave Cavan players the first opportunity to play on a full sized pitch and it was noticeable how quickly skill levels improved. Also, collective training for county senior teams who won the Ulster final was introduced in the 1920’s in order to prepare them properly for the forthcoming All Ireland Semi Final. All of these initiatives would have helped to improve the skill and fitness levels of players.

Cavan’s first All Ireland football title was at Junior level. The 1927 All Ireland Junior football final, which was not played until June 1928, was won by Cavan who defeated Kildare by one point in Breifne Park, 0-7 to 1-3. Tom Crowe (Cavan Slashers), grandfather of Enda and Brian Crowe (referee), was full back on that team. Later in the year, Cavan reached the All Ireland Senior final for the first time. Unfortunately, they lost by a solitary point to Kildare, 2-6 to 2-5 under controversial circumstances. Seemingly, Kildare’s second goal scored near the end of the final was thrown into the net but was allowed. This 1928 final saw the Sam Maguire Cup being presented for the very first time. Cavan people had to wait until 1933 when we won our first Senior football All Ireland final, defeating Galway 2-5 to 1-4.

LOUIS BLESSING (1910-1989) Louis played full forward on Cavan’s first All Ireland winning team in 1933. Also on that team was the very skillful Terry Coyle, after whom our club grounds is called, Jack Smallhorne,,who in the 1960’s joined Cavan Gaels and was a volunteer at our weekly bingo for a period and Sonny Magee who in later years transferred to Cavan Slashers with whom he would win a Cavan Senior Championship medal in 1941. One of the substitutes on that famous day was Tom Crowe.

Louis won his second All Ireland medal in 1935 when Cavan defeated Kildare, 3-6 to 2-5.

A substitute on that team was Eugene Finnegan from Mountnugent, an uncle of our own Philip Finnegan.

Louis played in a third final, the controversial All Ireland of 1937 against Kerry. The drawn game (Cavan 1-8, Kerry 2-5), had a farcical ending. Paddy Boylan (Cavan Slashers) thought that he had scored the winning point for Cavan in the last attack of the game.

Cavan supporters thronged onto the field and some left the ground assuming Cavan had won. Even the radio commentator told the nation that Cavan had won by a point.

In fact what happened was that the referee had interpreted Paddy Boylan’s hand-pass as a throw and so gave a free out which was the last play of the game. The replay took place three weeks later with Kerry the victors, 4-4 to 1-7. Kerry adopted a more robust approach this time which obviously paid off.

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However, Cavan supporters had the satisfaction of seeing their minor players win the county’s Minor All Ireland title for the first time, defeating Wexford 1-11 to 1-5. This game was the curtain raiser to the Cavan v Kerry drawn game. For good measure, Cavan retained the All Ireland Minor title in 1938 when they got the better of Kerry, with the score 3-3 to 0-8. John Johnston, grandfather of Seanie, was a substitute in 1937 and played full forward on the 1938 team. The famous Willie Doonan played at right full back on the 1938 team.

Louis Blessing played in his usual full forward position in the All Ireland Semi Final of 1934 for Cavan against Galway which was played in Tuam. What made this game so unique was the fact that about 20,000 people turned up at the pitch in Tuam which had no banking and scarcely accommodation for 8,000 spectators. As a result, the barrier around the field collapsed and the crowd swarmed onto the pitch. The game took just over two hours to complete. The referee had to stop play on at least five occasions in order to move spectators back as close as possible to the sidelines and endlines. Jack Smallhorne, Cavan’s left half forward on the day, is quoted in later years as saying “I took a sideline throw with at least thirty spectators between me and the nearest Cavan player Sonny Magee”.

The final score was Galway 1-8, Cavan 0-8. In the dying moments of that game, Cavan had a final chance to equalise when Louis Blessing was pulled down in the square but MJ Magee failed to convert the penalty.

Louis Blessing (Jr), in a recent conversation with me, said he remembered his father telling him that all the players were of the opinion that irrespective of the result, the game would be replayed, given the chaos which prevailed with so many spectators encroaching on the playing area, through no fault of their own. But no replay took place. Central Council awarded the game to Galway as per original result, despite an objection by Cavan.

This shambolic All Ireland Semi Final of 1934 in Tuam Co. Galway between Cavan and Galway has gone down in GAA folklore as the “THE TUAM FIASCO”.

Louis Blessing made three trips with the Cavan team to the USA—1934, 1936 and 1938. On each trip, a number of exhibition games were played and usually two games against New York, the first and last with about 40,000 spectators in attendance. The games against New York were always very robust, sometimes bordering on the reckless.

(left) Cavan “Slashers” GFC (Senior) County Champions 1931. Back L-R: E.Ronan, Owen Fay, Joe Fagan, Maurice Brady, Johnny Walsh, Terry Coyle, Paddy Colleran, Louis Blessing. Middle: E. Smyth (Pres.), Sean Farrelly, Paddy Flynn, Tom Crow, Jack(JJ) Clarke(Capt.), John Molloy, Larry Farrelly, Tommy ‘Tight’ Smyth, Paddy Duffy. Front: Danny Smyth, Paddy Boylan, Eddie McCormack (Sec.), Louis Mallon.

In summary, Louis’s county career spanned from 1930 to 1938, winning seven consecutive Ulster Senior Championship medals (1931-1937). He played in three All Ireland Senior finals-1933, 1935 and 1937, winning two (1933 and 1935) and losing one (1937).

Louis hailed from Cootehill where he won his first competitive medal, an Under 16 Championship one, with the local Celtics in 1926. In the same year, the 16 year old lad from Cootehill came to Cavan town to work in the Central Bar, Upper Main Street. He joined Cavan Slashers and played with them from 1928 until he retired from football in 1938 because of a persistent knee injury, at 28 years of age.

0n the club scene, he played for Cavan Slashers in five county Senior Championship finals and the opposition team in all of these finals was Cornafean. He won two finals -1930, 1931 and lost three-1929, 1933, 1936.

In 1943, Louis was a selector on the Cavan senior team that reached the All Ireland final. And without prior notice, he gave the talk to the players in the dressing room before that final in the absence of the Chairman, MJ Magee.

In the early 1950’s, he was Vice-Chairman of the Breifne Park Development Committee which raised finance and planned improved facilities in Breifne Park for players and spectators alike. At the re-opening of the grounds on June 8th 1952, Kerry defeated Cavan, 1-7 to 0-5. No one watching Cavan on that day would have predicted an All Ireland Final victory for Cavan a few months later.

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Given that Louis was only about 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighed about 11½ st., he was very strong and was a great ball-winner, a vital attribute in any good forward line. He was a very skilful player with the ability to kick equally well off either foot and he was the essence of unselfishness. Though not known as a prolific scorer, he bagged many vital goals, none more so than the two that he scored against Mayo in the All Ireland Semi Final of 1937, which Cavan won by a solitary point.

In 1945, Louis Blessing bought a premises on Lower Main Street and set up a grocery and pub business there. The name “ Blessing’s” is still over the shop but the family no longer owns it. In the same year, Louis married Cissie Reilly from Drumcrow, Corlismore who had worked in Sullivan’s grocery shop which was situated next to the Poor Clare’s Convent building on the northern side.

Patrick and Louis (Jr), sons of Louis and Cissie Blessing, both played for Cavan Gaels for many years. Patrick captained Cavan Gaels to win the 1971 Senior League and won a Senior Championship medal in 1975. He also won the Minor League and Championship double with the club in 1967 as well as a Minor Championship medal in 1968. As goalkeeper he represented the county at Minor, Under 21 and Senior levels.

Louis (Jr.), now in his third consecutive year as Secretary of Cavan Gaels, won two Senior Championship medals in 1975 and 1978 and a Senior League medal in 1976. Unfortunately, Louis just like his father before him, had to retire from football relatively young, due to a serious knee injury. Louis’s son Fearghal has continued the Blessing link on the playing fields with Cavan Gaels up until the present time. So far in his football life he has won an Under 12 League (2002), Under 14 League and Championship doubles (2004 and 2006), two Minor Doubles (2007, 2008), an Under 21 Championship (2012) and one Senior Championship (2014).

THE CONVENT FIRE In the early hours of February 24th 1943, thirty five young girls and one elderly lay woman died in a fire which started in the laundry section on the ground floor of the Poor Clare Convent but spread very quickly to the top floor where the dormitories of the Orphanage of St Joseph were situated, facing onto Main St. Around this time, in a room at the back of Sullivan’s grocery shop which was located next to the convent building were a group of people just about to finish their game of cards. Louis Blessing and his future wife Cissy Reilly were two of the card players. They were the first people to notice the fire and raised the alarm. Immediately, some locals tried to gain access through the front door but it was locked. When the Cavan fire brigade arrived, their ladders weren’t long enough to reach the top floor. Also, all the children were instructed to congregate in the dormitories.

Louis Blessing contacted Mattie Hand, an ESB employee who lived locally. Mattie had access to longer ladders which could just about reach the top floor. Showing great bravery, Louis succeeded in saving the lives of five of the children, using the ESB ladders, while the fire raged on front of him. Louis and many other locals did their best in the circumstances and were lauded for the courage shown in adversity by a Tribunal which was set up by the government to investigate the cause of the fire and why so many lives were lost.

(left) An old photo of Main St. with the Convent spire in the centre. (right) The long procession of hearses makes its way to Cullies Cemetary.

Recently, Cavan’s outstanding music group, The Highstool Prophets produced a brilliant CD. One of the songs on it is an original piece called “THE ORPHANAGE”. It tells the sad story of the Cavan Convent fire in February 1943 and is sung beautifully by one of our own Gaels players, Kevin Meehan.

Louis was awarded the Cavan GAA Hall of Fame Award for 1986 to honour his contribution to Cavan football as a very valued member of those famous Cavan teams that won the All Ireland Senior Football final for the first time in 1933 again in 1935.

Louis Blessing died in October 1989.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a ainm dílis.

By Paddy Reilly

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THE jj reilly MEMORIAL cup The JJ Reilly Cup was kindly sponsored by St Patrick’s College Cavan to honour JJ’s trojan work for over thirty years (1975-2007) as a GAA coach and mentor in the school. The new cup was presented for the first time on December 19 th 2016 when Drumragh Integrated College, Omagh defeated StJohn’s College, Drumore in the final of the Ulster Schools under 16½ football division 5.

Incidentally, the winning side created a bit of history on that day as they were the first school from the Integrated (Multidenominational) sector to win a provincial schools title.

Picture shows Paddy Reilly presenting the JJ Reilly Cup to the captain of the Drumragh Integrated College Omagh who won the Ulster Schools Under 16½ Division 5 final recently. Also in the picture are Eugene and Haulie Reilly. (photo: Rory Cox)

Cavan Ladies presentation night

Cavan Ladies held a presentation night in Arva recently for underage county teams 2016. Pictured are the U14 and Minor squads which include Gaels players; Niamh McCorry & Hannah McHugh.

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Pictured on a recent outing to Croke Park, in partnership with Positive Age and Cavan Gaels Healthy Club Initiative are: Liam Cooke, Teddy and Pauline McCormack, Fr. Michael Cooke, Phil Murray, Paddy Reilly, Paddy Murray, Philly Clarke, Jackie Sheridan, Jimmy Fay, Peter Kelly, and Martin Clarke.

ULSTER GAA CLUB training Over 150 volunteers from clubs across Ulster attended the Club Induction Award training in Holy Trinity College Cookstown on January 7th. Training was provided for delegates on all of the key roles & responsibilities in our clubs. Pictured below-right are Gaels Executive Committe members; Mary McCarthy, John Fortune, Anne Fortune and Greg Meehan.

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FLASHBACK

Minor Championship 1991 Final in Breffni Park. Cavan Gaels team which defeated Bailieborough Shamrocks after a replay.

Back row l to r: Paul Kinsella, Charlie Noonan, Sean Barry, Mark Leddy, Eddie Johnston, Mark Gillick, James Doonan, Tomás Gormley.

Middle row: Enda Crowe, Johnny Graham, Barry Hanrahan, Colin Sheridan (Captain), Damian Johnston, Michael Wall, Patrick Graham. Front row: Micháel Collins, Davy Noonan, Niall O’Riordan, Philip McMahon, Dessie Galligan, Joey McDonald, Mickey Graham, Mark Greaney, Declan O’Donnell.

Please send any “Flashback” photos you may have to beccah@campus.ie

GAELS STORK Congratulations to Barry and Lisa Crowe on the birth of their daughter Eirin in January!

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GAELS AROUND THE WORLD Niall O’Riordan at the PDC World Darts Championship Final at Alexandra Palace in London.

Condolences Anne McDonald, Carrickane.

club merchandise Our club merchandise is available to buy in The Sports Shop, Main St. Cavan.

Official club merchandise is also available for purchase online at: www.oneills.com/shop-by-team/gaa/ireland/cavan-gaels-gaeil-an-chabhain.html

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••••• CLUB BINGO ••••• EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT @ THE OZANAM CENTRE, RIVER ST. CAVAN

Childrens Officer: Michael Mooney 087-643-5901 Designated Liaison Person: Mary McCarthy 087-233-6925 --Thank you to all our readers and contributors. Please continue to give us constructive feedback, it is much appreciated.

From the Newsletter Team Rebecca, John, Ann Marie & Greg

13 FEBRUARY 2017 ISSUE 20

my gaels xv cormac neligan I know that there are a few players that are out of their natural position, but I had to include them. Gavin Duffy was a great half back but played equally well at half forward when called upon. Anthony Forde also played most of his career at half back, but played in many positions for the club.

Sean Johnston

Mickey Graham

Martin Dunne

Gavin Duffy

Mícheál Lyng

Anthony Forde

Enda King

Cathal Collins

Karol Crotty

Eamonn Reilly

James Doonan

Shane McGlade

Darren Rabbitt

Barry Fortune

Eoghan Elliott ISSUE 20 FEBRUARY 2017 14