The underage hurling presentation took place on Thursday November 24th, in the Donegal GAA Centre in Convoy. Well done to all the young hurlers from every club that participated in this year’s leagues and championships. In particular, comhghairdeas to the six clubs whose teams are honoured this evening, to Geraldine Diver for the pictures and to Manus O’Donnell for the history of the cups.
The Presentations include:
- Corn Cuimhneacháin Domhnall Ó Cuilinn (Minor A Champ), to St Eunans.
- Corn Cuimhneacháin J P Ó Brolcháín (U15A Champ), to Sean MacCumhaills
- Corn Cuimhneacháin Liam Ó Maoláin (U13A Champ), to Carndonagh
- Tadhg Culbert Memorial Cup Minor B Championship to Carndonagh
- Pat Butler Memorial Cup U15B Championship to St Eunans
- U13B Championship to Burt
- Pearse Callaghan Memorial Shield to Carndonagh (U17A League)
- Jude Campbell Memorial Shield to Sean MacCumhaill (U15A League)
- Seamus McCormack Memorial Shield to Sean MacCumhaills (U13A League)
- U17B League winners, Sean MacCumhaills
- U15B League winners, St Eunans
- U13B league winners, Aodh Ruadh
- U13C winners, Buncrana
Manus Ó’Dómhnaill writes below on the history to the various Cups.
Corn Cuimhneachain Domhnall Ó’Cuilinn
I first met Danny in the early 1980’s, when I took up a teaching post in Saint Mura’s N.S., Tooban. Danny was the driving force behind the formation of the Setanta Hurling Club in Killygordon. He was delighted that another Hurling School/Club was being formed in the County. He was a great support to me at the time, in helping to organise schools and club games. He also helped to set up the Minor Hurling Board in 1982.
I have great memories of playing games on the old hilly pitch in Donaghmore, I had to coach my teams on how to Jab or Roll Lift, while playing down the hill. Eugene McGee the former manager of the Offaly All Ireland winning team in 1982 and a fellow student with Danny in UCD, wrote about Danny’s love of hurling in an article about Gaelic Games in Donegal.
Danny’s legacy lives on in Killygordon and in Donegal. His family continue to promote and nurture our ancient games of hurling/camogie, which are played in the Setanta Hurling Club and Markievicz Camogie Club and in Dromore N.S.
My last time to speak to Danny was a number of years ago, when he came to the Donegal GAA Training Centre in Convoy, to watch an under age County Team training.
Tadhg Culbert Cup
Tadhg was a member of Naomh Adhamhnáin CLG in Letterkenny. A native of County Tipperary, ‘The Premier County’. Tadhg helped to nurture a love of our ancient game of hurling in the ‘Cathedral Town’.
Corn Cuimhneachain JP Ó Brolacháin
I first met JP in the late 70’s when his fellow Carndonagh hurler, Albert Doherty arranged a game between Carndonagh and the hurling club from the New University of Ulster Coleraine, in O’Doherty Park, Carndonagh. I also played against him with Na Magha CLG Doire in the 1980’s. JP was a committed Gael, a hurler, a referee and a proud Carndonagh GAA clubman.
He was delighted, when his son Sean, who was a member of the Donegal Under 16 Hurling Team, brought the first ever, All Ireland Hurling Title to Donegal in 1987. They defeated Sligo in the Special All Ireland Championship Final, on wet August day in Fr.Tierney Park, Ballyshannon.
JP was a talented actor and played in a number of Drama Groups in Carndonagh and also appeared in the film ‘Bloody Sunday’.
Corn Cuimhneachain Liam Ó Maoláin
Liam won a Senior Hurling Championship Medal in 1955, he was a Hurler, Gaelic Games Coach and a GAA Administrator. Liam was Mr. Hurling in Donegal Town and a proud member of the Four Masters GAA Club. I first met Liam in 1982, he was the first Chairperson of the Donegal Minor Hurling Board
and he was a great and mentor to me.
Liam was very passionate about our ancient game and he spent countless hours coaching and attending hurling games throughout the County. Liam has the unique distinction of being Chairperson of the Donegal Minor Board, when the Under 21 Footballers, won the first All Ireland Football Championship in 1982 and he was Chairperson of the Minor Hurling Board in 1987, when the Under 16 Hurlers won the Special All Ireland Title.
Liam and I had many’s a discussion regarding hurling, he was in inspiration to us all with his enthusiasm and commitment to our games. His wonderful legacy lives on in Four Masters.
Pat Butler Memorial Cup
I first met Pat when playing a hurling game against Aodh Ruadh, Pat was their goalkeeper. Hewas a great Limerick Gael and he continued playing into his fifties. Pat loved the game of hurling and his legacy lives on today in Ballyshannon. I am sure he’s smiling down on us, with the success the Limerick hurlers have had in the past number of years.
Pearse Callaghan Memorial Shield
Pearse was a member of the famous ‘Callaghan Hurling Clan’ from Burt. He represented Burt, Donegal and Ulster with pride. He was the holder of numerous county medals. He told me, that he scored the first point in Croke Park, when he made his debut for Ulster, in the Railway Cup and he was honoured to have played against Christy Ring of Cork, Jimmy Doyle of Tipperary and Eddie Kehir of Kilkenny.
Pearse was a lifelong member of the Burt club and he was one of the ‘Lotto Counters’ for the club lotto, every Tuesday night. Pearse never missed an All Ireland Hurling Final. He was also an avid GAA Programme and GAA Memorabilia Collector.
Jude Campbell Memorial Shield
I first played against Jude in May 1979, when Burt were playing the New University of Ulster Coleraine in a Derry Senior Hurling League game, at Templemore Sports Complex in Derry City.
Jude had a long career with Burt and Donegal, he won numerous county medals with Burt. He also won an Ulster Junior Championship Medal, with Donegal in 1972.
He was a great servant to the club, as a player, mentor and a coach. He coached many under age teams for the club and he also coached numerous boys and girls in Saint Aengus N.S., Bridgend, for over 20 years.
Jude’s hurling legacy lives on in the club and county, as his son Niall has also been a great servant to Burt and the Donegal County Team.
Seamus McCormack
Seamus was a great hurling man and he worked tirelessly to promote our ancient game in the Sean MacCumhaill’s Club, Ballybofey. His other great passion was Scór Sinsir and Scór na nÓg. His hard work paid off, with Sean MacCumhaill’s winning Junior and Intermediate Championship Titles and they also won Corn na Mumhan, the Donegal Senior Championship in 2010 and 2016.
Seamus was also a founder member of the Minor Hurling Board in 1982 and he was Vice Chairperson of the Board for a long number of years. At our meetings Seamus always kept me right.
He was also a member of the ‘Management Teams’ of a number of under age county teams. He was very proud, when Donegal won the ‘Special Minor’ All Ireland Tiitle, in Bee Park, Manorhamilton in 1991.
Seamus was very particular about looking after the county kit and if a jersey went missing, he made sure it was found. I remember one Saturday coming back on the bus from a game in Brewster Park, Enniskillen, Seamus fell asleep and of course a jersey or two went missing.
By Sinéad Breen Donegal PRO Sat 26th Nov
