Friends of Sligo Football
We were delighted to see David Kelly join Charlie Harrison playing for the 2010 All Stars in the warmth of
Kuala Lumpur recently. Having met David’s mum and Dad negotiating the snow in Tubbercurry while he
was away I felt they would not mind being with him. Hopefully next year David will be one of the first 15 All
Stars as clearly he was very near it this year.
We wish James Kearins all the best as he is about to retire from an Garda Siochana. James has had a very
successful career in the force and has been to the fore on some of the biggest crime scenes in the area.
Of course we remember him best for his GAA involvement at club and county level. He was a member
of the great Sligo team, which won the Connaught title in 1975 with his brother Mickey and Des Kerins
they formed a fearsome full forward line. He made his county championship debut against Galway on 10th
June 1973 and had his final championship game against the same opposition 1st June 1986 playing 19
championship games and several League games before there was a back door system. He scored 4 goals
and 19 points in those 19 games. 3 of the goals were against Roscommon. We could have done with him
this year in Castlebar!!
James won a record number of county championships with St Pats. He and his brothers Mickey, Peadar
and Noel formed an integral part of the St Pats team over that period. After his playing days were over he
turned to management at club and subsequently with Sligo and was very unlucky to lose out to an amazing
score from Roscommon goal keeper in a replay in Sligo.
Unfortunately his management came to a close too early and Sligo football took a downturn until rescued a
few years later by another Sligo man Tommy Brehony. We hope James you will continue your involvement
in football and we wish you well in your retirement.
I have written in the past about the involvement of GAA personnel in the local communities – Community
Associations, golf clubs and Amateur drama groups. Last weekend Cloonacool drama group competed
in the All Ireland One Act Festival final in the Mill Theatre in Dundrum shopping centre having made the
journey despite the atrocious weather and put on a superb show. The team included Pat McCarrick as
producer Denis Ross in the leading role and Tom Towey, John McIntyre, and Martin McIntyre as back up
team all stalwarts of the local GAA , Martin’s, Margaret played the leading lady with Geraldine Lundy and
Ray Walsh the other cast members. They made us all proud of their performance s in the capital. Of course
several other GAA people are involved in Drama and musical in Tubbercurry, Coolera, Gurteen, Benada,
Riverstown and St Farnans to name but a few.
We are delighted that the county board is ready to press ahead with the development of the Centre of
excellence. This is a vey ambitious project but crucial to the progress of Sligo football at all levels. From
the moment John Murphy took over the reins as County Chairman he set this and development of under
age football in Sligo among his main targets and he can feel proud of his efforts on both fronts as he hands
over the baton to his successor. Other people played pivotal roles including John Clifford, Michael Leonard,
Tommy Brehony, Peter Greene our own Hugh Cawley and others. It was a difficult task getting the right
property in the right place and most important at the right price when crazy prices were be asked for just a
few years ago. We look forward to see this project develop and see the fruits of these labours for years to
come.
Congratulations to Stephen Gilmartin on receiving a GAA scholarship from NUIG Galway where he is
studying medicine.
Congratulations to Cumann na mBunscol, Sligeach on their winning a number of awards in particular Niamh
Gallagher, who won PR of the year. As often stated here Cumann na mBunscol do trojan work for the
promotion of the GAA particular among our children and I am sure their awards were well merited.