1976

Officers for 1976

President- Bro. Mark

Vice President- Fr. Richard Phelan C.C.

Chairperson- Denis Wall

Vice Chairperson- John Cuddy, John Costigan

Secretary- Christy Phelan

Assistant Secretary- Paudge Collier

Treasurer- Oliver Dunne

Assistant Treasurer- Christy Phelan

Committee - Billy Doocey, Jack Bergin, Jimmy Hanlon, Mick Peters, Tom Breen, Joe Kelly, Tom Finlay, Joe Wall, Tom Ferns, Jimmy Cuddy

Senior Captain- Tom Palmer

Vice Captain- PJ Dunne

U21 Captain- Joe Kelly

Vice Captain- Fint Palmer

Selection Committee- Joe Wall, John Cuddy, Jim Hooban, Jas Bergin, Pat Killeen, Kieran Dunphy, Percy Phelan, Jimmy Hanlon

Secretary's Report 1976

Mr. Chairman,

It gives me pleasure to present to you the third Secretary's Report of your club. My past two reports were bright ones due to winning of the Junior and Intermediate Championships but 1976 saw a halt to our championship winnings and we failed to get on to the honours list. However, the year under view, despite our championship defeats was a good one and hectic at times both on the pitch and later at the board meetings. 

I will give you a brief rundown on some of the 23 games played during the year under review. 

In the Senior Hurling League we played 3 of the 6 teams in the group, losing to Ballyfin and Mountrath and beating the 1975 champions Clonaslee in a thrilling game at O' Moore Park but the official in charge of this game did not see eye to eye with some of our players and as a result of his report some of the players were put out of bounds for three months and deprived the club of their services against Clonad in the Senior Championship and our 3 in a row ambitions failed. 

It was general opinion that had the team that beat Clonaslee been available we would have at least reached the Co. Final. 

In the Junior B Hurling Competitions, in the league we had two defeats from Cullohill and Ballacolla and a walkover from Errill. In the Championship we received a walkover from Borris in the first round but fell to Ballinakill at the second hurdle. 

Our Minor Hurling team assisted by a few outside players were unlucky losers to Clonaslee by 0-12 to 2-4 in the first round. Here again the man with the whistle did not favour us. This is one championship that with a little luck could have been won. 

In the U21 Championship we had what was considered a good team but Abbeyleix proved the better side winning on the score 9-5 to 6-4. 

Our Junior Football team gave us plenty of excitement both on the playing pitch and in the board rooms. Having drawn with Mountrath 2-4 to 0-7 in the first game but we lost the replay 0-9 to 0-5 but we lodged an objection and won it but Clonad pipped us in the Quarter Final 2-4 to 2-3 but we were short practically half the team which had played in the earlier rounds. I have no doubts we would have won this grade had all been available. 

We completed a number of tournament games. Our best success was the winning of the O' Donoghue Cup and Plaque when we fielded practically a parish team. This goes to show that if we had a united parish team we could hold our own with the best in Laois, and maybe Leinster- the same as our neighbours Camross did recently.

We also played a number of challenge games and I consider the game with Limerick Champions South Liberties the most outstanding of all played and I consider that the return game should be arranged as soon as possible.

Our juvenile teams playing as a parish unit won the U12 County Final and also two other competitions. To Bro. Mark and his committee we offer our congratulations because on these boys our hopes for the future depends. 

We are still without a dressing rooms in the local park but I am glad to report that for the first time an effort was made to raise finance for this purpose and perhaps a little effort by all this year will have this problem realized. A building of some description is a must in the field and I personally am not in agreement with some members of the committee to build a big structure unless we get some financial windfall from some source unknown to us yet. 

There were twelve committee meetings and two general meetings held since our last AGM and all were well attended. There were 3 buffet dances and the presentation dinner dance held in Borris in Ossory, and this coupled with 23 games played shows you that despite what you might say, about your officers and committee it makes the year a busy one. 

Your selection committee of eight plus Chairman plus Captain is in my opinion a bit big. I would suggest five members only selected at this meeting and give them full power for this year for selection of all teams and let them take no dictation from the Chairman or Secretary or anybody else. 

I would like at this stage to pay tribute to my Assistant Secretary Paudge Collier for the amount of work he did for me during the year, and his recent appointment as Hurling Board Secretary proved this. We wish him every success in his new post. He and his family came to our assistance when we had a catering problem during the year and to him and his family we say thanks. 

I would like to thank the members who gave us use of their premises to hold meetings during the year and to those who supplied free transport to matches and to board meetings in Stradbally and Portlaoise. 

Thanks is also due to Frank Doheny, Joe Dunne and others for getting the playing pitch in order for matches. 

I would like to thank our Treasurer Olly Dunne for looking after our finances- a big problem with rising costs and a limited source of income. 

No report would be complete without a word of thanks to our outgoing Chairman, Mr. Denis Wall. There were times during the year when we did not see eye to eye on matters, but in his capacity as Chairman he is excellent and it is not his fault that we did not win more trophies during the year. 

In conclusion I appeal to everyone to elect officers and committee of your choice. Let us make a unified effort with no petty arguments among the officers or players. What our neighbours Camross can do so can "The Village". Let our motto for 1977 be "United we stand, Divided we fall". 

I will conclude wishing you all every happiness in your homes, in your work and on the GAA fields in 1977. 

    Christy Phelan

    Secretary

Other Events during 1976

Delegates selected to attend Hurling Board Meetings- Denis Wall, Christy Phelan and John Cuddy

Delegates selected to attend Football Board Meetings- John Cuddy, Mick Peters and Percy Phelan

Delegates to attend County Convention- Denis Wall, John Cuddy, Billy Doocey, Paudge Collier

Over 250 attended Presentation Dinner Dance in the Leix County Hotel on February 27th 1976. Attendees included Mr & Mrs Seán Ramsbottom, Mr Tom Cushion, Mr William Brennan, Mr & Mrs Michael Delaney, Mr & Mrs Denis Phelan, Fr. R Phelan C.C., Mr. Jas Rankins and representatives of Durrow GAA Club. 

The Hetherington Cup was presented to Fint Palmer by Mr. Seán Ramsbottom and the Intermediate medals by Fr. R. Phelan C.C.

The following selection committees were put in charge of teams;

Minor & U21- Denis Wall, Mick Peters and Percy Phelan

Junior B Hurling- Paudge Collier, Tom Ferns, Joe Wall and Jimmy Hanlon

Junior Football- Percy Phelan, Tom Deegan and Jimmy Hanlon

A finance committee was selected, comprising of the following; Billy Coss, Tom Palmer, Denis O' Gorman, Paddy Killeen, Bernie Ferns and Paudge Collier who would act as Secretary. 

Joe Dunne and Frank Doheny volunteered to look after the playing field. Tim Dunne was the appointed first aid official for games. 

Arising from the success of a loosely "All Parish" team in a tournament it was decided at a committee meeting on Friday November 19th to approach the Slieve Bloom Club to seek their opinion with regard to the establishment of a parish team. 

A poorly supported Buffet Dance in the Leix County Hotel on Sunday December 12th raised a profit of only £20. 

Paudge Collier was successfully elected to the post of Secretary of the Laois Hurling Board at their convention on Sunday December 19th. 

A 600 Club draw with a monthly subscription of 50p was commenced in late 1976/early 1977 

For Match Reports from 1976 please click here.

1975                                                                                          1977 

INDEX