Kilmeedy Feenagh Scór champs honoured with civic reception in Newcastle West

MEMORIES of that great night in April when the Feenagh Kilmeedy Scór group finally made their big break-through and claimed an All-Ireland Scór title were rekindled when the group was honoured with a civic reception in Newcastle West.

“It is lovely to be acknowledged by your own,” said Christy Kelly, a keen Scor contestant for almost four decades.  

“We considered it a great honour that the council would acknowledge our win. We were delighted. We are a small parish and it’s great to be acknowledged.”

Feenagh Kilmeedy Scór  had been waiting a long time to win, Christy admitted. They had numerous county titles to their credit and ten Munster titles, he explained, and they had made it to the All-Ireland on nine previous occasions.  Finally, this year in Sligo, the hard work, the patience, perseverance and perspiration paid off and the coveted All-Ireland title was theirs.

“We got a great reception,” Christy recalled this week. “Down the years, we have been very popular. We give great entertainment and people took to us. We never realised how many people were following us until then. People we thought had no interest were congratulating us and sending us cards.”

Their popularity, he reckoned, was helped by the fact that, for the first time, the finals were streamed by TG4.

But, he revealed, the joy in their own ranks went deep.

“When you have 39 years of disappointment and frustration, you would be glad to release it for once,” he said.

The group is small, tightly knit and bound together by long years and by family ties.

This year, Christy was delighted to reveal, his wife Nuala was on stage rather than backstage for the first time, along with his daughter Katie. But a nephew and niece, David and Bernie Kelly were also part of the group as were  long-serving brothers TJ and Stephen Madigan and Timmy Lynch.

“People ask why do we keep doing it?” continued Christy who along with TJ Madigan began his involvement with Scór in 1979.

“For some people, winning the All Ireland would be the be-all and end-all. It is lovely to win but it is the fun we get when we are rehearsing. We have great fun. We really enjoy it.”

Christy has, over the decades, been one of the main writers of the comedy sketches but everybody contributes.

“What we start with, we never finish up with,” he laughed.

The Chairman of the Newcastle West Municipal District, Cllr Michael Collins, who initiated the civic reception held in Aras Smith O’Brien last Thursday, said he was delighted to honour the group and mark their achievement after so many years trying.

Scór, he added, was close to his own heart.

“I would have competed in Scór myself and most of the competitions would have been held in Feenagh. I would have known them, the people involved, all my life. It was great to be able to do something in my capacity as chairman of the Municipal District.”