In Pictures: History in the making at Limerick GAA club

KILTEELY-DROMKEEN GAA celebrated the glories of yesteryear in person and in print and made their own history on a night that will live long in the memory.

The club hosted the book launch of A GAA & Social History of Kilteely and Dromkeen by Bosco Ryan and Edmond O’Dea, and also honoured their 1972 County Junior Hurling Championship winning team on the 50th anniversary of that landmark success.

The heroes of 1972, the Kilteely East Junior Hurling winning team of 1969 and the Dromkeen junior hurling team of 1970 and 1971, together with their companions, enjoyed a sit-down meal in the hall. Copies of the match programme were distributed to inspire old memories. John-Joe Bermingham, as captain of the 1969 and 1972 teams, cut the celebratory cake to great cheer.

Schoolboy Dylan discovers new species for County Limerick!

Noel O’Dea, club chairman, called out the team members one by one. A charming slideshow, displaying the players’ 1972 positions and portraits, provided a perfect backdrop as each player, or their proud representative, received their gift.

A wonderful timepiece, a commemorative clock created by long serving Gaelic footballer Derek Greene (Nameplate Engravers), was presented. The 1969, 1970 and 1971 teams, who laid the foundations, were also awarded plaques.

For nine years, the team would dine at the top table of senior hurling in Limerick. Pat ‘The Master’ O’Dea, club secretary and wing back in 1972, spoke with great fondness of the teams’ journey. He sang a song he composed the evening of the victory The Boys of Kilteely-Dromkeen with the help of beautiful music from his daughters Aileen and Trish.

The scene was then set for the history book launch. An incredible publication, featuring hundreds of photos, hand drawn images by Orla O’Dea (UrbanFabric), personal accounts, match reports and much more all beautifully contained within 480 pages. Ed O’Dea and Bosco Ryan have been a dynamic duo for many years in the area of local history having hosted many historical talks and presentations.

Both men, incredibly proud of their heritage, and with a desire to honour those that played an important role in their own time growing up in Kilteely Dromkeen set out on this enormous undertaking. They believed the story of Gaelic Games in the parish is far bigger than one team and that local history and social activities have long been intertwined with the GAA.

Fortunately, previous keepers of local knowledge had wisely published a club history book in 1984. The same Pat O’Dea as well as Willie Murphy (RIP) and Pake O’Dea (RIP) provided an invaluable treasure map to aid Bosco and Ed. A great amount of time and effort was spent researching media archives and gathering aural accounts and artifacts to bring this comprehensive book to print.

Limerick college launches new scholarship in memory of murdered teacher Ashling Murphy

The authors took to the stage to introduce their publication and thanked the small army of volunteers who helped. From proof-readers, artists, those who provided photos and interviews and their own writings, to those who promoted the patronage appeal and who very generously became patrons of the book, it certainly did take an entire parish.

The club’s Limerick senior players Sean O’Dea and Brian O’Grady spoke on what the book meant to them and with that, the book was officially launched.

Books, €30, are in Kilteely, Old Pallas, Pallasgeen, Dromkeen, online through Lough Gur shop.