Castlemartyr A.G.M. 1976

 "No change". That briefly was the message that came from the A.G.M. of the Castlemartyr GAA Club, with the entire officers and committee being returned unopposed for the third successive year. It was a fair and well deserved tribute to men who have a clear understanding of the Castlemartyr tradition and have done so much to stimulate a genuine resurgence in a club that was once a dominant force in East Cork hurling.

A record turn-out of members were told by chairman, Paddy Walsh that the club’s most urgent task in 1976, was the recovery of the East Cork junior hurling crown. Having welcomed the large attendance, he said that 1975 had been a year of progress both in the playing field and in the development of the GAA grounds. Paying tribute to the junior hurling team he said that it was an achievement in itself for so many young and inexperienced players to reach the East Cork final. We lost nothing in that game he added only the result. He had a special word of praise for their under 14 teams and also their trainer Mossy Hodnett. The chairman was also lavish his praise for those volunteers who have been working every Saturday since last September to ensure that the new dressing rooms with all the modern amenities would be ready in time for the opening games of 1976. Those men deserve our sincere thanks and appreciation.

The Hon. Secretary’s report went through almost without comment from the members, and it was a pity – there was so much food for thought in it, so much that could be best appreciated on a fuller analysis. But in his wide ranging report Joseph Walsh covered every aspect of the year’s activities so well that comment was unnecessary.

The Registrar, Donie O’Rourke reported that the club had 179 fully paid up members and the fact that some players were not paid up was commented on. The detail with which the club’s accounts were presented evoked the commendation of many members and reflected considerable credit on Pat O’Mahony. He took all questions in his stride; his answers were quick, sure and crystal clear. Income for the year was £3,878.57. With expenditure at £3,729.22, leaving a credit balance of £149.35.

And so for 1976, it was a return to very familiar positions for many of the officers. Joseph Walsh, the longest serving member was first elected as secretary 30 years ago, almost to the day; Paddy Walsh was first elected chairman in 1960, and served for six years during which the Reds won a county championship, and a few East Cork titles; Patrick O’Mahony served on the committee in the early fifties and was a selector on the championship winning team of 1954. Donie O’Rourke was club secretary from 1967 to 1973 before retiring to become secretary of the East Cork Juvenile Board.

The official line-up for 1976 is: President, Rev. Fr. Collins, C.C; Vice-Presidents, John Barry, ex N.T; W. J Abernethy, P. Abernethy, P. Morgan, Ned Riordan, D. O’Keeffe; Chairman, P. Walsh, Vice-Chairman, P. O’Doherty; Treasurer, P. O’Mahony, Registrar, D. O’Rourke; Hon. Secretary, J. Walsh, Football, Hon. Secretary, F. McLellan. Committee, John Morgan, P. Beausang, M. Condon,J. Connoughton, M. Kelly, C. Cremin, M. Leahy, F. McLellan (Junior), B. Wade, E. Flanagan, W. Whyte.

Selection Committee: Hurling – M. Condon, D. Barry, J. Walsh. Do. Football: F. McLellan, B. Wade, D. Murphy. Junior Hurling Captain: Mossy Hodnett; Vice-captain, Pat Troy. Under 21 Hurling Captain: Sylvie O’Mahony, do. Vice-captain, John Whyte.

Junior Football Captain, Owen McGovern; Vice-captain, Cormac Moroney. Under 21 Football Captain, Seanie Bowes; Vice-captain, Joseph Morgan; Delegates to East Cork Board: P. O’Mahony, M. Kelly, J. Walsh, F. McLellan, D. O’Rourke.