Shamrocks Hurling & Football Club -- Centenary

Main Events

1998 is the centenary year of Shamrocks Hurling and Football Club. There will be many events to celebrate this great occasion. These events will incorporate all strands of the club including the National Schools of the Parish.
The Club is undertaking some worthwhile development work this year too. Two new changing rooms, a Meeting Room, a kitchen, a store and a hard surface for tennis and other activities, will be built. The cost of this development will be at Ł105,000.

On Friday May 8th the club wiil hold a Golf Classic at Monkstown's Golf Club. Teams of three (must be members of GUI) can enter for Ł100. Some outstanding prizes will be on offer for the winners.

One of the highlights of the year will be a Centenary Ball to be held in Rochestown's Park Hotel on Friday November 20th. The Club will be expecting a very large attendence at this function and tickets are already booked by many members.

The Celebrations Coincide with the Tour de France which will be departing for France after its Ireland Tour from Ringaskiddy Ferryport.

Programme of Events

Date	Event
Jan 21st	Presentation to Adrian O'Driscoll on occasion of his winning All-Ireland medal with Cork.
April 12th	Annual Easter Sunday Dance in Fernhill Golf Club
School Summer Term	Project on G.A.A., Shamrocks, Hurling, etc. Primary Schools
May 8th	Centenary Golf Classic
May 17th	Centenary Mass with Traditional Music
June/July	Centenary Junior Hurling & Football Tournaments Photographic Exhibition
Aug 13th-16th	Centenary Festival Suggested Items: Having a paying function each night Thurs. night - Underage Disco & Teenage Disco Fri. night - Ceili Sat. night - a 'Big' act Sun. night - Cabaret Dance Other suggestions: Friday - Coffe Morning/ Flower Show Saturday - Sports day & Unusual Events & Fun Sunday - Finals of Underage leagues & Afternoon disco
Aug. 30th	Finals of Teddy Hanley Intercounty U16 Hurling Tournament
Sept. 12th	Finals of Parish Inter-Schools Hurling & Football Tournament
October	Formal naming of Complex - 'The Teddy Hanley Memorial Park' Opening & Blessing new dressing rooms
Nov. 20th	Centenary Ball - Rochestown Park Hotel
December	Shamrocks End of Centenary Year Variety Concert

Completed Events

Monkstown Golf Classic

Date 11th June 98
The beautifully appointed Monkstown Golf Course, with its panoramic view of Cork Harbour was the venue on May 8th last for the Club's Centenary Golf Classic. Fifty eight teams played and many of the competitors were former players and members of the Club. It was an ideal and unique oppurtunity for so many persons who had some association with the club to come together for an enjoyable day's golf and subsequent Social evening at the Club. The coveted first prizes which were Cork Crystal Lamps carrying the Shamrock Club logo were won by a team from Monkstown captained by Martin Geary. His brother Alan a former football captain was a team member too along with Brendan O'Mahony. The prizes were presented by Mr. Dave O Driscoll, Financial Director of Henry Ford & Son of Cork, the main sponsors of the event. The clubhouse was filled to capacity later that evening for the presentation ceremony and there was prizes for the first twelve teams. Club Chairman paid special tribute to the Staff at the Club on the magnificent state of the course and facilities. He was also full of praise for the teams who entered and ensured that the event went like clockwork. Replying, Mr Donal McDonnell, Trustee of the Club, thanked Shamrocks and complimented them on the efficient management and scheduling of the events of the day. He added that the Club would welcome Shamrocks back at any future time should they wish to stage another Golf Tournement.

The members of the Centenary Golf Orgainising Committee were as follows:
Donal McDonnell, a former Hurling Member, and pat Captain and President of Monkstown Golf Club.
Neally O Mahony, a former Hurling great and past Captain of Frankfield Golf Club, Cork.
Pat Hennessey, an officer of the Raffeen Creek Golf Club.
Alan Geary, a current playing member and former Football Captain.
John Twomey, Executive Chairman of the Club.
Billy Hurley, a former Hurling great with Henry Ford & Son Ltd.

Centenary Mass

One of the very special events of the Centenary Year was a Centenary Mass held on Sunday 17th May at the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary at Shanbally. The Church, which was built in the year 1819, had just been renovated and it was in magnificent shape for this special Mass. The celebrating Priests were Fr. Gerard Galvin the local Curate based in Ringaskiddy, Fr. Seamus Murphy P.P Kilmurray, who was born in Ringaskiddy and Fr. Sylvester O.F.M. from Donegal, who was also born in Ringaskiddy.

Music and song were supplied by the Carrigdhoun Comhaltas Group under the leadership of Mrs. Mel Crowley. Many of the members of the Group had close connections with Shamrocks. Her father-in-law the late Jim Crowley won a County Medal with Shamrocks in 1908 and was Club Secretary for a number of years. Another leading member Mr John O Keeffe is a Development Officer with the Shamrock Club.

The first readings were done in Irish by the Clubs's Hurling manager John Collins. The prayers of the faithful were done by Mary McAleese N.T. Ringaskiddy, Ann Marie Barry N.T. Shanbally, Ciaran Boland N.T. Monkstown , Helen Prout Club Hon. Treasurer, Lorcan Aherne Clun Hon. Secretary and Michael Brennan Club Football Secretary.

The gifts were brought to the altar by Nell Bradley and Bill O Connor Senior Vice Presidents of the Club, Adrian O Driscoll and Alan Aherne current Hurling & Football Captains of the Club, Shauna Breen and Michael O Neill representing the youth of the Club.

Special guests of honour at the Mass were Jim Russell the Clubs's President who was 101 years of age on May 11th last and the Senior Vive President Mrs O Flynn former N.T. Shanbally at 93 years of age. The final part of the mass was a hearty rendering of the battle hymn of the GAA 'Faith of out Father'. Afterwards everybody was invited to a reception in the nearby Shanbally National School where there was much recalling of times past by the mixed and varied attendence representing different generations.

To mark the Centenary Year and the renovation of the Church at Shanbally the Club sponsored one of the new stained glass windows. This window is being dedicated to the memory of all the deceased members of the Club over the past 100 years. This fine jesture was lauded by Fr Galvin when he delivered his homily at the Mass.

Gold Medal Centenary Hurling Tournament

The Club's Centenary Hurling Tournament involved four clubs, Russell Rovers from the Imokilly Division, Liscarroll from the Avondhu Division, Brian Dillons from the Seandun division and Shamrocks from the Carrigdhoun Division. After two very exciting and very well contested semi finals Brian Dillons and Shamrocks came through for the final which was played in Shanbally on Saturday 20th at 8.00pm . Mr Gerald Harrington of Carrigaline was the Referee in Charge and he did an excellent job. The Final was well contested with no quarter given and at the halftime whistle Shamrocks were in front 2-3 to Brian Dillon's 1-4. Lady Luck smiled on Shamrocks in this half as a number of Brian Dillon's efforts went narrowly on the wrong side of the posts. At the break the Shamrock Mentors, John Collins, Neally O'Mahony and Pat O'Neill put on their thinking caps and a few shrewd positional switches saw the team commence the second half with all cylinders firing. The full forward line of Adrian O Driscoll, James O Callaghan and Willie Ashman were in great form and they contributed 5-6 to the final tally of 5-9. Shamrocks carried the day and John Dineen proudly accepted the Jackie O Driscoll Memorial Cup from Mrs Gertie O Driscoll afterwards. Each player received a centenary gold medal and they were sportingly applauded by a gallant Brian Dillons team and supporters. The following was the Shamrock team : Ronan Collins (goal) Pat Murphy (2) Robert Lannon (3) Peter Prout (4) Michael Kidney (5) John Dineen (6) Dick Andrews (7) Man of the Match - Mark Hickey (8) Pat O Sullivan (9) Cian Ronayne (10) Alan Geary (11) Darragh Collins (12) William Ashman (13) Jamsie O Callaghan (14) Adrian O Driscoll (15)

Mrs Gertie O Driscoll, wife of the late Jackie O Driscoll presenting the Jackie O Driscoll Memorial Cup to John Dineen who accepted it on behalf of the team, after they had defeated Brian Dillons in the final. Also included is the Club Chairman John Twomey and Jackie O Driscoll's grandson Craig.