Killeagh GAA Notes
- Jun 01,2023
WALSH FAMILY FUNDRAISER
Bank Account: Permanent TSB Midleton
Account Title: Killeagh GAA Walsh Family Fundraiser
IBAN: IE54IPBS 990705 33930770 BIC: IPBSIE2D
Sort Code: 990705 Account Number: 33930770
A tragic sequence of events happened in our parish of Killeagh in late April. The Walshs are a large family living near the GAA pitch in Killeagh. The Walshs are a family of five children. On the morning of April 22nd, a fire broke out in the garage adjoining the house and spread quickly to the house itself. There was nobody in the house at the time and when the alarm was raised it was too late to save it. The family watched in horror as their house and all their belongings went up in flames. Practically nothing was saved. However, this was only the start of the tragedy.
The realisation quickly dawned that there was no house Insurance as the policy had lapsed due to the family hitting hard times financially. The family was now homeless. Brendan was a carpenter, but the economic crash left Brendan without work. He re-trained as a carer and was a frontline worker throughout the Covid pandemic.
The trauma of the family home being destroyed and of essentially being homeless badly affected Brendan’s mental health. Brendan died tragically on the first day of summer, May 1st, just over a week after the house fire. It was only then that the true horror of these events finally hit home. Brendan leaves behind a heartbroken wife and five children who are destitute and homeless.
Brendan’s hurling career
Brendan was an outstanding hurler with Killeagh, with Imokilly, with Cork at all levels and even with Ireland! He first came to prominence winning several underage county hurling titles with Killeagh and colleges titles with Midleton CBS. This brought him to the attention of the Cork Minor selectors and in 1990, playing at full forward, he won a Munster minor medal. Later, in the All Ireland final, Cork trailed Kilkenny by nine points. Brendan’s switch to midfield was credited with causing a Cork comeback. His high fielding and beautiful striking brought Cork to an unlikely draw.
Brendan’s career trajectory was on the up and he played Under 21 for the county before being selected on the Cork senior panel a short time later. He was on the bench for the Cork seniors in the 1992 All Ireland Senior
Hurling final versus Kilkenny. He was just 19 and the second youngest member of the panel behind Brian Corcoran. The sky seemed to be the limit for Brendan. However, a serious knee injury curtailed his career somewhat, but he continued to play Under 21 and Junior for the county and was even selected for the Irish Under 21 Hurling team in an International with Scotland in 1993.
Brendan, a stylish, brave and talented hurler was a joy to behold in full flight on the field and went on to win a county Junior title with Killeagh in 1995 and an Intermediate title in 2001, thus bringing Killeagh to senior for the very first time - a proud day indeed for Brendan, his family and the club.
Brendan was also a talented actor and excellent singer who gigged at various venues around Cork, sometimes with his son Podsie. All of the five Walsh children participated in Gaelic Games just like their dad. Chloe and Andrea played football and camogie. Podsie won counties with Killeagh. Seán is a Killeagh senior hurler presently and Brendan’s youngest child, 16-year-old Barry, has starred with the Cork minors this year. Barry was Cork’s top player in recent championship games with Clare and Galway. Brendan’s nephew and godchild Ben captained that same team. Brendan personally coached Barry and Ben for the last ten years imbuing them with confidence and a genuine love of the game. It was some testament to Barry’s inner strength to go out and play his heart out for Cork in those games in Thurles just a few weeks after his dad’s tragic passing.
This family is much loved in Killeagh and surrounding parishes. They are open, kind, good natured and genuine ‘salt of the earth’ people. Their world has come crashing down around them in the cruelest way imaginable. They are living through a nightmare. Their trauma is made worse by the fact that they have no home in which to grieve for Brendan or to start to piece their lives back together again. The hope now is that we can all work together and, piece by piece, raise enough money to give this family back their home. The target figure is €500,000.
Please give as generously as you can here.
PASSING OF A LEGEND
Our former Club President David ‘Junior’ Scully has gone to his eternal reward, thereby ending a lifetime of service to his beloved Killeagh / Glenbower Rovers GAA club. His contribution in multiple ways – as player,
selector / unpaid taxi-driver / player recruitment manager, administrator, Board delegate, fundraiser and mentor to many - to our club over almost a full century is immeasurable and unmatchable, and the huge crowds queuing for hours to pay their respects are a tribute to a life well lived. We send our sincere condolences to his wife Lucinda, his sons Ger (current club chairman), Kieran (former club chairman) and Shane, daughters Celine and Olivia (former Juvenile secretary), his grandchildren and the wider Scully family. Ar dheis Dé go raibh sé - is fíor nach mbeidh a leithéid arís ann!
PRIMARY SCHOOLS NEWS
Congratulations to Eoghan Murphy, St. Fergal’s N.S. Killeagh, and Orla Motherway, Inch N.S., who represented Cork in the Primary Game at half time during the recent Munster Championship clashes with Clare and Limerick. Eoghan represented Cork in Cusack Park, Ennis on the 21st May against Clare, while Orla represented Cork in the Gaelic Grounds, Limerick on the 28th May against Limerick.
Well done to the girls of Inch National School who won their Sciath na Scol final today against Crossmahon NS, and hard luck to the boys of St. Fergal’s NS, Killeagh who just lost out by one point to Crossmahon NS in a fantastic final, also today.
CORK MINOR HURLING TEAM REACHES END OF THE ROAD
Well done to the four Killeagh representatives on the Cork Minor Hurling Panel: captain Ben Walsh, Barry Walsh, Seán Meade, and Fionn Murphy for representing our club proudly. This team have given some great entertainment in six cracking games over the past two months, and their journey is now over after defeat to Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final. The minor final features the two teams who beat Cork – Clare and Galway – so it will be interesting to watch. This game is the curtain-raiser of an exciting double-header on Sunday in Semple Stadium with Cork hoping to regain the Under 20 title against Offaly at 3.00 p.m.
MATCHES ROUND-UP
It’s been a hectic few weeks with matches at all adult grades – DIvision 1 County Hurling Leage, and Division 1, 2 and 4 East Cork Hurling Leagues along with Division 2 East Cork football league at adult level, along with all our under-age teams now in action. Leagues are coming to a finish in the next few weeks, which will bring us into championship season – see fixtures below.
CÚL CAMP IS COMING!
Killeagh GAA will host our Annual Cúl Camp for boys and girls aged 6 to 12 from July 17th to 21st this year. Bookings are open on https://www.kelloggsculcamps.gaa.ie/ but will close shortly at the start of June. Please book in the next few days if you don’t want to be disappointed. Good weather and good fun assured, we hope!
CLUB SPONSOR
Killeagh GAA Club is delighted to announce Niall Guerin Construction as our new club sponsor. Huge thanks for the continued support throughout all our activities in 2023. We look forward to a long and successful partnership!
CLUB LOTTO €3000
Our latest Lotto club draw was worth €2800 and took place on Tuesday May 23rd. The numbers drawn on the night were 10, 24, 27, 30. We had no winner of this week’s Lotto jackpot. Next week’s Jackpot is €3000!
· €30 Cash winners – Jim Fogarty Jnr. & Jim Fogarty Snr.
· €30 Voucher (Londis) - Orla Irwin
· €30 Voucher (Uncle Sams) - Mae Galvin
Thank you for all your support.
Our weekly Lotto Draw will continue on each Tuesday evening throughout 2023. We have a large number of supporters who avail of a yearly Lotto ticket which gives weekly entry into the Draw.
Our Lotto Tickets are available locally in:
· O’Neill’s Londis (near the front door)
· Ahern’s Centra (near the Deli)
· Burgess Service Station (near the back door)
· Fitzgibbon’s Garage
· Vibez Salon
· Old Thatch
· Long’s Bar
· Kennedy’s Bar
· Tom Kelly’s Butchers
If you wish to enter the draw online, you can buy tickets up to 8:15pm on Tuesday evening at https://bit.ly/Killeagh! Remember, no queues, no delays, the Killeagh GAA Online Lotto is always a great and easy way to Play!! Remember, if you are not in, you cannot win!!
Every €2 helps a major part in the running of your club. We thank you in advance for your support as we meet our financial commitments on a monthly basis. And don’t forget to share our Social Media posts too to let more people know about our superb Lotto Jackpot!
Remember, Money Spent Local Stays Local!
PITCH UPDATE
All bookings for pitches, ball alley and meeting rooms for 2023 will need to be booked via email only, pitchbookings.killeagh.cork@gmail.com
We ask all teams, mentors & club members to respect this decision for the upcoming season.
Our walking facility will remain open for all members of our club and the community.
KILLEAGH GAA GOLF SOCIETY:
Results from the Tom Fitzgerald sponsored outing to Douglas Golf Club are as follows;
· Winner John Keniry 43pts
· Runner Up Donal McAuley 39b9
· 3rd Stephen Murphy 39b9
· Best Gross Ger Ahern (33 gross pts)
· 2nd Gross Colin Fogarty (32 gross pts)
· 6th Eamon Hickey 39pts
· 7th John P Murphy 37b9
· 8th Ann Rochford 37b6
· 9th Tim Crotty 37b9
· 10th Deirdre Fitzgibbon 37
· Best Guest Tony Roche 40
This was followed by a presentation in the Halfway Bar on Friday 26th May. Many thanks to Tom for the kind sponsorship of the outing.
Our next Golfer of the Year competition is the Captain's Prize to Gold Coast Golf Club on Saturday June 17th. Time sheet from 11am to 1pm.
Our Margaret Rochford and Tom Fitzgibbon memorial charity day is on next Tuesday 30th May in West Waterford GC. Please contact Ray ASAP if you wish to play or contribute to a great cause - the Mercy Hospital, Cork.
The 2023 Killeagh GAA Golf Classic will take place at West Waterford Golf Club from Wednesday July 12th to Saturday July 15th 2023. If you wish to book your team an early guaranteed slot, please ring Ray Rochford ASAP.
If you are interested in joining the Killeagh GAA Golf Society for their variety of trips away & outings for 2023, give Ray Rochford a call or a text on 087-2330054.
IMPORTANT DATES FOR 2023
Fixtures for Junior A Football Championship:
Round 1; Glenbower Rovers vs Lisgoold in Dungourney on Saturday June 17th at 7pm
Round 2; Glenbower Rovers vs Cloyne in Aghavine on Saturday July 1st at 7pm
Round 3; Glenbower Rovers vs Aghada in Aghavine on Friday July 7th at 7:45pm
Fixtures for Senior A Hurling Championship:
Round 1; Killeagh vs Inniscarra in Caherlag on Friday August 4th at 7:30pm
Round 2; Killeagh vs Bride Rovers in Midleton on Saturday August 12th at 7:30pm
Round 3; Killeagh vs Na Piarsaigh in Cobh on Saturday September 3rd at 7pm
ALSO...
Stay updated with the club on social media: Facebook ‘Killeagh GAA’ and Twitter @KilleaghGAA.
