Collooney handball club celebrate
opening of its 40 x 20 handball court
The Collooney
handball club will celebrate another major milestone in their 86 year history
with the opening of their new 40 x 20 court on Friday 29th August
next, writes Michael McGee.
The club has a rich history. In
1928 the then Chairman Alfie Higgins a signal man on the Midland Railway & Secretary
WP McElroy approached the land owners the Cooper Family of Markree Castle who
kindly donated a plot of ground on the Fairgreen.
At the official opening that year Joe &
Paddy Bergin who had local connections and were residing in Tipperary played
Jim Hunt & Eddie Perry from Sligo. Others who played included Joe Lane,
Guard Cunnion from Ballintogher, Jim & Mickey O’Rourke from Ballisodare.
The Club has seen many changes along the way.
In 1996/97 the height of the
walls was extended to 27ft and the installing of a new floor. Dressing rooms
were added in 1999.The old galvanised roof was replaced in 2001 with a modern
roof. With the added facilities Collooney hosted many Connacht handball
championships matches and a number of All-Ireland semi-finals & finals.
The idea of
a 40 x 20 handball court was first mooted in 2007 by Paddy Walsh, & Stanley
Harte club stalwarts and others who were coaching the young players in
Collooney.
McGarry’s midas touch
And with
that the idea firmly ingrained in Development Chairman Hugh McGarry mind the
seeds were sown. McGarry immediately set out about forming a Committee to
undertake the seemingly impossible task. In fact the project was nearly grounded before
it even started. The Park Committee who own the park were reluctant at first to
give up any ground at and McGarry the man that he is bought a piece of additional
ground and exchanged it for the ground where the 40 x 20 court is presently
built. McGarry’s midas touch made sure the project
would progress and has worked tirelessly on it. And with that McGarry & Co could dare to dream an almost impossible dream.
Fundraising
began almost immediately with tickets sales bringing in €13,000 initially.
The
Committee members included Hugh McGarry, Paddy Walsh, Stanley Harte, Peter
Davey, Mick Kelly, Peter Chambers, Connell Cannon, Shane Bruen, Michael McGee,
Brendan Carey, Seamus Duffy, Aoife McDonagh & Denise Mullen.
In August of
2009 Andy Healy (a Sligo native) President of the Boston Sligo Association
handed over $2,000 to the club following a St. Patrick’s Day fundraiser in
Boston to club officials in Collooney handball club.
The plans for
the handball court was unveiled in January 2011 in Collooney Former Chairman of the Owenmore G.A.A Club
Martin Cannon spoke at the unveiling of the plans as did then Sligo G.A.A Chairman Cyril Feehily &
P.J. Moran the technical advisor. Fr. Pat Peyton PP Collooney was also in attendance
and has given the club great encouragement for many years. The Club got great support from the local
Owenmore Gaels G.A.A Club with their award winning Connolly Park and the
Fairgreen Committee opening the Children’s playground beside the handball court.
The sod turning ceremony took place on Friday May 18th 2012 and was attended by local
politicians, G.A.A. Officials & the people of Collooney. What pleased
the Club most was the entire Collooney community turned out for the
celebrations. Local G.A.A
stalwarts Michael Flynn & Maureen Mullin were given the honour of turning
the first sod on the club’s new handball court. Maureen Mullin was treasurer of
the St. Feichin’s Community Games from 1973-1998 and Treasurer of the Teeling
Centre for the past 27 years. Michael
Flynn was handball trustee back in the 1970’s.
Last year
the club received the welcome news that they would receive funding of €50,000
from the Department of Sports and Tourism which greatly helped in reducing the
overall cost of the project.
A huge
amount of work went into it according to McGarry the development Chairman. “It
is a great site and fundamentally we wanted it to be in the middle of the
village and beside the existing alley.
There was a lot of work to do to get the loan from Clann Credo as we had
to prove to them what sources of income we have and this had to be certified by
an accountant. We also had to provide them with Bank Statements etc. The Bingo is proving very successful for us
and we need to keep the money coming in to pay off the debt.”
McGarry is
very positive about the future of the Collooney handball centre. “Boys & Girls will now have a home venue
to train and the court will now be up to inter county standard. Our players will now be training in the best
facilities going.”
McGarry
acknowledged the great work of PJ Moran Engineer who designed the
building. “Once we seen the blueprint
from P.J. on paper we worked on from that. Shane Malone is the main contractor
and numerous tradesmen all did an outstanding job for us. I cannot be more pleased with how it all
turned out.”
The
Development Chairman greatly acknowledged the extraordinary support from all
the people who attend the club’s weekly bingo in the Collooney hall each
Thursday evening.
“Without
their support this would not have been possible.”
McGarry also “praised the committee for their
commitment, dedication and energy and to all the people in Collooney who have
supported handball over many years.”
The Club
also received a loan of €76,000 from “Clann Credo and the money is being paid
back by two sources of revenue the Bingo and from the club members themselves
who put in €5 every week. The bingo is running for the past 4 years.
.
The main
contractor is Shane Malone from Boyle. Shane has already built two award
winning developments in Collooney at Bramble Hallow and at Hawthorn Court. The
Club’s Technical Advisor is none other than P.J. Moran an All-Ireland handball
champion from Roscommon.
The Club’s
players have distinguished themselves at National & International level.
Players of the calibre of Shane Bruen, Paddy Walsh, Vincent McKeon, Hugh
McGarry, Connell Cannon, Mick Kelly, Peter Davey, John McLoughlin, Seamus
Duffy, Stanley Harte, Sean Coen, Mick McMorrow, Michael McGee & Peter
Chambers all have won numerous Connacht & All-Ireland handball titles. Two
months ago the Club reached the All-Ireland club semi-finals. Shane Bruen has
already reached this year’s All-Ireland’s semi-finals. Two of the club’s best known players Paddy
Walsh & Mick Kelly between them have won a staggering 39 All-Ireland
handball titles.
And with the likes of Stanley Harte Jnr, Patrick Fox, Tommy Trill all
coming through the underage structure hopes are high of future success.
The cost of
the entire project is costing €200,000 to build. Legendary players Paddy Walsh
& Mick Kelly have been given the honour of cutting the tape to open the new
court.
The project
began on August 12th 2013.
It says much for Hugh McGarry and his
committee that in the middle of a recession the project stayed on course. At the sod turning ceremony on the 18th
May 2012 with words taken from a famous Barack Obama speech McGarry gave a
passionate and rousing speech that will live long in the memory. In his last
parting words he said to all in attendance he said “Stick with us and we will
do it. If feidir linn.” McGarry’s
superhuman efforts and that of his team have seen an almost impossible dream become
a reality.
The modern
building stands in the shadow of the majestic spire of the Church of the
Assumption in Collooney. Handball in
Collooney has finally come home. Home in the heart of Collooney. The visionaries of 1928 will be more than
pleased with what their successors have now achieved.
McGarry’s
prophetic words have come true “Yes we can and Yes we did it”
The historic opening will begin with an Ecumenical blessing
by Fr Pat Peyton PP Collooney & Rev Adam Pullen Ballisodare at 5.30 p.m.
Legendary handball players Paddy Walsh & Mick Kelly will have the honour of
cutting the tape to open the new facility. Collooney handball club development
Chairman Hugh McGarry will deliver the speech. Refreshments will be
provided and the Collooney handball club extend an invitation for all to
attend.
Michael McGee
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