A Saturday past saw the newly decorated Oisin Suite in The Whistledown Hotel packed to capacity for our Annual Reunion which saw members and supporters of the club come together to celebrate the year gone by.
Fear-a- Tí for the evening was the very capable and articulate Brendan Rice, who welcomed Down County Secretary Sean Og McAteer and his wife Teresa and Canon Kearney.
Sean Og was the first of our special guests to address the crowd and he spoke of his admiration for Warrenpoint Club in their participation in all areas of Gaelic Games and activities and their forward thinking when it comes to member participations, community participation and fundraising. SeanOg also thanks Warrenpoint for their continued support and assistance to the county in their many different roles on teams, committees and management roles. Sean Og spoke with passion about the roles clubs played in the County and asked for that to continue, highlighting the recent successful Club Draw which benefited Warrenpoint GAA. Sean finished by thanking the club for the invitation and wishing them all the best for the upcoming season.
In a wide ranging and comprehensive address, Club Chairman Larry Byrne stated that he we should look back on the past twelve months with much pride,at the forefront the Senior Footballers making history by being senior county finalists, as we continue on our forward journey, of having fun and operating as TEAM Cumann Pheadair Naofa, Warrenpoint, at the heart of the local community for whole of family, for the whole of life.
Larry spoke passionately about all sections of club and also touched on aspects of the club which still require development. Larry continued by highlighting our core mission statement for the club and, “The emphasis being on volunteerism, community participation, games development and people development.” He appealed for people to continue to get involved in the club, that there was a role for everyone. Eugene paid special recognition to our senior committee & OV warriors for their great efforts in the massive club development project.
Larry thanked the main club sponsor, The Whistledown Hotel for their cooperation and assistance in the preparation of the Annual Reunion and expressed gratitude to organising committee. An excellent souvenir programme for the event was edited and produced by Mícheál Moore which illustrated in words and photographs the breadth of activities organised by Cumann Pheadair Naofa over the past 12 months and highlighting the successes both on and off the field.
Feargal McCormack was a very popular recipient of the Chairman’s Club Person of the Year Award for his outstanding contribution to the Club with particular reference to his dedicated role as Club Development Officer and most notably his role in leading the Our Vision project which sees a monorail expansion of Moygannon. Larry described Feargal as an, “dedicated, highly knowledgeable gael who worked tirelessly for the development of the club.”
Club stalwart Seamus ‘Homer’ Murphy received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his services to Cumann Pheadair Naofa for many years. In his many years as a member of Warrenpoint Seamus was involved across many different sections, including Chairman, coaching & playing football, however his main efforts in the life of the club in recent years has been in the social initiative side of things. Homer spoke of his love of Warrenpoiint GAA, shared many stories with guests on the night & of his hopes for the club in the years to come. A very worthy recipient and a long serving and active member and volunteer of exceptional commitment to Cumann Pheadair Naofa.
Special Leadership and Recognition Awards were made to Club officers whose work made a unique difference to the delivery of Club activities and the successful functioning of the club:
Steven Robertson was a deserving recipient of a Special Recognition Leadership Award for his leading role in running the Lotto. Larry sincerely thanked Steven for his invaluable role in leading the current lotto team. Colette Lock was the next deserving recipient of a Special recognition Award for her role as hurling Chairperson as well as her sterling work within St Dallan’s in promotion of hurling. The final recipient of the leadership award was Martin McGreevy for his commitment to the development of facilities within the club as well as his vital contribution to grounds work.
Following a very successful year in maintaining division one, and reaching the first ever senior championship final in decades club & county senior footballer Ross McGarry picked up the Senior Footballer of the Year Award. John Boyle lifted the Senior Football Players’ Player of the Year Award. Young Ruairi McGivernwas the deserving recipient of the Reserve Football Player of the Year Award. Sean O’Hare won The Patrick Dinsmore Minor Footballer of the Year Award. Oisin Kelly was the recipient of the Minor Hurler of the Year. Anthony O’Brien was the worthy recipient of the Senior Hurling Player of the Year and Players Player of the Year went to the ever popular Matthew Teague. The senior ladies were out in style and Ciara Downey was the popular recipient of the Player of the Year award with Meabh O’Hare taking the title of players player.
