Sporting Clubs

ST. FINIAN'S ATHLETIC CLUB & COMMUNITY GAMES

Set up in 1968 by Joe Connolly from Walkinstown in Dublin the aim of Community Games was to encourage children from the ages of 6 – 16 to get involved in sports, get active and showcase their talents. Today the organisation boasts 500,000 young participants, 20,000 volunteers, and over 1.3 million supporters in over 800 towns and cities throughout the 32 counties. Not too much has changed in the intervening years and the emphasis continues to be on getting the most out of children and allowing them to unlock their individual potentials. Joe has since passed away but his legacy continues to promote growth, development and a positive attitude for generations of Irish children including many from the parish of Myshall and Drumphea. Apart from the individual activities there are 35 team activities and if a child is not athletic there is plenty more for them to do. The first National finals were held in Santry in north Dublin in 1972 and the following year it moved to Mosney where it stayed for 35 successive years until this year 2009 when the HSE Community Games found a new home in the Athlone Institute of Education.
 


Myshall participants with Olympic swimmer Gary O'Toole
 

For many years the thought of ‘going to Mosney’ spurred many a person from the parish to perform to their highest potential and the Roll of Honour of all those individuals & teams who won an award in Mosney from the area gives an indication of success but comes no where near displaying the sense of satisfaction and enjoyment derived by so many young people over the years. Of course hundreds of children actually represented the area and County Carlow in Mosney and we were very successful in Handball and hopefully this website will eventually have a list of all those with accompanying photographs.

Efforts were made over the years to have a Community Games committee established in the parish and Fr. Hayden was forefront in calling meetings etc. as he believed in promoting any kind of positive activity for youth. Some children did go to Mosney in the late 1970’s, early 1980’s and represent the area but records are not accurate e.g. John Smithers, Ballinacrea represented the area in Long Puck and Lillian and Carmel Slye were also worthy participants there. In 1989 twenty children under the leadership of Mrs. Helena Maye won the Co. Carlow Final of the Choir competition and went on to Mosney in September where they sang beautifully and enjoyed themselves enormously.

After various committees and hiccups a committee was set up in 1991 to foster Community Games activities in the area and there has been unbroken service ever since. On that committee were: President Fr. Hayden, Chairperson: Sally Roberts, Secretary: Kathleen Fox, Treasurer: Patricia White and P.R.O. Har Smithers Committee Edward Butler, P.J. Fox, John Maher. Up to 70 children were seen training each week on Saturday mornings from March up to the Co. Finals and the highlight of the year was the U-15 handballers winning the All-Ireland bronze medals in Mosney in September.
 


1992 Community Games U-15 Boys Handball Champions
 


Community Games U-15 Boys Handball Champions 1993
   


Myshall Community Games
 

As the roll of honour indicates we have had tremendous success, for a small rural area in Mosney, and the memories of all who have gone must surely be great. The whole ethos of the organisation hasn’t changed since Joe Connolly created the Community Games and undoubtedly they have a bright future catering for children of all ability and backgrounds regardless of whether they excel at any particular activity.
 

COMMUNITY GAMES MOSNEY NATIONAL ROLL OF HONOUR 1991 - 2008

1991 Bronze Medals U-15 Boys Handball Team
1992 Gold Medals U-15 Boys Handball Team 
1993 Gold Medals  U-15 Boys Handball Team
Certificate Eadaoin White  U-8 Freestyle Swimming
1994 Certificate Pat Kelly Athletics
1995 Silver Medals U-15 Girls Handball Team
Bronze Medal Damian Nolan Art U-8
Certificate Eadaoin White U-10 Freestyle Swimming
1996 Bronze Medals U-15 Girls Handball Team
1997 Silver Medal Gavin Fitzgerald Athletics U-10 200m
Silver Medal Eadaoin White U-12 Freestyle Swimming
Certificate Kieran Fox Art U-12
1998 Silver Medals U-13 Girls Handball
Silver Medals  U-15 Girls Handball
Certificates U-13 Boys Handball
Silver Medal Colin Rea U-12 Breaststroke Swimming
Bronze Medal Gillian Nolan Athletics U-10 100m
1999 Bronze Medals U-13 Girls Handball
Bronze Medals U-15 Girls Handball
2000 Certificate Cillian McCabe Athletics U-10 hurdles
Bronze Medals Francis Abbey Athletics U-14 Shot Putt
2001 Gold Medals U-15 Girls Handball
2003 Certificate  Ian Doyle Athletics Discus
2005 Bronze Medal Eoin Redmond Athletics U-8 
2006 Gold Medal  Adam McDonagh Athletics U-16 100m 
2007 Silver Medals  U-15 Girls Handball Team
Bronze Medal Emma Doyle Athletics U-12 Mountain Bike
2008 Silver Medal Ross Smithers  Athletics U-16 100m
Certificates U-13 Girls Futsol Team
Certificates U-15 Girls Handball Team’
2009   Certificates Tara Bermingham Nolan Athletics U-8 80m

 

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