Preparing for the final

Naomh Barróg GAA Club

Introduction:

In this Issue we continue telling

the Naomh Barróg Story even

though we have not come to

that period yet. Between 1971

and 1974 many other things

were happening in the school

and in the parish that would

influence the establishment of

the Club.

The main purpose at this time

was supporting young people

and their families to settle into

their new environment, making

them feel welcome and en-

couraging them to identify and

be proud of their area. What

better way to do all this than by

sport. KADCA and their Sports

and Recreation Committee

were active in promoting this.

Sport did play an important role

in promoting inclusiveness..

Scoil Lorcáin over the next few

years was to become a suc-

cess story in reaching five

finals in Croke Park between

1972 and 1974 and Gaelic

Games became popular. In

the Daily Newspapers the

finals were reported and the

boys and their families loved

reading the headlines which

was positive news for the par-

ish. These were the headlines

in the Evening Herald Decem-

ber 1972 “Kilbarrack boys cap-

ture first cup” In 1974 the

headlines were “Kilbarrack‟s

Clonmore”. This gave the boys

and their families a sense of

pride. The boys walked around

the parish as local heroes. To

play in Croke Park in those

days was an unbelievable ex-

perience, one they have never

forgotten. Gaelic Games be-

came established in the parish.

“Before the match was over

Before the whistle blew

Maurice got the ball

And up the wing he flew

He passed it over to Lar and

Lar put it through

Another goal for Kilbarrack

Before the whistle blew”.

Reaching the Corn na Laoch

final was a great achievement

in our second year in Cumann

na mBunscoil Competitions.

Everybody in the school was

involved in preparing for the

big day. Jim Harte originally

from Roseglen Ave now living

in London recalls “I remember

the preparation for our first final

involving Scoil Lorcáin. The

release from class to learn the

songs and chants we would be

singing on the day of the final,

the making of paper hats and

banners. The one song that

stands out for me was…”

Inside this issue:

Corn na Laoch Final-December 1972

2

Report in Evening Herald on the drawn game.

2

The names of the boys who played.

2

“Kilbarrack boys capture first cup”.

i3

What winning the final meant to the boys

3

The thoughts of one of the boys on that day..

3

Profile: Luke Brodigan 4

Scoil Lorcáin Achievements in

Croke Park

1972-Win Corn na Laoch

1973-Runners up, Clonmore Cup

1973-Runners up, Miller Shield

1974-Win Clonmore Cup

1974-Win Miller Shield

1975-Win Canon Fields Trophy

1976-Runners up Fingal League

Final to Holy Spirit, Ballymun NS

1977-Win Fingal League Final-

against Malahide NS

1978-Win Fingal League Final

against Bonnybrook NS

History of the Club (1974-2014)

18th February 2014

Issue 3

Corn na Laoch Winners 1972 with

Mr Fields & Mr Sansome

“ Appearing in their first ever final, Scoil

Lorcáin made a bold bid to capture Corn na

Laoch against a very determined Scoil

Colmcille team which fought back in the

final 10 mins to force a replay. Willie Mc

Dermott opened the scoring for the Kilbar-

rack boys after 5 mins shooting a 14yard

free to the net. Then Sc Colmcille rallied to

score twice in 5 mins. E Mc Eochagáin

shot a point and Peader Caomhánach fol-

lowed up with a goal, but John Flynn lev-

elled matters with a point before the break.

Ronnie Ryan had a goal after 10 mins for

Kilbarrack and they tried their best to hold

on to this advantage,. Colmcille kept

pressing for the equalizer and their chance

seemed to have gone when a 20th min

shot crashed off the Kilbarrack upright.

However 3 mins from the finish P ó Ca-

omhánach ran in to punch a hopping ball to

the net, his second goal and one which

ended the game with a deserved share of

the spoils”.

The names of the boys who played in the drawn game and in the replay.

The team that played in the Drawn Game

Philip Redmond, Joe Mc Weeney, Lau-

rence Mc Carthy, Anthony Stewart, John

Mc Connell, John Ansley, John Clarke,

David Ormonde, Séan Farrell Capt), Der-

mot Buckley, Willie Mc Dermott, Ronnie

Ryan, John Flynn, Joe Bradshaw, Philip

Martin. Subs Alan O‟Brien, Derek O‟Neill,

Willie Sheridan, David Brady, Tony Mc

Donnell, Maurice Cassidy, Jimmy Maguire,

Raymond Keegan.

The team that played in the Replay

Philip Redmond, Anthony Stewart, Lau-

rence Mc Carthy, Seán Farrell, John Mc

Connell, John Ansley, John Clarke, Joe Mc

Weeney, John Flynn, Philip Martin, David

Ormonde, Ronnie Ryan, Joe Bradshaw,

Willie Mc Dermott, Maurice Cassidy,

Subs: Alan O‟Brien, Derek O‟Neill, Willie

Sheridan, David Brady, Raymond Keegan,

Tony Mc Donnell, Jimmy Maguire.

Did you notice any positional changes?

The Corn na Laoch Final– December 1972

Scoil Lorcáin 2-1 Scoil Colmcille 2-1 (Report in Evening Herald)

Damian Mc Elroy reporter in the Evening Herald

December 1972 said,

”It was a day far from suitable for young

footballers but the boys involved in these

Dublin Primary Schools League Finals

struggled manfully to overcome the conditions.

In the circumstances they succeeded

admirably…..”. Reporting on the drawn game.

Page 2 Naomh Barróg GAA Club

The big day arrived when the team set off

from Scoil Lorcáin in the teachers cars with

the school cheering us on as they waited

for the CIE buses to bring them to Croke

Park. The red and green jerseys had been

washed, ironed and would be worn with

pride.

Dick Fields the day before the final went

into Duggan‟s Chemist on the Kilbarrack

Road asking the chemist for a concoction

of Olive Oil and Winter Green to be mixed.

This „magic rub‟ was to be rubbed into the

boys legs to give them strength and to

maintain heat in their legs. Psychologically

this rub was to give them an advantage

against their opponents, Scoil Colmcille!

The smell of the concoction in the dressing

room made it a very manly environment.

In those days designer gloves for football-

ers were not on the agenda. Once again

Scoil Lorcáin knew how to prepare for all

the challenges they would encounter. A

visit to Dunnes Stores to purchase woolen

gloves for every player was made. The

preparation was to pay off. It turned out to

be a cold, windy day with torrential rain.

The Evening Herald reported “Driving rain

and a slippery sod did not deter Scoil

Colmcille and Scoil Lorcáin under 12 sides

from providing ardent followers with thrills

and fast open football...”.

William McDermott tackling for the

ball

Joe Bradshaw, Scoil Lorcáin, eye on the ball

great, the euphoria experienced and then

the presentation of Corn na Laoch, the

cheers, the hugs, the congratulations and

more importantly the memories that have

lived to this very day and helped these boys

to be the men they are today. That is what

sport is all about, That is what sport is sup-

pose to do for young people. Sport is to chal-

lenge all those involved, to grow in confi-

dence and self esteem. The boys who won

that final in Croke Park that year, were heroes in the eyes of the parish.

Winning this final was like winning an All

Ireland Final. In School to experience the

build up to the game with the singing of the

songs and the chants with “2,4,6, 8 who do

we appreciate” with the roar lifting the raft-

ers, responding “Scoil Lorcáin”. The jour-

ney to Croke Park, in the Dressing Rooms

were the Dubs tog out, running out onto the

pitch and the roar from all your school ma-

tes, teachers, family and friends urging you

to be a hero, the final whistle and the reali-

zation that you have achieved something

The thoughts of one of the players on that day and what it meant to him then.

What winning that final in Croke Park in 1972 meant to these boys.

Scoil Lorcáin 2-1 Scoil Colmcille 2-0

Reporter: Séamas Martin–January 1973

“ A great comeback in the last 20 mins

gave Scoil Lorcáin, Kilbarrack their first

Corn na Laoch, Dublin Primary Schools

Junior Football, when they defeated Scoil

Colmcille (Marlborough St) at Croke Park

on Saturday.

Scoil Colmcille were completely on top in

the first half but thanks to some great

goalkeeping by Philip Redmond the

Marlborough St side could manage only

to score two points in the first half. These

came from T Mac Conraí and S Ó Dalaigh.

Colmcille might have had a much bigger lead but for the fact that when Colmcille

were awarded a penalty Brian Ó’ Hicí’s shot was saved by Redmond. In the first min

of the second half Colmcille had a goal, who then led by 1-2 to 0-0 and with 20mins to

go the score re-

mained the same.

But then Willie Mc

Dermott got a goal

for K ilbarrack

which was followed

up in the 16th mi-

nute by a point

from David Or-

monde. Ten mins

from time Mc Der-

mott sent Philip Martin through for a goal for Kilbarrack to put them into the lead for

the first time in the match. Five mins from the end T Mac Conraí had a point for

Colmcille who then put on some fierce pressure but just could not score”.

“ I can’t believe I have just played in

Croke Park and have won a medal. It

was an unbelievable experience, one that

I never will forget as long as I live.

I moved out from town with my Ma, Da

brothers and sisters. I didn't even know

where Kilbarrack was, it could have been

anywhere. It wasn't easy and having to

start in a new school was scary, trying to

make friends. I think everybody felt the

same as me. I was put into 5th class.

One day Mr Fields came into our class

and said he was starting a school team

and that we would be playing Gaelic..

I had never played Gaelic before but I

decided to give it a go.

I think all the team never played Gael-

ic but Mr Fields and Mr Sansome

trained us nearly every day after

school and bit by bit we started get-

ting better and got to love playing it.

When we realized we reached the

final in Croke Park we were over the

moon. Coming to live in Kilbarrack,

starting to play Gaelic football and

winning a final in Croke Park has

changed my life”.

“Kilbarrack boys capture first cup” ( Evening Herald Report -Replay)

If you have a memory about Naomh

Barróg that you would like to share or a

comment that you would like to make

please let us know. If you have a family

member or friend who would like to

receive our Newsletter please forward

email address or home address to

dfields17@hotmail.com

Page 3 Issue 3

“ The day of the match, the anticipation of

a victory or not, the bus journey to the

football pitch, Croke Park, was such an

adventure for all us as 8/9 year olds. The

winning of the Cup, the joy of the day,

your heroes who you looked up to, Joe

Bradshaw, Lar Mc Carthy, Maurice Cassi-

dy, Ronnie Ryan, John Flynn, the list is

endless. This lived with you from that day

on. The return journey on the big Double

Decker with all the singing and the tour

around Kilbarrack with horns blaring to

celebrate”. (Jim Harte originally from

Roseglen Ave and now living in London.)

“Always remember meeting at Scoil

Lorcáin on a Saturday morning and get-

ting a lift off John Sheils in his Hiace van,

the Mini Leagues in Foxfield Park and the

day the Club was opened. I believe it’s a

unique Club and I miss the camaraderie

when I moved over here. It’s great to go

down 17 years later and still be remem-

bered. That says a lot about the Club”.

(Des Kinlough originally from Briarfield

Grv/Greendale Ave, now living in Leeds)

Conclusion

Comments and Memories from some of our readers

Luke Brodigan and his family moved to

live in Kilbarrack in the early 70’s and

like most parents they wanted the best for

their children in a new and developing

community. At that time while respond-

ing to an invitation to spend some time

landscaping the ground of Scoil Lorcáin,

he heard about the new Club Naomh

Barróg from one of the teachers who was

there also. He invited him to attend the

next meeting of the Club. Luke a mem-

ber of the Defence Forces at the time and

a native of Donore in County Meath ac-

cepted this invitation because as a former

player and lover of Gaelic Games he

knew this would be a great vehicle to

introduce his children to sport.

From his first meeting Luke became a

dedicated and committed member of

Naomh Barróg. His work rate in promot-

ing the Club was legendary. His gift of

communication and relating to people

was evident when he was Chairman of

many fundraising committees or when he

acted as MC at our Race or Auction Nights

or when co-ordinating the Opening of our

Ground in 1984 and Club House. He was

Vice Chairman and Registrar in the Club.

He also was at one stage Chairman of the

North East League. He was a Mentor of

many Naomh Barróg teams which was his

first love. He was a highly respected

member of our Club. He died September

2010 and is fondly remembered.

Researching and reflecting on the early

days in Kilbarrack has been enjoyable

and fulfilling. It states the important part

schools and clubs can do to support and

encourage families in their new social

settings and the challenges they encoun-

ter. To have supports and outlets to be

involved in can only lead to positive re-

sults. To have good schools at the dispos-

al of people as they move to a new loca-

tion is paramount. In Dublin today many

families find it difficult to obtain places

for their children in the local schools.

Issue 2 illustrates how Scoil Lorcáin re-

sponded to the needs of the boys of the

parish, giving them a vital outlet to play

sport and experience success and self

satisfaction from the very beginning the

school was founded.

From the memories you will detect a

sense of pride and joy when they are

being expressed now. Continue to let us

know your memories. Thanks.

Profile: Luke Brodigan

Page 4 Issue 3

Luke Brodigan receiving his Honorary

Membership from Club Chairman Liam

Byrne