Thursday 13th
December in the Armagh City Hotel saw the Ulster
Vocational Schools launch their 2008 Calendars
and Handbooks and acknowledge all last years
successful School teams. There was a superb
turnout as usual and among the familiar faces
were Sean Og O hAilpin Cork Hurling and football
legend and 2006 All Star and Kerry Full Forward
Kieran Donaghy. Also in attendance were other
familiar coaches and players from around Ulster
including Monaghan Manager Seamus Mc Enaney
and Trainer Martin Mc Elkennon also current
players Dick Clerkin, Tomas Freeman and Paul
Finley.
Armagh great
Jimmy Smyth and Chairman of the Ulster Vocational
schools got proceedings underway and talked
about the success of the previous year and challenged
the Media to take a greater look at our games
particularly the Ulster Finals which are traditional
held in Clones and what he believes is proper
true Football. He also singled out some individual
praise for some local schools.
Among those
local schools acknowledged by Jimmy Symth was
St Pauls Bessbrook who narrowly lost out in
2 finals last year to St Ciarans Ballygawly
in the U14 Mc Devitt Cup and St Columbans Kilkeel
in the U16 Arthurs Cup.
He also mentioned
one of the high lights of the year being tiny
St Columbans College Kilkeel with a school population
of just over 300 with only 140 boys producing
a phenomenal achievement to win not only the
Ulster U16 Arthurs cup but going on and winning
the U16 All Ireland becoming the smallest school
to do so.
Jimmy took time
out to mention Mr Tom Cunningham who give 30yrs
of service to teaching and promotion of Gaelic
Games in School and how fitting it was that
Tom played a part in St Columbans historic day
as mentor to the team.
Jimmy Concluded
by putting down a challenge not just to the
winners this year but the schools who fell just
short by saying it’s a really great achievement
if you can win back to back successes or even
come back from narrow defeat and achieve again
the following year.
St Columban’s
were then awarded a wall plaque in memory of
their fantastic achievement the previous year
along with St Pauls Bessbrook for reaching an
Ulster Final in both U16 and U14 grades. A special
award was also presented to Tom Cunningham of
St Columbans Kilkeel and Colum Quinn of St Josephs
Crossmaglen for their past services after both
these Gaels had recently retired.
