While the weekend was a wash
out for the senior and minor footballers of
Down with both their games being called off
due to waterlogged pitches, Friday night saw
over 400 guests attend the Counties first Integration
Dinner in the Canal Court Hotel, Newry.
The County Dinner was a night
of celebration for the GAA in the County with
numerous individual awards and the presentation
of medals to the winning Down Junior team (Leinster
Shield Winners 2007) and Minor Hurling team
(Blitz Ioana, All Ireland Minor C Winners and
Ulster Minor B League Winners 2007), the Minor
Camogie team (Ulster Minor Winners 2007) and
the Powerade Down All Star team of the 2007
Championship.
Down Camogie Team
Camogie Awards
Ladies Footballers - Award Winner
Junior Hurlers
Minor Hurlers
Special guest for the night
was former Chariman of the Leinster board and
current candidate for GAA president Liam O’Neill.
Liam was one of the men behind getting South
Down accepted to into this years National League.
In his address he concentrated mainly on the
state of hurling in Ulster. He criticised both
the proposed 10 team Laim McCarthy Cup (in which
neither Antrim nor Down would play) and the
inaction of the GAA towards the development
of the game outside of Munster. He wished success
upon the Down minors, in the defence of their
All-Ireland title, and on the South Down team,
who play in the Division 4 League final in Brefini
Park Cavan on the 13th April.
Liam O Neill
Junior Hurlers - Management Pres
Minor managers
Stalwart of the County Hurling
Board, Ballygalget’s Willy Johnston was
given a Service to Sport Award for his decication
to hurling. This year he has taken retirement
from the post of treasurer of the hurling board,
a post he has held for 35 years.
Willy Johnston
Service to Sports Awards were
also presented to Belle O Loughlin (Camogie),
Philip O’Hare (Ladies Football) and Tony
Hadden (Gaelic Football).
Belle O Loughlin - Hall of Fame - Camogie
Philip O Hare - Hall of Fame - Ladies Football
Tony Burden (Longstone), Hugh
Cahill (An Riocht) and Hugh John Harper (Clonduff)
were also presented with awards for their long
service which they had given to Coiste Contae
an Duin – all three stepped down from
their posts on the County Board in December
past.
Long Service Awards
The final award of the night
- The inaugural Down GAA Hall of Fame Award
went to Pat Rooney for his 50 years of service
to club and county as a player, administrator
and a referee. The Castlewellan man started
refereeing in the last 1950’s, refereed
8 Down Senior football championship finals and
continued refereeing until the 1990’s.
One rule not written down in the referee’s
rulebook that has become synonymous with Pat
Rooney is ‘common sense’.
Pat Rooney with members of the Castlewellan
Club
