Recollections of tremendous loyality to Castlebar Mitchels
BORD NA NÓG 50TH ANNIVERSARY: “People like the late Jack Healy and John Golden would do anything for the club”
Seamus Marrinan treasures some wonderful memories from his times involved with Castlebar Mitchels Bord na Óg, a club to which so many people have served with tremendous loyalty and commitment.
He joined in 1986 when Jim McGovern was chairman. Frank McDonald followed him in the chair and then Seamus took the reins.
“It was a privilege for me. I got to see the enjoyment the players and their parents got out of being involved. There was always a wonderful community spirit there,” he explained.
He worked very closely with John Golden, secretary, and Jack Healy, treasurer, two men he described as brilliant for the club, and both now sadly deceased.
“Jack was central to many key areas of the club, but he was exceptional when it came to organising the annual trip for the Under 12 players to the National League final.
“John would do anything for the betterment of the club and he succeeded in getting Joe Brolly, an All-Ireland final winner with Derry in 1993, to our annual presentation ceremony. It was a real coup at that time and our players really enjoyed meeting him.”
The club also had Tyrone great Peter Canavan and GAA president Jack Boothman as their guest of honour over the years.
Seamus said Bord na Óg was never short of people willing to give unselfishly of their time. During our interview, he recalled people of the calibre of Owen Harte, John Loftus, Liam Raftery, Martin Moran, Joe Fenton, Jimmy McHugh, Jack and Eileen Gibbons, Jimmy and Joan Feeney, Gerry Henry, Seamus Regan, P.J. Quinn, Brendan O’Dowd, John Hyland, Philip Heneghan, who succeeded him as club chairman, Michael Tiernan, Michael Diskin, Des McGowan, Gerry Joyce and Michael O’Connor.
“If I have left anybody out, I sincerely apologise,” he said.
Seamus has fond memories of Mitchels winning the County Minor Championship in 1994 with a talented team managed by Donal Fitzmaurice, Finian Joyce and Padraig Burke, a team captained by Kieran Lavelle, the current Bord na Óg chairman.
However, the winning of the county Under 16 crown in 2000 is the biggest highlight for him as it required three matches to separate Mitchels and Belmullet in the penultimate round.
“They were three smashing games.
“In the second replay at Crossmolina, we were down by seven points at half-time. Then we were up by six points after 10 minutes of the second half and went on to win it under managers Willie Joe Padden and Tom O’Reilly.
“I remember the venue was rocking that day as Willie The Shoe had built up the game to no end on Midwest Radio. He loved the Mitchels and did so much for the club during his broadcasting days.”
Mitchels overcame Kilmaine in the final at Kiltimagh that did not have the same level of drama.
The club produced and sold programmes for big matches at MacHale Park for many years and it proved a lucrative fundraiser on days when Connacht SFC finals attracted crowds of up to 30,000.
“We were very organised. James Rocke put the programmes together with the help of Johnny Jordan and Joe Redmond in The Connaught Telegraph and our underage players sold them to supporters on the day. “