2011 Gala Night and East Kerry Awards Ceremony
The 2011 Gala night and All Star Awards ceremony was held on Friday 10th February 2012 in the Brehon Hotel, Killarney. MC for the night was Weeshie Fogarty. Guests included County Board Chairman, Patrick O’Sullivan (Dr Crokes), the Nominees for Awards, Guest Speaker GAA Analyst Eugene McGee (Offaly), Sponsors Patrick O’Donoghue, Managing Director Aquila Club and New Sponsor, Michael Brennan, Managing Director The Kerryman
2011 All Star Award Nominees
The 24 nominated players were
Goalkeeper Padraig Mc Carthy (Rathmore) and Colin Myers Fossa
Defence Eoin Brosnan, Luke Quinn, Fionn Fitzgerald, and Shane Myers (Dr Crokes); Colm Kelly and Paul Murphy (Rathmore); Timmy O’Leary (Currow); Anthony Wharton (Fossa); Chris Davies (Legion).
Midfield Johnny Buckley (Dr Crokes); Donal O’Sullivan (Rathmore); Seamus Moynihan (Glenflesk); Daniel O’Shea (Currow)
Forwards Daithí Casey, Colm Cooper, Brian Looney and Kieran O’Leary (Dr Crokes); Michael O’Riordan and Mark Reen (Rathmore); Michael Murphy (Gneeveguilla); Shane Dennehy (Glenflesk); Michael O’Donoghue (Spa).
2011 East Kerry All Star Team
GOAL KEEPER: Colin Myers (Fossa)
DEFENDERS: Colm Kelly (Rathmore), Eoin Brosnan (Dr Crokes), Timmy O’Leary (Currow), Fionn Fitzgerald (Dr Crokes), Paul Murphy (Rathmore), Shane Myers (Dr Crokes)
MID FIELD: Seamus Moynihan (Glenflesk), Donal O’Sullivan (Rathmore)
FORWARDS: Michael O’Donoghue (Spa), Daithí Casey (Dr Crokes), Brian Looney (Dr Crokes),
Colm Cooper (Dr Crokes), Kieran O’Leary (Dr Crokes), Michael O’Riordan (Rathmore)
2011 YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Donal O’Sullivan (Rathmore)
2011 SENIOR PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Eoin Brosnan (Dr Crokes)
2011 East Kerry GAA Person of the Year Award
The 2011 East Kerry Person of the year award was presented to Firies stalwart, DERMOT O MAHONEY. The Firies Club has made many major contributions to the GAA scene in East Kerry providing officers of great calibre, talent and ability. Dermot has a wealth of knowledge about GAA affairs and can be relied upon to provide valuable background and sound advice to aid decision making.
Dermot has long been involved in administrative roles in his beloved Firies club and rarely misses a game that Firies plays. He has served as a delegate to the East Kerry Board and on the East Kerry Board CCC for many years. For his invaluable contribution to GAA affairs at Club and Board level, the 2011 East Kerry GAA Personality of the Year as presented to Dermot O Mahony.
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2011 East Kerry Hall of Fame Recipient
The 2011 Hall of Fame Award was presented to BRENDAN WALSH (Glenflesk). Brendan has given outstanding service to the GAA and the East Kerry Board, from Board President through Chairman of the Board and involvement in his beloved club, Glenflesk. He helped to develop the GAA and the East Kerry Board to a structured, coherent, forward-looking social and cultural force.
On his appointment as Chairman of the East Kerry Board in 1965, few would have imagined the dramatic and far-reaching changes that he would introduce during the following years. The change in the premier competition from league format to knock-out championship created a new profile for the O Donoghue Cup. The status of the championship was enhanced to become a most eagerly contested competition.
Brendan enthusiastically embraced the changing face of the GAA with the formation of a Juvenile Board to promote the games at under-age level. He also promoted the annual Tops of the Clubs talent competition, which had the two-fold effect of bringing the GAA to a wider audience and providing a source of much-needed funds to all clubs in the District. Brendan inherited a system which demanded that all Board fixtures be played in the Fitzgerald Stadium. However, he quickly established the principle that several rural pitches were entitled to be considered for matches. That he encountered some resistance to this move is exemplified by the reaction of one delegate to the news that his club would be playing their next game out of town: Tell me, Mr. Chairman, have they goalposts out there? The Chairmans only response was contained in his enigmatic smile. Such sentiments were short-lived however as Brendan, or Brendie as he was generally known, initiated a grant scheme to help upgrade several club grounds in the area. A highlight of Brendies tenure was East Kerrys three-in-a-row County Championship titles in 1968-1970, followed by the historic win in the inaugural All-Ireland Club Championship in 1971, from which Divisional teams Final have since been excluded.
Brendan, a staunch Glenflesk supporter, witnessed the formation of his local club across the road from his home at Headford junction in 1951. Interestingly, Fr. James Galvin, who was the architect of the newly-formed St Agathas club, preceded Brendan as President of the East Kerry Board.
Having qualified as a national school teacher in Dublin, he returned to his native parish in 1962 to take up a teaching position at Knockanes National School. Later he applied for and accepted the challenge of Principal at the newly-established school at Ballycasheen, Killarney, where he served from 1977 until his retirement in 2002.
It is very fitting therefore, that we pay tribute to his great work and achievements for East Kerry. Brendan Walsh an outstanding East Kerry President, Chairman and member of the GAA is admitted to the East Kerry Hall of Fame.
Sadly, Brendan Walsh passed away in 2014. His widow Mary and his children Sinead and Cathal can be proud of Brendies contribution to the GAA in East Kerry. Ar Dheis De go raibh a anam dilis
REFERENCE
From the O’Donoghue Cup Final Programme (2014) page 13. ‘The Late Brendan Walsh’ by Pat Favier.