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CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE.
Peter Twiss, Secretary, Kerry County Board GAA has sent a reminder to all Club Officers, Team Managers, Coaches & Players that the present Covid-19 restrictions, as updated and forwarded by Croke Park to all units of the GAA on 1st Feb 2021, remain in place. The County Secretary stated that all Clubs must ensure that any form of collective training does not take place. Peter also reminded Clubs that all pitches and gyms must remain closed for the time being. Peter added that all GAA people in Kerry are looking forward to the resumption of activities in all Club grounds in the not too-distant-future, but in the meantime, he asks us all to ensure that the health and safety of all within our community is given our full attention.
Austin Stacks had hoped to resume activities in early March. That won’t now happen. All our facilities will remain in total lockdown until informed otherwise. As a united club, we have been meticulous in complying with Government and GAA directives to-date and fully support the sentiments of Peter Twiss. The official position of Austin Stacks GAA Club is that we are in full lockdown and all activities remain suspended in line with public health and GAA regulations.
Austin Stacks also fully concurs with outgoing GAA President, John Horan’s view that the GAA’s compliance with public health restrictions has served the country well. John Horan was justifiably scathing of those who breached training bans and match day protocols, insisting they show a lack of respect for people’s health by their actions. John said that it reflected badly on those who led or allowed those breaches of the regulations to happen. Austin Stacks is very fortunate that no one within our Club would damage its reputation by acting, or by encouraging others to act, in a manner that would breach regulations. So, please be patient and keep safe. Continue to exercise within a 5km radius from your residence and before long activities will resume on our own pitches. My sincere thanks to our entire membership for your exemplary compliance with all the regulations that have been imposed by the Government and the GAA.
SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING: Following on from the death of Club Trustee, Seán Murphy, in February 2020, the Austin Stacks Club Executive proposes that the real property (lands and buildings) of the Club be transferred by the surviving Trustees to the G.A.A.’s Corporate Trustee Iontaobhas Corporaideach Chumann Luthchleas Gael Cuideachta Faoi Theorainn Rathaiochta (ICCLG) . It is important to note that the exercise of Trustee’s powers continue to be subject to Directive of the Club. ICCLG will be registered owner of the property solely as Nominee for the Club, and the Club will continue to beneficially own and control its own property.
To deal with this matter a Special General Meeting will be held (virtually) on Wednesday the 10th March at 7.30pm. For further information regarding this proposed change and details of how to participate in the meeting see www.austinstacks.ie
REGISTRSTION ONLINE: The Club is continuing to encourage members to register online as funds are badly needed due to the fact that many of our fundraising activities are at a stand still because of the lockdown. All of the membership options can be found on our website. Supporters of the Rock who don’t normally pay membership are being reached out to this year because of the circumstances we find ourselves in. Austin Stacks needs all its supporters to become members.
AUSTIN STACKS LADIES CLUB: are appealing to all club members to please support them if shopping in Lidl. Follow these 4 simple steps to help raise funds for Stacks Ladies Cub (1) Download/open the Lidl Plus App (2) Select Austin Stacks LGFA as your chosen club (3) Spend over €30 instore and scan your Lidl Plus card (4) Collect 6 stamps by Sun April 11th and submit your card via Lidl Plus.
BEST WISHES: All in the Club sends best wishes to Adrienne McLoughlin who, we are glad to report, is making a speedy recovery from her recent hip replacement operation.
NEW REFEREES: We continue to remind members that Kerry GAA is looking for young people who are interested in refereeing, to officiate under 11 and under 13 games and also perhaps maybe ex players, that could be available to referee a senior game within a year or two with the proper training. Training courses will begin shortly. Anyone interested is asked to contact Austin Stacks Club Secretary Elma Nix 086 1053300.
REMEMBERING TIMMY SHEEHAN: It was on this week (3rd March) last year that all in the Club and in the wider community were shocked and saddened to learn of the sudden death of Timmy Sheehan. Coming up through the ranks of the early sixties he won his first County medal outside Juvenile level in 1967 when our Minor Hurlers won the Co. Championship. For the next twenty years Timmy was part and parcel of many teams winning his last Co. Championship medal when the C Team won their first Barrett Cup title in 1986. In between, of course, Timmy had an outstanding career with our Senior Footballers, winning four Co. Championship titles (1973,1975,1976 and 1979), a Club Championship title – also in 1979 – and a Munster and All Ireland Club Championship during the 1976-1977 season.
After his retirement from the playing field he mentored many teams and took part in many Club activities and subcommittees down the years. He also wrote regularly and commentated on local radio on hurling and football. His knowledge of most sports was immense. Some colleagues might say ‘Timmy – you don’t know much about Cricket’. And Timmy would immediately list off a host of stats like Don Bradman’s record batting average or Sachin Tendulkar’s 51 centuries in 198 games or Graham Gooch scoring 456 runs in a particular encounter. He was just simply brilliant and is sadly missed by his loving family and his many friends and acquaintances throughout the sporting world.
MARCH IN THE PAST: In 2019 during the first week (1st to 7th) of March we saw our Seniors win the Town League, defeating Ballymac by 1-18 to 0-10. We go back then 50 years – to the 7th March 1971 the day that the first games in the new Co. League structure were played. And our game against John Mitchels was the very first game played in that new League which has continued almost unchanged right up to this very day (see further details in the next item). Then also on the field of play the first week in March is also significant for one of our star players. Yes it’s Star himself. Apart from celebrating his birthday on the 1st March he also achieved two important milestones with Kerry during the first week of that month. In 2005 (5th March) he made his first Senior start with Kerry in a NFL game against Dublin in ASP, lining out at centre-field, alongside Tomás Ó Sé. Kerry won that game by 2-13 to 2-11 (Kieran made his Senior debut three weeks before that (12th Feb) when coming on as a blood-sub in the NFL game versus Offaly, also at ASP). And in 2015 (1st March) he captained Kerry for the first time in a NFL game in Killarney, also against the Dubs, winning that game as well, by 0-15 to 1-10.
Off the pitch bhuaigh Brian Caball Scór an Chondae in Aisteoireacht sa bhliain 2008 (6ú lá Márta) and at a Special General Meeting in 2014 (3rd March) it was agreed that additional land be purchased for playing purposes.
Finally the first week in March saw the passing of two outstanding Club members – Timmy Sheehan last year, as mentioned above, and in 2014 (5th March) Tunney Galvin.
THE CO. LEAGUE: It was on this coming Sunday (the 7th March), fifty years ago to the day and date in 1971 that the first round of games in a new Co. League system were played. We were involved in a double header in Austin Stack Park when ourselves and John Mitchels took part in the very first Co. League game played which we won by the narrowest of margins (1-6 to 2-2). Laune Rangers had the upper hand over Kerins O’Rahillys in the second game by 5-6 to 1-3. The other game played that day was in Castleisland when the visitors Waterville beat Desmonds by 2-8 to 2-5. Waterville in fact went on the win the League outright later that year.
Stacks Lineout: Jacko Lawlor, John Horgan, Denis Galvin, Joe Parker, Noel Kelter, Tony Fitzgerald, John Joe Naughton, Anthony O’Keeffe, Billy Curtin, Tommy Kennington, Timmy Sheehan, Ger Power, Rory McSweeney, Mick Quirke, Terry McSweeney.
ONLINE CLUB SHOP OPEN – check out the newest ‘official’ Austin Stacks Club Merchandise – only available to order on this link (free delivery on any orders over €50) see www.oneills.com
CLUB LOTTO: Monday Night’s (1stMarch) Jackpot, worth €13,400, was not won. The numbers drawn were 1, 14, 18, 26.
The €20 winners were Gerard O’Reilly, Peggy King, Liam Lynch, Peter O’Regan and Nial Shanahan, all c/o The Club.
Continued thanks to the following businesses for selling our Club Lotto tickets – Kevin Barry’s Shop, Commane’s Book Shop, O’Flynn Interiors, Hussey’s, Princess St., Terry’s Butcher’s, Oakpark and The Burger Shack, Monavally and to everyone who purchase tickets week in, week out.
Austin Stacks lotto tickets are now also available to purchase on line on the following link: https://play.clubforce.com/play_newa.asp?ll_id=529#Anchor Kirby’s Brogue Inn Maguire’s Butchers Hussey’s P. Commane Books.
TERRY McSWEENEY: Although in ill health for some time, nonetheless it came as a shock to many when the news broke on Wednesday evening that Terry McSweeney had passed away after a long illness. Terry, along with his late brother, Rory, played with the Seniors, the B and C teams during the seventies, eighties and early nineties. Both lined out, for example, on the Rock team that played in the very first game of the Co. League when it was inaugurated fifty years ago next week. Terry made his Senior Co. Championship debut in July 1972 in a first round game against Mid Kerry and years later he was also a member of the B Team that won the 1983 Co. Championship and C Team, three years later, when they won their first Barrett Cup final in 1986.
In their young days both were part of Juvenile teams managed by Jack Parker and James Hobbert, including the two Co. Championship winning sides – the U16s in 1967 and the Minors of 1969 (see Pages 121 and 160 of our Centenary Book for team photographs).
We offer sincere sympathy to Terry’s wife, Helen, and to all his extended family and friends.
SYMPATHY: Sincere sympathy is also offered to the families of the following who died recently: Mary Daly (nee Moriarty), Blennerville and formerly Upper Tonevane; and Catherine Lyons, Clahane, Ballyard.
