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Mary Corkery, Carmel Quinn, Niamh Quinn and Katie Corkery at the Crotta O’Neills GAA Social at Ballygarry Estate on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
WHEN you wait 55 years to win the County Hurling Championship you’re entitled to properly celebrate.
That was certainly the case for Crotta O’Neills who beat Lixnaw by 0-15 to 1-09 back in August at Austin Stack Park, bridging a long gap to the last win in 1968.
While there’s been a lot of great nights since, it was fitting that over 300 of the club faithful gathered for an official celebration of the achievement at their annual social at Ballygarry Estate on Friday night.
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Also honoured on the night were the victorious Crotta Minor Team, who won the County Hurling League Division 1 title in 2023, while special guests were the surviving members of the Crotta 1968 County Championship winning panel.
Club chairman Paddy Weir said it was a special night. “We’ve a great crowd of over 300 here tonight and 55 years is a long time to wait, so we’ll enjoy it,” he said.
Holding the silverware…Paul Shanahan, Jack Ryan, Mike Parker, Gavin Parker and Sean McGrath at the Crotta O’Neills GAA Social at Ballygarry Estate on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
The victorious Senior and minor hurling panels received their County Championship medals from Kerry County board Chairman Patrick O’Sullivan.
There were a number of awards presented including the Matt Stack and P J Stack Hall of Fame Memorial Trophy to Pat Herbert and the Sam Hilliard Memorial Trophy for Club Person of the Year to senior team manager Brendan Mahony. The U-21 Player of the Year was Sean McElligott who received the Diarmuid Galvin Memorial award.
Minor Hurler of the Year (Monty McElligott Memorial award) went to Jack Ryan, Intermediate Player of the Year (Maurice Egan Memorial award) to Sean O’Donoghue and the Dick Parkinson Memorial Trophy for Senior Player of the Year was presented to Rory Mahony. Eoin Relihan received the Players Senior Player of the Year award.
All enjoyed a wonderful four-course meal with entertainment from Big Jim taking the celebrations into the early hours. A fantastic night then and there’s deserved confidence it won’t be another 55 years until a similar celebration! Scroll down for photos…
John, Eoin, Joanne, Ella and Arlene Mahony at the Crotta O’Neills GAA Social at Ballygarry Estate on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
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Aileen Sheehy, Mairead Slemon, Elaine Doran, Siobhan White and Margaret Fitzmaurice at the Crotta O’Neills GAA Social at Ballygarry Estate on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
Annemarie McGrath, Anne Mahony and Aoife Mahony at the Crotta O’Neills GAA Social at Ballygarry Estate on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
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Noelle Heaton and Tom Cronin at the Crotta O’Neills GAA Social at Ballygarry Estate on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
Ryan Hurley, Katelyn Halton, Eve Broderick and Cillian Hurley at the Crotta O’Neills GAA Social at Ballygarry Estate on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
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Pete McGrath, Pat McGrath, Annemarie McGrath and Amy McGrath at the Crotta O’Neills GAA Social at Ballygarry Estate on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
Jerome O’Sullivan, Sheila O’Sullivan, Amy O’Sullivan, Stephen Mitchell, Evan O’Sullivan, Ciara Stack and Adam O’Sullivan at the Crotta O’Neills GAA Social at Ballygarry Estate on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
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Margaret Conway, Katie Fitzgerald, Norma Quilter and John Joe Conway at the Crotta O’Neills GAA Social at Ballygarry Estate on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
Helen, Luke, Mia and Ronan Falvey at the Crotta O’Neills GAA Social at Ballygarry Estate on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
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Sharon Sheehan, Aidan Sheehan and Marie Sheehan at the Crotta O’Neills GAA Social at Ballygarry Estate on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
Rachel O’Connor and Eileen Finucane at the Crotta O’Neills GAA Social at Ballygarry Estate on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
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Mairead Curran and Celia Baker at the Crotta O’Neills GAA Social at Ballygarry Estate on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
Caoimhe McElligott, Róisín Quinn, Colleen Sayers and Niamh Healy at the Crotta O’Neills GAA Social at Ballygarry Estate on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
Maureen Weir and Paddy Weir at the Crotta O’Neills GAA Social at Ballygarry Estate on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
Kevin Galvin, Marie Beirne, Kathy Galvin Aidan Beirne and Sean Beirne at the Crotta O’Neills GAA Social at Ballygarry Estate on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
John Donovan, Henry Donovan, Tom Relihan and Alex Relihan at the Crotta O’Neills GAA Social at Ballygarry Estate on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
Kim Donovan and Denise Relihan at the Crotta O’Neills GAA Social at Ballygarry Estate on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
Darragh Murnane, Katelyn Galvin, Mary and Mike Neenan at the Crotta O’Neills GAA Social at Ballygarry Estate on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
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Is there any more photos