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Thomas Moore, Mike Bowler, Josephine Moore, Liam Dowd, Gareth Moore, Mary Bowler, James Moore and Joe Quirke at Molly J’s on Sunday night. Photo by Liam Ryan
By Alan Cantwell
St. Brendan’s Basketball Club celebrated its 30th Anniversary in style on Sunday night with a social gathering at Molly J’s at the Benners Hotel in Tralee.
Founding members, players, coaches, committee members and friends of the club were in attendance to join in the celebrations for the club’s milestone anniversary.
The club hosted a Senior Mens and Womens tournament on Saturday and Sunday and many of the players from other clubs including St. Paul’s Killarney, St. Mary’s Castleisland and Tralee Titans joined in the celebrations as well as many of the Garvey’s Tralee Warriors squad.
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Established in 1994, St Brendan’s Basketball Club was founded by a committee at a meeting in Charles & Marie O’Sullivan’s house in Kevin Barry’s Villas in February 1994.
The meeting was attended by Charles O’Sullivan, Marie O’Sullivan, Tania O’Sullivan, Denis Costelloe, Anthony O’Brien, Noel McCoy and the late Bruddy Burrows.
St. Brendan’s crew enjoying the night. Photo by Liam Ryan
The aims and objectives of the club were clear from the outset; to promote and develop the game of basketball in Tralee and to nurture talent of all ages to produce teams that could compete in local and national competition.
Club founder Charles O’Sullivan referred to setting up the club as being akin to embarking on a voyage and so it was entirely appropriate that the club be named after St. Brendan.
The club was originally set up to cater for boys in the Tralee area and has grown enormously since then.
It now caters for boys and girls at all underage levels from under 10 to under 20. It also has teams competing at Senior men and Senior ladies level.
The club plans to continue to celebrate the 30th Anniversary into the months of March and April with a series of other basketball tournaments at underage level.
The schedule is as follows in date order: Boys U14s on the 24th February, Boys U17s on the 2nd March, Girls U12s on the 10th March, Boys U12s on the 16th March, Girls U10s on the 23rd March, Boys U12s on the 24th March and Girls U14s on the 6th April.
Mary Carey, Charles O’Sullivan, Pa Carey, Ger Donnelly, Trish Donnelly and Marie O’Sullivan. Photo by Liam Ryan
A number of awards were presented on the night including honorary life membership and commemorative trophies to the founding committee of the club; Charles O’Sullivan, Marie O’Sullivan, Denis Costelloe, Noel McCoy, Tania O’Sullivan, Anthony O’Brien, accepted by his daughter Antoinette and the late Bruddy Burrows, accepted by his son Alan.
Three long serving committee members were also honoured for their service and dedication to the club. Awards were presented to long serving Chairman of the club Pa Carey, Martha Hughes who served for many years as Club Secretary and Jane Doyle who served as Treasurer.
A special award was presented to Liam Culloty, who played and coached with the club for many years, for his achievement of coaching Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell to capture their first Womens Super League National Cup title with their win over Catalyst Fr. Mathews at the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght in January. Scroll down for photos…
The O’Sullivan Family. Photo by Liam Ryan
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Marie O’Sullivan accepting her award and flowers from Fergal O’Sullivan. Photo by Liam Ryan
Fergal O’Sullivan with Martha Hughes. Photo by Liam Ryan
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Fergal O’Sullivan with Liam Culloty. Photo by Liam Ryan
Denis Costelloe accepting his award from Fergal O’Sullivan. Photo by Liam Ryan
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Club legends Charles O’Sullivan, Pa Carey and Ger Donnelly. Photo by Liam Ryan
Club Chairmen past and present Pa Carey and Fergal O’Sullivan. Photo by Liam Ryan
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Antoinette Pierce accepting the award on behalf of her father Anthony. Photo by Liam Ryan
Alan Burrows accepting the award on behalf of his late father Bruddy from Fergal O’Sullivan. Photo by Liam Ryan
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