'He wanted the wains to have a hurl in their hands from whatever age and to enjoy it'

The family of the late Seán Mellon have paid tribute to Na Magha CLG, who continue to build on the legacy left by the late, and undoubtedly great man himself.

Saturday past saw hundreds come to Pairc Na Magha for the second annual Seán Mellon Festival, with teams from Derry, Donegal, Antrim and even Cork participating in honour of the man who almost single-handedly built hurling in the city and beyond.

A hugely influential figure in the sport thanks to his passion for hurling, Seán’s vocation in life was coaching children, and generations in the city have grown up with a love of the sport thanks to him.

Éadaoin Mellon, Seán’s daughter, was there in person on Saturday to witness her father’s legacy in action, and she admitted that it was a special day for the whole family.

“It’s a massive tribute and it’s overwhelming to see it because if he was here, he would be in the thick of it,” she said. “I’d be annoying him to put sunscreen on and we would be having a laugh. He would just be so, so proud. He would just be in his element and he would be here all, day, even if people left, he’d still be here.

“That was his thing. There were days when he would be here, and he could be cutting the grass, but he would be here on his own. He just loved it, he just lived and breathed hurling and that was his life, So, seeing so many bodies, so many teams, and everyone working together, because people have come from Antrim and Donegal and Cork, as a family, we’re overwhelmed, we’re very proud and we’re very, very grateful.”

Seán’s death back in November, 2021 at the age of 74 is still felt today by everyone who knew and loved him, and while a tribute was always inevitable, it had to be the right kind of tribute, which Seán himself, ‘The Quiet Man’, would have approved of.

“A couple people did mention when he passed if we should name the pitch after him or something else, but it was my sister who said he wouldn’t want that,” Éadaoin continued.

“My daddy was just about hurling, about the wains, and about coaching and this is absolutely perfect. This is what he wanted. He wanted hurling, he wanted the wains to have a hurl in their hands from whatever age and to enjoy it, and that was it.”

“He started it, he was one of the founders, and he just let it grow and grow. He brought it through the city and he reached out to Cork and that was another massive thing. That relationship started up in 1984 and went on for years and thank God we’ve got that connection between the clubs. It's all my daddy and it’s lovely.”

Naomh Pádraig, Cup winners, Dunloy, Shield winners and Banagher, Plate Winners got their hands on the silverware on the day, in an event which now takes precedence in the Na Magha calendar. Those in place at the club today will never forget the work of those who came before.  

“It’s the club too themselves so fair play to them,” Éadaoin explained. “As we say, they were his family as well, it wasn’t just us, so for them to do what they are doing, it’s great. They haven’t just said “awk Seán’s not here anymore”; Seán’s here, they are going to keep carrying on. They are doing it for him and in honour of him and they are including us as well which is lovely. As a family they are keeping us involved, but they are the driving force here and they have just taken it on and they are running with it and it is absolutely amazing.”