Joe Carroll: Darver Centre a monument to Louth GAA

People who played a significant part in the Darver Centre of Excellence becoming a reality were honoured at the mid-Louth venue at a simple but dignified ceremony.

Also remembered were two men who contributed greatly to the story of the GAA in this county and beyond, Tom Burke and Charlie McAlester, both gone to their reward.

Seamus Kirk, Pat Toner, Paddy McMahon, Colm Marry and Brendan Carthy had nothing but a dream when they first gathered with a view to providing the county with a badly-needed playing and training facility. There was no money, but ideas were plentiful.

There’d been stories of county team managers having nowhere to prepare teams – those who were facilitated depended almost entirely on the goodwill of clubs.

Having existed for over a century, what the county boasted of in terms of playing pitches, clubrooms and social centres had been provided by clubs. The county wasn’t impoverished, but there was nothing much the central body could attach its name to.

It’s different now. Darver, with its six pitches and an impressive centre, is the envy of many counties.

Others have taken their lead from it, but what must give its creators, the County Board and those whose task it is to look after teams the greatest satisfaction is that accommodating games and training county teams is not a problem anymore. When the summer is at its height, there’s hardly a night goes by that each pitch is not occupied.

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Identifying a site and raising the necessary finance to purchase and then develop it was the organising committee’s main preoccupation. That they got a headstart before the Celtic Tiger went to ground and had people on board whose expertise was invaluable and was provided at no cost, which was a help. So, too, was having a voice in the highest of places.   

Central to the ceremony, which was conducted by Seamus Kirk, was the unveiling of plaques and the naming of rooms in recognition of the people whose contribution was enormous. Each of the organising five was present, bar one.

However, the late Brendan Carthy, who, in his role as quantity surveyor not only provided the blueprint for what is a beautifully laid-out facility, but also, by working in a voluntary capacity reduced the cost of the project considerably, wasn’t forgotten.

He was one of those who had a plaque unveiled – and blessed, like all others, by Fr Derek Ryan, Louth’s refereeing reverend – in the presence of his wife, Mary, mother, Margot, and sons Liam and Dermot.

It was long before the Darver Centre was even thought of that Willie Reilly was providing support to Louth GAA. A native of the Darver Parish, he emigrated to London at an early age and, as they say, the ‘local boy done well’. 

Whenever a Louth team visited, he’d be on hand to welcome them and make their stay the very best. Willie’s sister-in-law, Madge Reilly, and her daughter, Siobhan, were on hand to unveil the plaque.

Eddie McCormick was a school pal of committeeman, Paddy McMahon, and that might, just might, have something to do with the late Dundalk man, who lived on the Red Barns Road before he, too, made a success of his life in London, providing considerable financial support for the €7million project. His wife, Eileen, plans to visit to view the memento.

There was good reason for the Coleman and Mackin families being present in big numbers. It is on land owned by the Coleman family that the facility stands. There are 35 acres in all, and in releasing the site, the family showed goodwill and support.

The late Anna Mackin (nee Coleman) had a great regard for Gaelic games and athletics, and was represented on Friday by her husband Kevin, and sons and daughters, a number of whom travelled long distances to be present.

Leona (Farrell), came from Atlanta, Georgia, and son, Kevin Barry, from New York. Joanne (Masterson), Donabate, Kenneth, Bessbrook, Maria (Duffy), Ravensdale, Fiona, Dromiskin and Sean, Ballinagh, Co Cavan, didn’t have such arduous journeys.  

Considering the part he played for country and county, it’s a surprise Tom Burke hadn’t been commemorated in any way prior to this.

The Drogheda man was a County Board secretary and chairman as well as a championship-winning footballer and a referee, and for the part he played in the War of Independence was interned in Frongoch.

He read the Proclamation at the ceremony Louth County Board held in Ardee in 1966 to commemorate the 1916 Rising. As is widely known by now, he refereed the first All-Ireland final for which the Sam Maguire Cup was on offer for the first time.

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Tom’s 86-year-old son, also named Tom, was accompanied by his wife Mary, his sister, 90-year-old Mairead McDonald, his son Malcolm, Mairead’s daughters, Sarah and Elizabeth (who travelled from Italy especially for the event) and other family members. He unveiled the plaque.

Gone, but certainly not forgotten. That’s Charlie McAlester, who, prior to his death ten years ago, lived for Louth GAA. That can be said without fear of contradiction. Kitman, benefactor, County Board officer and unrivalled supporter, there was nothing he wouldn’t do to further the game.

He’ll be remembered not only by the room at Darver in his name, but also by the bursaries he provided finance for to be annually awarded to young students.

Next after Louth, or maybe before it, in Charlie’s affections were Newtown Blues. And it was proper that representatives from the Drogheda club were involved in the plaque’s unveiling along with County Board chairman, Peter Fitzpatrick.

Anne McQuillan (nee Judge) served as club secretary for many years, while Danny Nugent, a seven-times senior championship winner and synonymous with under-age football over a long number of years, is the first name many associate with the Newfoundwell club.

Darver centre of Excellence is a monument to Louth GAA and a tribute to all who made it possible.