Night of celebration for Letterbarrow Celtic FC and Drimarone
There was a huge night of celebration in the Abbey Hotel on Saturday night as Letterbarrow Celtic FC celebrated their 50th anniversary while the cheques for the Dublin to Drimarone Charity Cycle were also presented.
Letterbarrow were formed back at the end of 1975 with their first game in the Donegal League on August 1st 1976. Presentations were made to current managers Christopher Burke and Gerard McBrearty; to founding member Peter Campbell and James McGroary jnr for their work on a special book produced to mark occasion, and to Mr Letterbarrow, James McGroary snr., who was a founding member, current chairman and is still the lifeblood of the club.
Denis O'Gorman was MC for the event and in his own inimitable way managed to give many past players a 'rub'.
The night also saw the cheques from the Charity Cycle presented with a fantastic sum of €86,500 raised. Cheques in excess of €30,000 were presented to Donegal Hospice and Solace Cancer Care Centre, Donegal Town while Letterbarrow Celtic FC and Letterbarrow Celtic Youths each received cheques of €12,975 each.
Fergus McGroary, who was MC for the cheque presentations, singled out Deirdre Meehan for his work behind the scenes and she was the recipient of a special presentation on behalf of the group.
Alan McGroary, in replying on behalf of Letterbarrow Youths, had the last word in relation to the culture in the club. "It was said earlier that the club never had an AGM and if you got a job, it was yours for life. I was just thinking that Denis O'Gorman, he might have won one title, but for many years as manager we won nothing. Maybe we should have had an AGM!"
The night was a huge success - with a live screening of the Katie Taylor fight - providing a backdrop between the meal and the presentations. Over 200 turned out, both past and present Letterbarrow players, and plenty of past moments were recalled.
SEE THURSDAY’S DONEGAL DEMOCRAT FOR FULL COVERAGE OF EVENT