Vol. 2 Issue 10 Nov/Dec 2014 NENAGH ÉIRE ÓG OUR UNDER-21 HCP WELCOMED HURLERS LOSE OUT PSYCHOLOGIST IN THEIR NORTH SHANE MARTIN AND TITLE BID GAA’S STACY CANNON NENAGH ÉIRE ÓG WELCOMED GAA PRESIDENT, LIAM O’ NEILL TO THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF ‘A CENTRAL CULTURE - GAELIC SPORT IN NENAGH’ AT MACDONAGH PARK, NENAGH – DECEMBER 7TH, 2014 PICTURED AT THE LAUNCH OF ‘A CENTRAL CULTURE - GAELIC SPORT IN NENAGH’ - back row from left: Councillor Séamus Morris, Seán Crowley (LEADER Project), Tim Floyd (Tipperary County Board Secretary), Jenny Bracken, Gerry O'Brien, Paddy Ryan (Nenagh Guardian) & Dan Kennedy (Roscrea, incoming North Board Chairman). Front row from left: Nancy Murphy, Jim Nagle (Nenagh Éire Óg Chairman), Liam O'Neill (GAA President), Dónal Murphy & Seán Nugent (Tipperary County Board Chairman). Vol. 2 Issue 10 Nov/Dec 2014 GAA PRESIDENT LIAM O’NEILL LAUNCHES A HISTORY OF GAELIC SPORT IN NENAGH December 7, 2014 GAA President Liam O’Neill launched the first two volumes of the book ‘A Central Culture – Gaelic Sport in Nenagh’ at the MacDonagh Park complex on Sunday afternoon, December 7th. This terrific piece of work has been compiled by Dónal A Murphy, PJ Maxwell and Nancy Murphy and is now on sale for a combined price of €40 (both before revealing that the book ‘A the past one hundred and thirty volumes). Central Culture – Gaelic Sport in years and we can look forward to Nenagh’ represented much more the next one hundred and thirty Speaking at the launch Nenagh Éire than a “mere club history”. Instead, years,” Liam O’Neill said. Óg club chairman Jim Nagle warmly the book examines the social and welcomed the large crowd, GAA cultural fabric of Gaelic games over “I am delighted to be here and I President Liam O’Neill and also took a 130-year period in the town. hope this history inspires the time to acknowledge the presence coming generations to take the of representatives of the North Jim Nagle thanked the LEADER Nenagh club to even greater Board, County Board and project for their help and support, heights,” Liam O’Neill added. neighbouring clubs in the financial or otherwise, and MacDonagh Park Complex. particularly Seán Crowley who made In conclusion club chairman Jim a significant contribution to ‘A Nagle thanked the GAA president for Authors Dónal and Nancy Murphy Central Culture – Gaelic Sport in his kind remarks, described the regaled the audience with a Nenagh’. Mr Nagle also thanked the book as a “collector’s item” and presentations of highlights from this printers, the Nenagh Guardian, for dedicated it to every player, definitive social history of Gaelic all of their assistance before mentor, administrator and supporter sport in Nenagh while the evening’s describing the book as a of Nenagh Éire Óg. entertainment also featured the “remarkable publication” singing of Gerry O’Brien and Jenny which blends history and Bracken’s reading of the Thomas memoir. MacDonagh poem ‘John, John’ – Jenny Bracken is a great Nancy Murphy made a granddaughter of Con Cleary who presentation of the book to was a significant influence on the Liam O’Neill before the GAA development of the Nenagh Éire Óg President described ‘A club. Central Culture – Gaelic Sport in Nenagh’ as “worthy In a well-received address club Jim of great praise”. Mr O’Neill Nagle outlined the scale of the also asked those present to project undertaken by Dónal A “never forget what makes us Murphy, PJ Maxwell and Nancy strong, what makes us Murphy. strong is community”. The cover of volume one of ‘A Central Culture – Gaelic Sport in “If something is worth doing in life it “We can look back with pride and Nenagh’. is worth doing right,” Jim Nagle said honour at our achievements over Vol. 2 Issue 10 Nov/Dec 2014 Mr. Nagle thanked Dónal A run annual Sports meets under Murphy, PJ Maxwell and Nancy GAA rules. Murphy for their work on this ambitious project before The book will also include a asking Ger Gavin to make a ground-breaking analysis of presentation to Liam O’Neill on the strength of cricket among behalf of the club – Ger Gavin, the ethnic Irish and Irish- as club chairman in 2006, Norman of Ormond, prior to instigated this project which 1884 and during the 1890s. has now come to fruition. The personalities of most of the Nenagh club’s founders are BOOK DETAILS rounded out in the book – descendants of four appear in In all ‘A Central Culture – the story and are traced Gaelic Sport in Nenagh’ will through three to six comprise three volumes – generations down to the volume one covers the years present one. 1884-1933, volume two 1934- 1959 and volume three 1960- Volume two features a unique 2014. GAA President Liam oral history of Gaelic sports in O’Neill launched the first two Nenagh as told by several volumes of the book on Sunday The authors of ‘A Central Culture – veterans, some deceased since the while the third volume will be Gaelic Sport in Nenagh’ – from left: interviews; surprising stories in published in 2015. Dónal A Murphy, PJ Maxwell and appendices; Nenagh’s opponents in Nancy Murphy. finals and the profusion of Volumes one and two cover the first personality profiles. seventy-five years (1884 to 1959). level in every code to have played Researched and written by Dónal A for Nenagh Éire Óg from 1960 A particular strength of the story is Murphy, PJ Maxwell and Nancy onwards, a listing of every match the collection of oral history which Murphy, with Gaelic sport as the played during that period and a illustrate in rich colloquial language focus and Nenagh town and parish copy of every reference to Nenagh the dreams and downfalls, heroics at centre stage, this story explores Éire Óg contained in the Nenagh and errant ways, evolving club many aspects of social history. Guardian files. ethos and, again, the social context People and place, sport and identity Volume one of this fantastic and of the sport. are at the heart of a publication comprehensive study of all branches which contains much to fascinate of Gaelic activity in Nenagh will and intrigue a wide audience. reveal some notable facts:- This publication will surely find a 1) that there were thirteen resting place in every home in founders of the national GAA Nenagh and the surrounding area. It on November 1st 1884 (not will cater for all Tipperary GAA fans just seven, as hitherto and will also appeal to national officially believed) sporting enthusiasts and members of local historical societies and 2) that Nenagh formed the family historians. first official hurling club in the country, only four weeks and Along with the physical book a huge one day later, initially a amount of digital content associated branch of the cricket club with the project will be published via the club website in 2015. That 3) that Nenagh was first to organise The cover of volume two of ‘A digital content will include: a team bearing the name Central Culture – Gaelic Sport in photographs, a detailed listing of ‘Tipperary’, not alone in the GAA but Nenagh’. every player on every team at every in any sport; and among the first to Vol. 2 Issue 10 Nov/Dec 2014 Appendices include revealing Éire Óg are also prepared to post profiles of the thirteen founders of copies of the book to anywhere in the national GAA, and the first full the world. Please contact Brian transcript of the report of the 1884 McDonnell for details. foundation; a fresh look at Nenagh’s first opponents, Silvermines and ÉIRE ÓG SUPPORTERS their Silver Cup; and details of a PICTURED AT THE testimonial, dominated by the LAUNCH OF ‘A CENTRAL traders and professionals of the CULTURE – GAELIC market town Aonach Urmhumhan, SPORT IN NENAGH’. to Con Brewer of the ‘De Wet’ neighbours. This unique history also features scores of pen pictures of players and officials – from Minogue ‘diddles his man, bustled Mackey’; Darcy ‘the star performer, once more the shining light, a Finn Mccool’; through the North Board leaders, McGrath, Moylan, Hogan, Ó Cléirigh; to Bergin ‘his reach, speed and telling shots with either hand, the power of a battering-ram’; 1928, 1949 and 1957 teams in full. FOR SALE The first two volumes of ‘A Central Culture – Gaelic Sport in Nenagh’ are now on sale at just €40. Copies of the book can be obtained in selected local shops and from officers of the club. Those interested can also purchase a copy via the club website. Please contact PRO Brian McDonnell on 087 222 8976 or simply email Brian at [email protected] – Nenagh Vol. 2 Issue 10 Nov/Dec 2014 A Central Culture Gaelic Sport in Nenagh Relay Books are proud to be associated with the only GAA Club in Ireland that will have published a history that is so comprehensive and wide-ranging. It will cater for National sporting enthusiasts as well as North and County Tipperary GAA fans of hurling, football, and handball. It has some camogie. It has very strong track and field athletics elements. The sub- title, ‘A Central Culture’, indicates that it shows the connections between Nenagh GAA clubs from the first one’s inception in 1884 and many other Nenagh organisations through the GAA people involved in those bodies. That will also appeal to members of local history societies and family historians. Harking back to 1928 and forward to Council. witnessed by a fairly good crowd at the 1939, Nenagh parish put out teams Sár-toradh agus Omós Before a large Show Grounds.