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Pat Joe And ‘The Iron Man’ Enter Offaly GAA Hall Of Fame

Thursday, 19 January 2012

Offaly County Board Chairman Pat Teehan and Noel McCann, The Bridge House Hotel presenting St. Michael's Cian O'Donohoe with the U 21 Footballer of the Year Award at the Offaly GAA player of the year award. TT031234

Offaly greats Pat Joe Whelehan and Paddy McCormack were the popular and deserving 2011 entries into the Offaly GAA Hall Of Fame at the Bridge House/Offaly GAA awards held in the Bridge House on Friday night last.
A bumper crowd of close to 340 gaels graced the occasion as a total of 17 awards were handed out to those who excelled in their field. The night was a major success with past greats of both codes in attendance as Edenderry band 'Eden' provided the entertainment.
On introducing the great Pat Joe Whelehan before he accepted his award, Assistant Chairman of the County Board, Padraig Boland summed it up brilliantly when he declared,"you know you have made it when you're known by your first name". With that Pat Joe approached the stage to a standing ovation and accepted his award from Pat Teehan and Noel McCann of the Bridge House.
As described in his citation as "the little man with the midas touch", Whelehan was extremely gracious in accepting the award and declared that although he had managed teams in a range of counties from Tipperary to Galway to name a few, "there was no crowd like your own".
Pat Joe went on to declare that "Offaly have the best supporters in the country. North Offaly and South Offaly - your all the same.
"A good friend of mine is here tonight. Ken Hogan is training Coolderry for an All Ireland semi final in a couple of weeks time. You have 29 county titles and won your first Leinster this year and I just want to say to Ken and the boys to go and finish the job off and win an All Ireland final".
The honours list that Pat Joe Whelehan possesses is truly phenomenal (see citation). He was cleary emotional in receiving the award but spoke with purpose and real pride in his voice. He paid tribute to Willie Gorman - a good friend of his that is sick at the moment and also declared it "an honour" to be on the same stage and in the same company as Paddy McCormack who was induced into the Football Hall of Fame.
Paddy McCormack is synonymous with GAA Gaels throughout the length and breath of the Country never mind Offaly. Dressed as sharp as a new pin, McCormack was equally as proud and emotional as he received his momento and was entered into the Hall of Fame to follow on from the likes of Matt Connor and Greg Hughes to name a few. With a big Rhode contingent present, 'The Iron Man' also received a standing ovation to the stage.
McCormack declared, "Offaly has been a great sporting County and one has only to listen to the various citations to appreciate the extremely high standard of all sports. For my own part, I am delighted that my contribution to Offaly football has been remembered after all those years and may I say so - there was no red cards handed out!!!
"As fellas used to say - You Offaly backs should be put off after the Artane band. I would like to thank my wife and family for all their support. There was many a Sunday night I went home and threw the bag under the table and said, Josie I'm finished and she would turn around and say to me you will be a long time on the corner twiddling your thumbs and how right she was"
To finish up the great Rhode defender declared, "I hope to see Offaly rise again and lift the Sam McGuire and Liam McCarthy Cups".
Along with the Hall of Fame awards, there was gongs for the Senior, Intermediate, Junior, U21 and Minor players of the year as well as Referee of the year in both gaelic football and hurling. Damien Murray of Coolderry took the top gong in the hurling while Edenderry Captain Richie Dalton scooped the top football award.
Micheál O'Brien collected the Handball award while for the first time since the awards started back in 2001, Camogie and Ladies football were honoured with Drumcullen's Elaine Dermody collecting the Camogie and Rhode's Orlagh Heavey receiving the Ladies football honour.
Offaly County Chairman touched on many subjects in his address and acknowledged the part that the sponsors play during the year and insisted that we would be lost without them.
Mr Teehan continued, "I would like to congratulate all the award winners. You have excelled in your field and when it came to the crunch your performance may have been the difference between victory and defeat.
"However I am sure you will be the first to acknowledge that you were part of a team and without your team you would not be here tonight. In particular I am sure you won't mind me singling out the two Hall of Fame recipients. It is a very special night for those. Both these men have brought considerable honour to this county.
"This year we have new departures and we have the Camogie and Ladies Football awards. We are delighted to have them and the three committees have been working together more and more".
The Coolderry club man went on to congratulate Brian Gavin, Tony Carroll and Damien Brazil on their refereeing achievements and fittingly paid tribute to the attending Carthage Buckley who hung up his whistle this year after 35 years as the man in the middle.
He thanked all the sponsors of the championships and teams as well as the Bridge House of the sponsorship of the awards. To finish of Mr Teehan reflected on the two stand out victories for Offaly in 2011.
"Last March Gallen Community School did Offaly proud when they won the All Ireland Vocational School's title in Croke Park. It looked like it was going to be another one of those days but their was something special about this Gallen team. Everything went wrong in the first half but they stuck at it and in the end they got victory.
"At the end of the year, Coolderry did us proud by winning the Leinster club hurling title down in Nowlan Park and we all look forward to the 11th February when they take on Gort.
"We have new managements in place in all our teams except Minor football and I would ask everyone to be patient and give our management and players an opportunity. Above all give them support and encouragement".
The formal part of the night was brought to a close when the Minor footballer of the year from Ferbane, Joe Maher, sang a rendition of Fields of Glory that was excellently received with a rapturous round of applause.
The full list of winners were;
Hurling
Hall Of Fame - Pat Joe Whelehan (St Rynagh's and Birr)
Senior Hurling - Damien Murray (Coolderry)
Intermediate Hurling - Chris McDonald (Brosna Gaels)
Junior Hurling - Eunan Martin (St Rynagh's)
U21Hurling - David Magner (Ballinamere)
Minor Hurling - Peter Geraghty (K/K)
Referee - Brian Gavin (Clara)
Camoige
Elaine Dermody (Drumcullen)
Handball
Micheál O'Brien (Crinkle)
Football
Hall Of Fame- Paddy McCormack (Rhode)
Senior Football - Richie Dalton (Edenderry)
Intermediate Football - Joe Kilmurray (Rhode)
Junior Football - Noel Andrew Graham (Cappincur)
U21 Football - Cian Donohoe (St Michael's)
Minor Football - Joe Maher (Ferbane/Belmont)
Referee - Damien Brazil (Shannonbridge)
Ladies Football
Orlagh Heavey (Rhode)

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