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Preparing for the final
Naomh Barróg GAA Club
Introduction:
In this Issue we continue telling
the Naomh Barróg Story even
though we have not come to
that period yet. Between 1971
and 1974 many other things
were happening in the school
and in the parish that would
influence the establishment of
the Club.
The main purpose at this time
was supporting young people
and their families to settle into
their new environment, making
them feel welcome and en-
couraging them to identify and
be proud of their area. What
better way to do all this than by
sport. KADCA and their Sports
and Recreation Committee
were active in promoting this.
Sport did play an important role
in promoting inclusiveness..
Scoil Lorcáin over the next few
years was to become a suc-
cess story in reaching five
finals in Croke Park between
1972 and 1974 and Gaelic
Games became popular. In
the Daily Newspapers the
finals were reported and the
boys and their families loved
reading the headlines which
was positive news for the par-
ish. These were the headlines
in the Evening Herald Decem-
ber 1972 “Kilbarrack boys cap-
ture first cup” In 1974 the
headlines were “Kilbarrack‟s
Clonmore”. This gave the boys
and their families a sense of
pride. The boys walked around
the parish as local heroes. To
play in Croke Park in those
days was an unbelievable ex-
perience, one they have never
forgotten. Gaelic Games be-
came established in the parish.
“Before the match was over
Before the whistle blew
Maurice got the ball
And up the wing he flew
He passed it over to Lar and
Lar put it through
Another goal for Kilbarrack
Before the whistle blew”.
Reaching the Corn na Laoch
final was a great achievement
in our second year in Cumann
na mBunscoil Competitions.
Everybody in the school was
involved in preparing for the
big day. Jim Harte originally
from Roseglen Ave now living
in London recalls “I remember
the preparation for our first final
involving Scoil Lorcáin. The
release from class to learn the
songs and chants we would be
singing on the day of the final,
the making of paper hats and
banners. The one song that
stands out for me was…”
Inside this issue:
Corn na Laoch Final-December 1972
2
Report in Evening Herald on the drawn game.
2
The names of the boys who played.
2
“Kilbarrack boys capture first cup”.
i3
What winning the final meant to the boys
3
The thoughts of one of the boys on that day..
3
Profile: Luke Brodigan 4
Scoil Lorcáin Achievements in
Croke Park
1972-Win Corn na Laoch
1973-Runners up, Clonmore Cup
1973-Runners up, Miller Shield
1974-Win Clonmore Cup
1974-Win Miller Shield
1975-Win Canon Fields Trophy
1976-Runners up Fingal League
Final to Holy Spirit, Ballymun NS
1977-Win Fingal League Final-
against Malahide NS
1978-Win Fingal League Final
against Bonnybrook NS
History of the Club (1974-2014)
18th February 2014
Issue 3
Corn na Laoch Winners 1972 with
Mr Fields & Mr Sansome
“ Appearing in their first ever final, Scoil
Lorcáin made a bold bid to capture Corn na
Laoch against a very determined Scoil
Colmcille team which fought back in the
final 10 mins to force a replay. Willie Mc
Dermott opened the scoring for the Kilbar-
rack boys after 5 mins shooting a 14yard
free to the net. Then Sc Colmcille rallied to
score twice in 5 mins. E Mc Eochagáin
shot a point and Peader Caomhánach fol-
lowed up with a goal, but John Flynn lev-
elled matters with a point before the break.
Ronnie Ryan had a goal after 10 mins for
Kilbarrack and they tried their best to hold
on to this advantage,. Colmcille kept
pressing for the equalizer and their chance
seemed to have gone when a 20th min
shot crashed off the Kilbarrack upright.
However 3 mins from the finish P ó Ca-
omhánach ran in to punch a hopping ball to
the net, his second goal and one which
ended the game with a deserved share of
the spoils”.
The names of the boys who played in the drawn game and in the replay.
The team that played in the Drawn Game
Philip Redmond, Joe Mc Weeney, Lau-
rence Mc Carthy, Anthony Stewart, John
Mc Connell, John Ansley, John Clarke,
David Ormonde, Séan Farrell Capt), Der-
mot Buckley, Willie Mc Dermott, Ronnie
Ryan, John Flynn, Joe Bradshaw, Philip
Martin. Subs Alan O‟Brien, Derek O‟Neill,
Willie Sheridan, David Brady, Tony Mc
Donnell, Maurice Cassidy, Jimmy Maguire,
Raymond Keegan.
The team that played in the Replay
Philip Redmond, Anthony Stewart, Lau-
rence Mc Carthy, Seán Farrell, John Mc
Connell, John Ansley, John Clarke, Joe Mc
Weeney, John Flynn, Philip Martin, David
Ormonde, Ronnie Ryan, Joe Bradshaw,
Willie Mc Dermott, Maurice Cassidy,
Subs: Alan O‟Brien, Derek O‟Neill, Willie
Sheridan, David Brady, Raymond Keegan,
Tony Mc Donnell, Jimmy Maguire.
Did you notice any positional changes?
The Corn na Laoch Final– December 1972
Scoil Lorcáin 2-1 Scoil Colmcille 2-1 (Report in Evening Herald)
Damian Mc Elroy reporter in the Evening Herald
December 1972 said,
”It was a day far from suitable for young
footballers but the boys involved in these
Dublin Primary Schools League Finals
struggled manfully to overcome the conditions.
In the circumstances they succeeded
admirably…..”. Reporting on the drawn game.
Page 2 Naomh Barróg GAA Club
The big day arrived when the team set off
from Scoil Lorcáin in the teachers cars with
the school cheering us on as they waited
for the CIE buses to bring them to Croke
Park. The red and green jerseys had been
washed, ironed and would be worn with
pride.
Dick Fields the day before the final went
into Duggan‟s Chemist on the Kilbarrack
Road asking the chemist for a concoction
of Olive Oil and Winter Green to be mixed.
This „magic rub‟ was to be rubbed into the
boys legs to give them strength and to
maintain heat in their legs. Psychologically
this rub was to give them an advantage
against their opponents, Scoil Colmcille!
The smell of the concoction in the dressing
room made it a very manly environment.
In those days designer gloves for football-
ers were not on the agenda. Once again
Scoil Lorcáin knew how to prepare for all
the challenges they would encounter. A
visit to Dunnes Stores to purchase woolen
gloves for every player was made. The
preparation was to pay off. It turned out to
be a cold, windy day with torrential rain.
The Evening Herald reported “Driving rain
and a slippery sod did not deter Scoil
Colmcille and Scoil Lorcáin under 12 sides
from providing ardent followers with thrills
and fast open football...”.
William McDermott tackling for the
ball
Joe Bradshaw, Scoil Lorcáin, eye on the ball
great, the euphoria experienced and then
the presentation of Corn na Laoch, the
cheers, the hugs, the congratulations and
more importantly the memories that have
lived to this very day and helped these boys
to be the men they are today. That is what
sport is all about, That is what sport is sup-
pose to do for young people. Sport is to chal-
lenge all those involved, to grow in confi-
dence and self esteem. The boys who won
that final in Croke Park that year, were heroes in the eyes of the parish.
Winning this final was like winning an All
Ireland Final. In School to experience the
build up to the game with the singing of the
songs and the chants with “2,4,6, 8 who do
we appreciate” with the roar lifting the raft-
ers, responding “Scoil Lorcáin”. The jour-
ney to Croke Park, in the Dressing Rooms
were the Dubs tog out, running out onto the
pitch and the roar from all your school ma-
tes, teachers, family and friends urging you
to be a hero, the final whistle and the reali-
zation that you have achieved something
The thoughts of one of the players on that day and what it meant to him then.
What winning that final in Croke Park in 1972 meant to these boys.
Scoil Lorcáin 2-1 Scoil Colmcille 2-0
Reporter: Séamas Martin–January 1973
“ A great comeback in the last 20 mins
gave Scoil Lorcáin, Kilbarrack their first
Corn na Laoch, Dublin Primary Schools
Junior Football, when they defeated Scoil
Colmcille (Marlborough St) at Croke Park
on Saturday.
Scoil Colmcille were completely on top in
the first half but thanks to some great
goalkeeping by Philip Redmond the
Marlborough St side could manage only
to score two points in the first half. These
came from T Mac Conraí and S Ó Dalaigh.
Colmcille might have had a much bigger lead but for the fact that when Colmcille
were awarded a penalty Brian Ó’ Hicí’s shot was saved by Redmond. In the first min
of the second half Colmcille had a goal, who then led by 1-2 to 0-0 and with 20mins to
go the score re-
mained the same.
But then Willie Mc
Dermott got a goal
for K ilbarrack
which was followed
up in the 16th mi-
nute by a point
from David Or-
monde. Ten mins
from time Mc Der-
mott sent Philip Martin through for a goal for Kilbarrack to put them into the lead for
the first time in the match. Five mins from the end T Mac Conraí had a point for
Colmcille who then put on some fierce pressure but just could not score”.
“ I can’t believe I have just played in
Croke Park and have won a medal. It
was an unbelievable experience, one that
I never will forget as long as I live.
I moved out from town with my Ma, Da
brothers and sisters. I didn't even know
where Kilbarrack was, it could have been
anywhere. It wasn't easy and having to
start in a new school was scary, trying to
make friends. I think everybody felt the
same as me. I was put into 5th class.
One day Mr Fields came into our class
and said he was starting a school team
and that we would be playing Gaelic..
I had never played Gaelic before but I
decided to give it a go.
I think all the team never played Gael-
ic but Mr Fields and Mr Sansome
trained us nearly every day after
school and bit by bit we started get-
ting better and got to love playing it.
When we realized we reached the
final in Croke Park we were over the
moon. Coming to live in Kilbarrack,
starting to play Gaelic football and
winning a final in Croke Park has
changed my life”.
“Kilbarrack boys capture first cup” ( Evening Herald Report -Replay)
If you have a memory about Naomh
Barróg that you would like to share or a
comment that you would like to make
please let us know. If you have a family
member or friend who would like to
receive our Newsletter please forward
email address or home address to
Page 3 Issue 3
“ The day of the match, the anticipation of
a victory or not, the bus journey to the
football pitch, Croke Park, was such an
adventure for all us as 8/9 year olds. The
winning of the Cup, the joy of the day,
your heroes who you looked up to, Joe
Bradshaw, Lar Mc Carthy, Maurice Cassi-
dy, Ronnie Ryan, John Flynn, the list is
endless. This lived with you from that day
on. The return journey on the big Double
Decker with all the singing and the tour
around Kilbarrack with horns blaring to
celebrate”. (Jim Harte originally from
Roseglen Ave and now living in London.)
“Always remember meeting at Scoil
Lorcáin on a Saturday morning and get-
ting a lift off John Sheils in his Hiace van,
the Mini Leagues in Foxfield Park and the
day the Club was opened. I believe it’s a
unique Club and I miss the camaraderie
when I moved over here. It’s great to go
down 17 years later and still be remem-
bered. That says a lot about the Club”.
(Des Kinlough originally from Briarfield
Grv/Greendale Ave, now living in Leeds)
Conclusion
Comments and Memories from some of our readers
Luke Brodigan and his family moved to
live in Kilbarrack in the early 70’s and
like most parents they wanted the best for
their children in a new and developing
community. At that time while respond-
ing to an invitation to spend some time
landscaping the ground of Scoil Lorcáin,
he heard about the new Club Naomh
Barróg from one of the teachers who was
there also. He invited him to attend the
next meeting of the Club. Luke a mem-
ber of the Defence Forces at the time and
a native of Donore in County Meath ac-
cepted this invitation because as a former
player and lover of Gaelic Games he
knew this would be a great vehicle to
introduce his children to sport.
From his first meeting Luke became a
dedicated and committed member of
Naomh Barróg. His work rate in promot-
ing the Club was legendary. His gift of
communication and relating to people
was evident when he was Chairman of
many fundraising committees or when he
acted as MC at our Race or Auction Nights
or when co-ordinating the Opening of our
Ground in 1984 and Club House. He was
Vice Chairman and Registrar in the Club.
He also was at one stage Chairman of the
North East League. He was a Mentor of
many Naomh Barróg teams which was his
first love. He was a highly respected
member of our Club. He died September
2010 and is fondly remembered.
Researching and reflecting on the early
days in Kilbarrack has been enjoyable
and fulfilling. It states the important part
schools and clubs can do to support and
encourage families in their new social
settings and the challenges they encoun-
ter. To have supports and outlets to be
involved in can only lead to positive re-
sults. To have good schools at the dispos-
al of people as they move to a new loca-
tion is paramount. In Dublin today many
families find it difficult to obtain places
for their children in the local schools.
Issue 2 illustrates how Scoil Lorcáin re-
sponded to the needs of the boys of the
parish, giving them a vital outlet to play
sport and experience success and self
satisfaction from the very beginning the
school was founded.
From the memories you will detect a
sense of pride and joy when they are
being expressed now. Continue to let us
know your memories. Thanks.
Profile: Luke Brodigan
Page 4 Issue 3
Luke Brodigan receiving his Honorary
Membership from Club Chairman Liam
Byrne