Reeling back 140 seasons of GAA

Reeling back the years for almost a century and a half as the milestones over the decades were recalled, with memories relived, many who have passed on remembered, and friendships renewed, was a memorable evening for all present at Pairc Ui Riain.

Another Uachtarán Cumann Lúthchleas Gael walked the sacred sod of Ryan Lacken Park and the young caman players were encouraged to follow in the distinguished footsteps of their predecessors in the wearing of the purple and gold of Newport GAA and the blue and gold of Tipperary.

Celebrating 140 years marked another milestone in the history of the club and honouring the only surviving member of the first team to bring senior honours to the banks of the Mulcair was truly significant for the mix of very young and not so young present.

GAA President, Jarlath Burns, accompanied by his old friend Newport's own, Tim Floyd, former Tipperary County Secretary was welcomed by Michael Coffey, Chairman of Newport GAA.

Michael told the gathering that the origin of Newport GAA Club goes back to 1886 two years after the association was founded, but it “took the work of a lot of people to bring the club to what it is today, and those people of the past should be remembered for what they done”.

The population of the area has grown massively over the past 30 years and the recreational facilities provided by the various clubs in the parish has played a very big part in the integration of the expanding population into the community and has “contributed to making the GAA the successful club it is today and long may that continue”.

GAA President, Jarlath Burns was introduced by Denis Floyd, President, Newport GAA, who recalled many great milestones for the club over the decades and welcome the many players from teams of the past present.

None more so than the distinguished Pakie Jones, the only surviving member of the 1957 Newport team, the first to bring an adult title to the parish when they won the County Junior Hurling Championship.

Later in the evening he would be honour with a presentation by the GAA President on behalf of the club.

After a short intro ‘as Gaeilge’ GAA President, Jarlath Burns, said: “There is something very special about this evening, because it is not simply a celebration of the clubs history. It is a reminder that very GAA club is a relay race.

One generation carries the baton for a while before passing it on to the next. In the GAA there is the past and the present and the present is building a wonderful future considering the land that you have bought and the ambitious plans that you have for it.”

He said that it was visible all over the grounds that each generation made the facilities better to hand it on to the next with thriving GAA and Camogie sharing the facilities and even more important young people filling the pitches.

“None of what I have mentioned was developed overnight, but by the generations who gave their time without ever asking for recognition. The love of place is something that runs deep in the GAA, but maybe even deeper in Newport which is captured lovely in the song which remembers the hurling and the dance where the Mulcair waters flow.

“Those simple words tell us something profound. The people of Newport never separated their landscape from their community or their community from their games. Here the rivers, the hills, he music and the hurling all belong together.

“And that is why even the song speaks of leaving, the heart never does 'and if God spares me I'll return to where the Mulcair waters flow. That longing to come home is something that every GAA club understands.

“Newport has always produced some remarkable people. Great players like Jimmy 'Butler' Coffey, Noel O'Gorman, Michael 'Neighbour' Jones, Conor O'Mahony and Sean O'Brien have worn the blue and gold of Tipperary with distinction.”

He recalled Newport parish had also enriched the GAA in other ways, mentioning the distinction with which Tim Floyd served the county as secretary, Cora Moroney who became Tipperary's first female club chair, Michael Collins and Denis Floyd who preserved the story of the club in history because a club without a story would be a club without a memory and Pakie Jones who filled many roles “in true measure of a true Gael”.

A message of congratulations from Denis Ryan of Ryan's Fancy fame in faraway Newfoundland relayed over the screen concluded with his rendering of a verse of ‘Dear Old Newport Town’ and Sean Shinnors took to the podium to give a full rendering of the famed Newport anthem in fine voice as the curtain came down on another memorable evening in the history of Newport GAA.