Senior and U21 Teams feted in night of Celebration!

Senior and U21 Championship title successes honoured

Glanalbyn House was packed to the rafters on Friday night, 1 March 2013, as the Kilmacud Crokes family and friends gathered for a night of celebration. October 2012 saw the return of the Dublin Senior Hurling Championship after a gap of 27 years – and the club was not in the mood to forget the achievement too quickly! It was a night for reminiscing as, in addition to honouring the recent achievements of the current Senior and U21 teams, members of previous winning teams (1974, 1976 and 1985) were also in attendance.

Tickets for the occasion were sold out long before the night and Ticketmaster supremo  Mick Hynes had been hard pressed in recent days trying to satisfy last minute demands from far and near for any “returns”.  As last minute preparations were completed in the Stillorgan venue, Mick was busily counting tables and seating arrangements to see where he might squeeze in an extra one or two bodies!

As guests arrived they had an opportunity to view a number of specially commissioned commemorative photographic pieces, including two large formal mounted photographs of the Senior and U21 teams, which will shortly be hung in the club. Also on display was a Poster sized framed photographic collage with various scenes of the County Final in Parnell Park on 14 October last. The Senior Team will also each receive their own framed copy of the Team photo, as a memento of the occasion.  

Following words of welcome by Club Chairman Pat Lambe, MC for the night Chris Thompson expertly brought the attendance through the various elements of the night’s celebrations. Guests were treated to a fine three course meal, prepared  by Denis Gorey and his staff. In between courses County Board Representative Sean Shanley (deputising for Dublin Senior Hurling Manager Anthony Daly, who unfortunately could not attend on the night) offered words of congratulations and remembered previous championship battles between Crokes and his own club, Craobh Chiaráin.

Guests were treated to a short photographic and video highlights show  (to appropriate music!) prepared by Diarmuid Ó Gallchobhair, which brought back memories of the various matches on the road to the County Final, the build-up to the day itself and - not least - the Final in Parnell Park and the celebrations afterwards.

Members of the U21 team were introduced by team manager Pat Halpin and individually by Team Captain Mark Lynskey. Each player was presented his winning medal by Tom O’Donnell of Friends of Dublin Hurling.

Senior Team Manager Gearóid Ó Riain spoke about the commitment, dedication and hard grind required to be a winning team. He also spoke of the support needed and readily given by not only the Hurling Committee, but also individual club members, such as Sean Allen, Richie Stakelum, Seamus Kennedy, Chris Thompson and many others. Senior Team Captain Ross O’Carroll also praised the hard work put in by many in the club over a long number of years in the lead-up to the County title and made special mention of former Hurling Section Chairman Tom Barry.  Sean Shanley then presented each of the Senior players with their Championship medal.

Before the celebrations got into full swing, Hurling Section Chairman Peter Walsh thanked all those who had contributed to the success of the evening and singled out “organiser-in-chief” Chris Thompson, Billy Noctor and Mick Hynes in particular. He went on to express the collective desire of all those present that this be one of many such celebrations into the future.

Old friends and new exchanged tales and memories long into the night and the general consensus was the event was a resounding success! Here’s hoping that there will be many more such celebrations in the near future!