Camogie Club

Tributes

Tributes

Maura Coleman-Walsh

Another link with the Glen Rovers seven in a row county champion winning team of 1962 to 1968 was severed with the untimely passing of Maura Walsh nee Coleman. Maura won many honours in the game both with Cork whom she had two senior All Ireland medals and with Glen Rovers and Carrignavar, her club and inter county team colleagues were shocked at her untimely death. Maura played for many years and indeed came out of retirement and played when we won the junior “A” championship in 1983 making it a double for our club. Many of us had the pleasure to have played on that team with her and she was a friend for many years. One of her proudest moments was when her son Coleman won an under 21 county championship medal with the Glen in 1995, that day Maura cried tears of joy, last week we shed tears of sadness at her sudden passing, Rest in peace dear Maura.

Siobhan O'Brien

A sad day for Cork and Glen Rovers camogie as another link was severed with the passing of one of Glen Rovers and Corks finest camogie players Siobhan O Brien, A former Cork senior captain Siobhan was a well known and respected club and inter county player in the 1950’s Siobhan led the Glen to our first senior county championship title in 1950 when the Punch cup came to Blackpool for the first time. She had the honour in 1952 of leading Cork back to the inter county playing fields after a lapse of eight years away from the scene. Cork returned and qualified to play Tipperary in the Munster final the match report on same read as follows “Siobhan O Brien led Cork from the dressing rooms to the rapturous roar of Cork followers, the rebels announced their return in emphatic fashion with a brilliant display scoring convincing 9-5 to 3-0 victory” However they had to give way to a strong Antrim side in the All Ireland semi final Amongst her team mates on the side were fellow club member Sheila O Donovan (Cahill) who has fond memories of Siobhan The holder of senior county championship medals won in 1950 and 51 Siobhan spent her working life in Sunbeam Wolsey and was a true Blackpool woman living in Spring Lane and later in Dublin Hill. She kept her involvement in Glen Rovers and was a member of the ladies club and enjoyed great trips with the club in the modern era travelling in the late 1990’s to camogie games in Ballinasloe, Ballyraggett and further a field to support the girls in her beloved Glen. It wasn’t only the girls Siobhan supporter but she actively followed and was interested to hear any thing related to the Club, Diarmuid O Donovan related that as a young teenage playing with the Glen and St. Nicks Siobhán would always stop and chat to him in Spring Lane about the games and enquire who played well and how everyone was doing. She also had a great memory for names and could speak at length about players be it camogie, hurling or football. Up to the time of her short illness she was active and frequently chatted about games and life’s activities which she took a keen interest in. A real lady Siobhan was never slow to point out if things were wrong but always had words of praise for the work being carried in the promotion of camogie. It was always a pleasure to listen to her relate some wonderful stories and to be part of something in our club and indeed our county which she helped to carve out and build, hopefully generations of Glen girls to come will continue to carry that legacy handed down by Siobhan, May She Rest in Peace

Rita Barrett

Recently a link with the Glen Rovers camogie team of 1934 was severed with the passing of Rita Barrett. Better known as Rita Hegarty she lined out with the clubs first team to win a camogie championship trophy in 1934 when the club took the senior divisional title, the previous year Rita 1933 Rita lines out with the Glen rovers side that won the Midleton cup. A tough and deteremined player she lined out in the full forward line when she notched up vital score for her side, such was her prowess that she earned herself the nick name “glued to the square” something she became known by fro many years later. Rita was married to the famous Batna Barrett who won eight county senior championship medals in a row with the Glen.After marriage she continued her camogie playing for a number of years and brought along her family to stand on the side line while she lined out long side many famous Glen Rovers names of that era including the late Kitty and Essie Burns, Nan Sheehan and Mary Dorgan. Sole survivor from that era is present club president Chrissie Buckley.A superb player with the club Rita resided in Spring Lane in the heart of Glen Rovers where she continued to live until well into her married life the family moving to Farranree in later years where she lived until the last ten when she resided with her daughter Margaret and her family in Ovens. Rita never lost her love for Blackpool or for Glen Rovers and the big crowd at her funeral was testament to her popularity.Rita has passed on her camogie skills to her granddaughters Ellen and Margaret o Herlihy who play their camogie with the Eire Og club and both have worn the Cork colours with distinctions. Glen Rovers camogie club provided a guard of honour at the funeral led by their club officers and members that included Jackie Moylan a grand daughter of Rita former team mate Essie Burns. The tradition started by Rita and her team mates continues to be an inspiration to the legion of players who now wear our club colours, May she rest in peace.

Peggy Dorgan

The death occoured of one of the clubs former great camogie star Peggy Dorgan Peggy who wore the club colours with distinction winning eight senior county championship medals as well as a senior All Ireland medal with Cork in 1970. her death at a relatively young age has left a deep sense of sadness in all who knew her, none more so than in our club Glen Rovers.A member of the team that recorded a seven in a row of Cork County championship successes from 1962 to 1968 Peggy was also the holder of a senior championship medal won in 1958 when she was a member of the Glen panel at just twelve years of age.Five year later she was on the Cork senior panel and remained there until her retirement from inter county camogie in 1971.In 1963 she was honoured by Beamish and Crawford alongside Christy Ring with a sports star award a huge honour for one so young. A tremendously skilful player Peggy spent her earlier years living in Dillon Cross before the family moved to Churchfield. At a young age Peggy joined Glen Rovers and made friendships that lasted a life time Our Club Chairperson Nora Newman has fond memories of Peggy who along with Ann Crotty were lifelong friend of Nora’s " Peggy was fantastic on the pitch and was a great friend,she was strojng willed and strong minded and was a very caring person, we were very close and went throguh a lot together ill miss her a lot"

Peggy spent her working life in the Eagle Printers and won many honours with Glen Cork and Munster, she made her inter county debut in 1963 but she had to wait until 1970 before she won an All Ireland medal as Cork ended a twenty-nine year gap to be crowned champions defeating Kilkenny in a thrilling final.

On the day she contributed 2-1 to the Cork tally, Peggy was by now was married to well known GAA referee Willie Horgan and it was a historic day in more ways than one as Peggy became the first married player to win a Senior All-Ireland medal with Cork. There had been a ban on married players lining out with inter-county teams but in 1968 the year Peggy married the rule was changed, that year Cork reached Croke Park for the first time in twelve years. Captained by Peggy’s great friend Anna Crotty they had to give way to a Wexford side who took the counties first title on a 4-2 to 2-5 score line.

It was to be 1970 before Cork reached their next final but the long wait finally came to an end when Ann Comeford lifted the O Duffy Cup. Peggy continued to play a huge role our club into the 1970’s and was one of the senior playing members of an extremely young Glen side who were crowned Intermediate county champions in 1974, that win gave the club a huge lift as during the early 70’s the club was finding the going tough. Peggy along with a few of the older players encouraged and coached us youngsters and it paid huge dividends, by now I think Sinead and Mark had joined the family but they were just brought along as well and there was always some one willing to keep an eye as their mother turned in her usual superb display in the green black and yellow of the Glen. Also a keen badminton player with the Glen Rovers club she adapted to that game with a natural flair and her brother-in-law Tim described her beautifully at her funeral mass when he said “she was the ultimate sportswoman”. Peggy was hugely proud of husband Willie Horgan’s success as a referee and was tremendously honoured by his achievements, Peggy maintained a huge interest in the game long after her retirement from club camogie and up until Anna Crotty’s death both could be seen regularly at inter-county and club games near and far Peggy with family en tow with Anna behind the wheel doing the driving.

For me Peggy Dorgan was a star and as a youngster tagging along to all the games with my mother I adored Peggy Dorgan, Anna Crotty and Deirdre Sutton they were the players from our club and in my eyes they and not anybody else were the best. When they visited our house as they regularly did it was great to listen in and hear all the stories about the games in a way that no doubt today the visits of players such as Joe Deane and Sean Og to any home would generate the same excitement to a youngster.

Peggy Dorgan was class, skilful and elegant as a player and a great friend, I enjoyed many a visit to her home in Cahergal where herself and Anna Crotty would tell many a story and enjoy a good laugh sitting by the fire, Peggy loved to laugh and was at times a great mocker she would tell a story and look with such a straight expression ready at any minute to burst out laughing, no doubt herself and Anna are at that again.The last few years have been tough as her illness took its toll, and it broke the hearts of her friends who always enquired as to her well being, reminiscing about the good old days.Her foremr club mates and present club memebrs poaid her a lovely tribute with their gaurd of honour at her removal and funeral Peggy would ahve approved.

To Willie, Sinead, Mark, James and John, her sister Marie and her brothers Michael John and Frank goes the deepest sympathy of everyone in Glen Rovers. Heaven has now gained another star for that team above, May the sod of Rathcooney rest lightly on you dear Peggy we in Glen Rovers will never forget you.

By Mary Newman: Club Runai

Maura Coleman-Walsh

Another link with the Glen Rovers seven in a row county champion winning team of 1962 to 1968 was severed with the untimely passing of Maura Walsh nee Coleman. Maura won many honours in the game both with Cork whom she had two senior All Ireland medals and with Glen Rovers and Carrignavar, her club and inter county team colleagues were shocked at her untimely death. Maura played for many years and indeed came out of retirement and played when we won the junior “A” championship in 1983 making it a double for our club. Many of us had the pleasure to have played on that team with her and she was a friend for many years. One of her proudest moments was when her son Coleman won an under 21 county championship medal with the Glen in 1995, that day Maura cried tears of joy, last week we shed tears of sadness at her sudden passing, Rest in peace dear Maura.

Siobhan O'Brien

A sad day for Cork and Glen Rovers camogie as another link was severed with the passing of one of Glen Rovers and Corks finest camogie players Siobhan O Brien, A former Cork senior captain Siobhan was a well known and respected club and inter county player in the 1950’s Siobhan led the Glen to our first senior county championship title in 1950 when the Punch cup came to Blackpool for the first time. She had the honour in 1952 of leading Cork back to the inter county playing fields after a lapse of eight years away from the scene. Cork returned and qualified to play Tipperary in the Munster final the match report on same read as follows “Siobhan O Brien led Cork from the dressing rooms to the rapturous roar of Cork followers, the rebels announced their return in emphatic fashion with a brilliant display scoring convincing 9-5 to 3-0 victory” However they had to give way to a strong Antrim side in the All Ireland semi final Amongst her team mates on the side were fellow club member Sheila O Donovan (Cahill) who has fond memories of Siobhan The holder of senior county championship medals won in 1950 and 51 Siobhan spent her working life in Sunbeam Wolsey and was a true Blackpool woman living in Spring Lane and later in Dublin Hill. She kept her involvement in Glen Rovers and was a member of the ladies club and enjoyed great trips with the club in the modern era travelling in the late 1990’s to camogie games in Ballinasloe, Ballyraggett and further a field to support the girls in her beloved Glen. It wasn’t only the girls Siobhan supporter but she actively followed and was interested to hear any thing related to the Club, Diarmuid O Donovan related that as a young teenage playing with the Glen and St. Nicks Siobhán would always stop and chat to him in Spring Lane about the games and enquire who played well and how everyone was doing. She also had a great memory for names and could speak at length about players be it camogie, hurling or football. Up to the time of her short illness she was active and frequently chatted about games and life’s activities which she took a keen interest in. A real lady Siobhan was never slow to point out if things were wrong but always had words of praise for the work being carried in the promotion of camogie. It was always a pleasure to listen to her relate some wonderful stories and to be part of something in our club and indeed our county which she helped to carve out and build, hopefully generations of Glen girls to come will continue to carry that legacy handed down by Siobhan, May She Rest in Peace

Rita Barrett

Recently a link with the Glen Rovers camogie team of 1934 was severed with the passing of Rita Barrett. Better known as Rita Hegarty she lined out with the clubs first team to win a camogie championship trophy in 1934 when the club took the senior divisional title, the previous year Rita 1933 Rita lines out with the Glen rovers side that won the Midleton cup. A tough and deteremined player she lined out in the full forward line when she notched up vital score for her side, such was her prowess that she earned herself the nick name “glued to the square” something she became known by fro many years later. Rita was married to the famous Batna Barrett who won eight county senior championship medals in a row with the Glen.After marriage she continued her camogie playing for a number of years and brought along her family to stand on the side line while she lined out long side many famous Glen Rovers names of that era including the late Kitty and Essie Burns, Nan Sheehan and Mary Dorgan. Sole survivor from that era is present club president Chrissie Buckley.A superb player with the club Rita resided in Spring Lane in the heart of Glen Rovers where she continued to live until well into her married life the family moving to Farranree in later years where she lived until the last ten when she resided with her daughter Margaret and her family in Ovens. Rita never lost her love for Blackpool or for Glen Rovers and the big crowd at her funeral was testament to her popularity.Rita has passed on her camogie skills to her granddaughters Ellen and Margaret o Herlihy who play their camogie with the Eire Og club and both have worn the Cork colours with distinctions. Glen Rovers camogie club provided a guard of honour at the funeral led by their club officers and members that included Jackie Moylan a grand daughter of Rita former team mate Essie Burns. The tradition started by Rita and her team mates continues to be an inspiration to the legion of players who now wear our club colours, May she rest in peace.

Peggy Dorgan

The death occoured of one of the clubs former great camogie star Peggy Dorgan Peggy who wore the club colours with distinction winning eight senior county championship medals as well as a senior All Ireland medal with Cork in 1970. her death at a relatively young age has left a deep sense of sadness in all who knew her, none more so than in our club Glen Rovers.A member of the team that recorded a seven in a row of Cork County championship successes from 1962 to 1968 Peggy was also the holder of a senior championship medal won in 1958 when she was a member of the Glen panel at just twelve years of age.Five year later she was on the Cork senior panel and remained there until her retirement from inter county camogie in 1971.In 1963 she was honoured by Beamish and Crawford alongside Christy Ring with a sports star award a huge honour for one so young. A tremendously skilful player Peggy spent her earlier years living in Dillon Cross before the family moved to Churchfield. At a young age Peggy joined Glen Rovers and made friendships that lasted a life time Our Club Chairperson Nora Newman has fond memories of Peggy who along with Ann Crotty were lifelong friend of Nora’s " Peggy was fantastic on the pitch and was a great friend,she was strojng willed and strong minded and was a very caring person, we were very close and went throguh a lot together ill miss her a lot"

Peggy spent her working life in the Eagle Printers and won many honours with Glen Cork and Munster, she made her inter county debut in 1963 but she had to wait until 1970 before she won an All Ireland medal as Cork ended a twenty-nine year gap to be crowned champions defeating Kilkenny in a thrilling final.

On the day she contributed 2-1 to the Cork tally, Peggy was by now was married to well known GAA referee Willie Horgan and it was a historic day in more ways than one as Peggy became the first married player to win a Senior All-Ireland medal with Cork. There had been a ban on married players lining out with inter-county teams but in 1968 the year Peggy married the rule was changed, that year Cork reached Croke Park for the first time in twelve years. Captained by Peggy’s great friend Anna Crotty they had to give way to a Wexford side who took the counties first title on a 4-2 to 2-5 score line.

It was to be 1970 before Cork reached their next final but the long wait finally came to an end when Ann Comeford lifted the O Duffy Cup. Peggy continued to play a huge role our club into the 1970’s and was one of the senior playing members of an extremely young Glen side who were crowned Intermediate county champions in 1974, that win gave the club a huge lift as during the early 70’s the club was finding the going tough. Peggy along with a few of the older players encouraged and coached us youngsters and it paid huge dividends, by now I think Sinead and Mark had joined the family but they were just brought along as well and there was always some one willing to keep an eye as their mother turned in her usual superb display in the green black and yellow of the Glen. Also a keen badminton player with the Glen Rovers club she adapted to that game with a natural flair and her brother-in-law Tim described her beautifully at her funeral mass when he said “she was the ultimate sportswoman”. Peggy was hugely proud of husband Willie Horgan’s success as a referee and was tremendously honoured by his achievements, Peggy maintained a huge interest in the game long after her retirement from club camogie and up until Anna Crotty’s death both could be seen regularly at inter-county and club games near and far Peggy with family en tow with Anna behind the wheel doing the driving.

For me Peggy Dorgan was a star and as a youngster tagging along to all the games with my mother I adored Peggy Dorgan, Anna Crotty and Deirdre Sutton they were the players from our club and in my eyes they and not anybody else were the best. When they visited our house as they regularly did it was great to listen in and hear all the stories about the games in a way that no doubt today the visits of players such as Joe Deane and Sean Og to any home would generate the same excitement to a youngster.

Peggy Dorgan was class, skilful and elegant as a player and a great friend, I enjoyed many a visit to her home in Cahergal where herself and Anna Crotty would tell many a story and enjoy a good laugh sitting by the fire, Peggy loved to laugh and was at times a great mocker she would tell a story and look with such a straight expression ready at any minute to burst out laughing, no doubt herself and Anna are at that again.The last few years have been tough as her illness took its toll, and it broke the hearts of her friends who always enquired as to her well being, reminiscing about the good old days.Her foremr club mates and present club memebrs poaid her a lovely tribute with their gaurd of honour at her removal and funeral Peggy would ahve approved.

To Willie, Sinead, Mark, James and John, her sister Marie and her brothers Michael John and Frank goes the deepest sympathy of everyone in Glen Rovers. Heaven has now gained another star for that team above, May the sod of Rathcooney rest lightly on you dear Peggy we in Glen Rovers will never forget you.

By Mary Newman: Club Runai