IT’S going to be a memorable year at Erin’s Isle GAA Club as members young and old, former and current, celebrate 100 years of a fantastic local institution.
The year began earlier this month on a sunny but bitterly cold new year’s day when hundreds of past and present members gathered to celebrate the start of the centenary.
To mark the official start of the celebratory year, and with the national anthem playing in the background, the club officially hoisted a specially commissioned centenary flag.
As the flag blew in the chilling wind, esteemed chairman Tommy Donohoe, had some inspiring words for the attentive audience before handing the microphone to club historian, Liam O Cathasaigh.
“In this truly historic year it is appropriate that we look back and celebrate our achievements over the last 100 years,” he said.
“It also gives us a chance to take stock. To acknowledge the efforts of those members that have long past on. To encourage the effort of today’s members and to plan for the sporting future of children not yet born.
“One only has to look around to appreciate the facilities that our members created and inherited. We have one of the best playing surfaces in Ireland with heated dressing rooms to complement it, a Juvenile room that is unmatched by any other club in Dublin – committee rooms , a large hall, a recreational lounge bar and a Pitch and Putt course of national standard.
“Now appropriately in this special year we can add a very impressive Ball Wall in the near future.”
O Cathasaigh went on to say the facilities were all thanks to the plain people of Finglas responding to fundraising efforts over the years.
“This was and is one of the great strengths of our club,” continued.
“It was built from the bottom up by the people of Finglas and is totally inclusive.”
After the official ceremony was completed the club’s camogie girls dressed in period costumes took to the field. The long skirts made movement difficult but considering some of them wouldn’t have moved much in some time, they put on a great show and were ably refereed by Paddy Canning dressed in his inspired landed gentry outfit.
Proceedings moved inside where well over 100 children were entertained in the club hall and the club bar was packed to the rafters for ballad singing and later disco dancing.
If this is the start of the celebrations it makes for a great year ahead.
The final list of all the activities is not published yet but it will include a centenary dinner dance in November, the opening of the Ball Wall in March and a few surprises.
All details will be available on the club’s Facebook page or the club website at www.facebook.com/erinsisle or www.erinsislegaa.com