One of Ballinrobe GAA Club’s longest serving members – Michael Coyne – was honoured with the Clubman of the Year for 2006 award at the club’s annual dinner-dance in the McWilliam Park Hotel, Claremorris, last week. In his own words, “this turns the wheel back 47 years” as he was the first recipient of the award when it was inaugurated in 1959.
“Brother DF O’Farrell presented the award back in 1959, and we were one of the first clubs in
James O’Malley was the popular winner of the Player of the Year Award, and the other awards presented on the night went to: Donal Vaughan (Young Player of the Year), Darragh Jennings (Junior Player of the Year), Kenneth O’Malley (special presentation to mark his role as goalkeeper on the Mayo U21 team that won the All-Ireland title in 2006)
A special presentation was also made to Club Treasurer Emma Nestor for her great work in organising the dinner-dance. Club chairperson Peter Walkin paid tribute to all the award recipients and encouraged all club members to make 2007 another successful year for the club.
John O’Mahony praised Ballinrobe for the quality of their facilities at
Mgr Tom Shannon, PP, blessed the floodlights. Mayo won the challenge to become the first holders of the Tim Kelly Engineering Floodlit Cup, and a crowd of about 1,200 attended the game.
John and Gerardine O’Mahony; Kevin and Verona McStay; Ger and Bridie McHugh; Sean and Mary Feeney; and Catherine and John Clancy (AIB Bank, sponsors) were guests of the club at the dinner-dance.
