Golden night as GAA club publish stunning book
James Laffey, who helped to compile and edit the book, with Moy Davitts GAA stalwart John Gilmore and club secretary Bernie Ryder. Picture: Michael Donnelly
Moy Davitts GAA Club has marked its 50th Anniversary with the publication of a stunning new book which chronicles the half century of its existence – and so much more besides.
The official launch of attracted a large crowd to The Moy Hotel in Foxford last Saturday night, where among the guests were Mayo GAA’s chairman and secretary, Seamus Tuohy and Ronan Kirrane, Connacht GAA secretary John Prenty and newly-elected East Mayo GAA chairperson Mary Prenty.
The book was officially launched by legendary Mayo footballer and analyst Martin Carney who was domiciled in Foxford during the early years of his move from Donegal. It was humorously recounted on Saturday how Martin, then a highly-decorated footballer with the Tir Chonaill county, politely declined local attempts to encourage him to join Moy Davitts. He would, of course, go on to enjoy just as successful inter-county career in the green and red of Mayo and an equally rewarding club career with Castlebar Mitchels.
Martin Carney, in a truly engaging speech, highlighted that long before the establishment of Moy Davitts GAA Club, people from all corners of the catchment area had, over the decades, left their mark on the GAA in Co Mayo and beyond. It’s a list that includes the names of original GAA patron Michael Davitt, after whom the club is named, Olympic superstar Martin Sheridan, Frank Dorr, the first secretary of Connacht GAA, Bernie Durkan, chairman of Mayo GAA when the county won All-Irelands at senior, junior and minor grades in the 1930s, not to mention a string of National Football League titles, Bill O’Dwyer, who brought the 1945 All-Ireland SFC to New York where he was now Mayor, and the famed Laffey brothers, Peter, Jimmy and Tim, who all excelled at the very highest level of inter-county football.
And yet all that only scratches some of what has made Moy Davitts GAA Club the vibrant and ambitious club it is today. At just over 400-pages, this new hard back, coffee table-style book forensically details the journey from the club’s formation as one junior men’s team under the banner of Bohola GAA in 1974 right through to the entity it is today, where there are 250 players affiliated to the ladies teams alone. It does so through some wonderfully researched articles, many of which have been contributed by former players, managers and officials whose personal memories and reflections are wonderfully complemented by a stunning collection of photographs, many of which appear in public for the very first time.
“This milestone publication is the fruits of five decades of support from the community, voluntary contributions and the endless toil of club members and, of course, the love of Gaelic football and the enduring spirit of the players who represent Moy Davitts each and every year,” says Moy Davitts GAA chairman Brian Hughes.
He adds that the book recounts the storied history of the club from humble beginnings to its current standing as a very progressive and proactive club and that it traces the history of GAA activities in the area since the foundation of the association in 1884, meaning that 140 years of GAA history has been captured.
“A huge amount of work went into this book project during the past 12 months and I want to sincerely thank the members of the committee and everyone else who helped out in any way,” said Brian Hughes.
“I am sure that this special publication in this golden jubilee year of Moy Davitts GAA Club will be a source of great pride to all our members and the wider community now and in the years to come,” he concluded.
