The country’s schoolboy champions of 1975
The Mayo Vocational Schools team who won the 1975 All-Ireland final when defeating Tyrone in Croke Park had a 50-year reunion in The Castlecourt Hotel, Westport on Saturday night. They travelled from Boston, England and all over Ireland to be present and a great night was had by all. Team manager Tommy O'Malley and a number of the selectors were also in attendance.
It is a rather unique occasion for a group of Mayo footballers to come together to celebrate an All-Ireland success but that is exactly what happened in Westport’s Castlecourt Hotel on Saturday, November 1. Fifty years ago this year Mayo won their second of three Vocational Schools titles, the first coming in 1971 with the most recent in 1982. The 1975 panel celebrated the 50th anniversary of their triumph with a night of memories and presentations to mark the achievement.
The celebrations were attended by members of the victorious panel and a number of the selectors, including the team manager Tommy O’Malley who went on to represent Mayo with distinction both on and off the pitch. Minister Alan Dillon and former Minister Michael Ring were also in attendance as were members of the current Mayo GAA County Board. Indeed Michael Ring was a member of the team that won the title in 1971 and spoke glowingly of his memories and the follow on success in 1975.
It was a night of reflection, looking back at a campaign that saw the team defeat Leitrim and Galway in the Connacht championship, followed by a victory over a fancied Kerry team in the All-Ireland semi-final. This game was played in Ennis in difficult conditions and after a titanic battle the Mayo side emerged as one point winners.
The All-Ireland final was played in Croke Park before the 1975 National Football League final in which Meath defeated Dublin on a scoreline of 0-16 to 1-9. Mayo went into the final as underdogs against a strong Tyrone team that included future senior stars Aiden Skelton and Damian O’Hagan but they tore the form book to shreds by winning comfortably, 1-15 to 0-11, a margin that could have been much greater as they also shot eighteen wides.
Mayo were also represented by a number of players who went onto greater things at intercounty level, namely Stephen Joyce (who went on to manage and play for Galway), and Micheál Collins and Eugene Lavin who were involved with Mayo senior teams throughout much of the 1980s.
All but one of the seventeen players who took the pitch for Mayo on that famous day were present on the night as were a number of the panel. Sadly, our teammate Paddy Kilbane is no longer with us but was fondly remembered on the night for his contribution to a great campaign.
A number of players travelled from abroad for the occasion, with Michael Griffin coming all the way from Boston and Tony O’Donnell from London to join their former teammates. It was also great to see a number of the selectors present, teachers who had given up their time to transport players to training sessions and matches and who took great personal interest in the development of each and every one of us both in sporting and academic terms.
Sadly this competition is no longer in existence, something that makes the achievement even more special for those of us who were fortunate to be a part of it all those years ago.
The Mayo team on the day was: Eugene Lavin (Kiltimagh), Neal O’Donnell (Achill), John Loughney (Lacken), Paddy Kilbane (Achill), Micheál Collins (Lacken), Tommy Griffin (Claremorris), Padraic Moran (Westport), Martin Coleman (Claremorris), Stephen Joyce (Ballinrobe), Michael Griffin (Claremorris), Michael Biggins (Ballinrobe), Charlie Collins (Lacken), Patsy Walsh (Ballinrobe), Pat Dixon (Claremorris), Joe Flynn (Castlebar). Subs: Gerry O’Mahoney (Ballina) for Paddy Kilbane, Eddie Conway (Achill) for Michael Biggins, Pascal Weir (Achill), Padraic McNulty (Achill), Tony O’Donnell (Rossport), Thomas Noel Gaughan (Geesala), Joe Fadian (Achill), Pat Doherty (Ballina), Hugh Carney (Ballyhaunis), Michael Clesham (Claremorris), George Reilly (Westport), Frances Moran (Westport).
