Kiltha Óg at 20: Underage link-up for Dungourney and Castlemartyr reaps huge rewards

KILTHA Óg are celebrating 20 years of success at Garryvoe Hotel this Saturday.

It has been two decades paved with several divisional and county wins and there is no doubt that the birth of the amalgamation between the neighbouring sides has been a key factor in the progress of both Castlemartyr and Dungourney on the adult playing fields. 

Both are currently in a very good place and at the changing of the guard at the AGM of Kiltha Óg, the evidence suggests the combined parish juvenile sector is also thriving.

An idea first aired during the early winter days of 2002 led to rapid progress with both ends of the Imogeela parish uniting on the GAA field within a few months. There are now so many great memories to look back on over the past 20 years with the green, gold and red jersey now very recognisable on pitches and significantly on victory podiums on a regular basis. The new club has produced some outstanding teams and many individuals who have gone on to wear the red of Cork.

John Whyte, lifelong Castlemartyr GAA stalwart, was the Kiltha Óg's first secretary and instrumental in putting forward the concept of a combined parish team. At the time he had been chairman of the juvenile wing of Castlemartyr juvenile club for three years and an initial chat involving his club colleagues and representatives of Dungourney led to immediate progress and more formal discussion. 

It all happened very smoothly. Seven founder members became Kiltha Óg's first officers with Colm Griffin (chairman) Seamus Lawton (vice-chairman), John Kenneally (assistant secretary), Mary Griffin (treasurer) Mary Rohan (assistant treasurer) and Christy O'Sullivan from Clonmult joining John Whyte at the top table.

SEAMLESS

The mantle of responsibility has been handed on seamlessly since with the club lucky to have several outstanding officers and committee members driving the club on to great heights.

"There have been so many great memories both on and off the field," recalls Whyte. "Our first priority was to get teams sorted and get everybody playing. We had teams from U8 to U16 in our first year and in some cases, there were two sides in certain age brackets. 

"Colm Griffin, our first chairman, alway said that he wanted the club to help make these guys better players and better people and we certainly achieved that, when you look at the success rate. It was our aim to help guys play at the highest level and then obviously help Dungourney and Castlemartyr to do likewise."

His highlights are many, but there is no doubt he has a very personal storyline surrounding Castlemartyr icon Paddy Walsh.

"I had been given the Paddy Walsh Memorial Cup by the Walsh family a number of years back to put it forward for a local competition. When the GAA grades at adult level were being restructured, the then county PRO John Motherway accepted it as the symbol of success for the intermediate grade. 

At the time I wondered would we ever see the day when Castlemarty would compete for it. 

"Amazingly now both Castlemartyr and Dungourney have won it in recent times and have graduated to higher levels. So many of Kiltha Óg's young stars from recent years have now been part of those successful teams."

These recent triumphs have arrived on the back of several divisional junior wins in the Imokilly barony, which led to both clubs winning county titles at that grade also. There is a real winning mentality within the entire parish at present as Kiltha Óg continue to compete in both hurling and football finals at various age levels. 

New club chairman Ciaran Collins and his current committee will be eagerly looking forward to this weekend's night of celebration which will honour club achievements of 2022 but equally take a nostalgic trip down memory lane to revisit many of those events of the past 20 years.

As Whyte recalls: "We have been fortunate to have enjoyed so many wonderful days. I can remember our Féile win in the midlands with what was an all-conquering team that were U12, U16 and minor winners. They were an exceptional group but the friends we made and the company we shared all together on that weekend was just fantastic. Then there were the bus trips to Croke Park when Cork were chasing All-Ireland titles. Those long days will stand the test of time forever."