Celebratory anniversary dinner held to recognise Castlehaven football heroes of 1973

THE Castlehaven junior football team that won the West Cork junior divisional football championship in 1973 recently held a celebratory event in the West Cork Hotel, Skibbereen.

The 50th-anniversary dinner proved a huge success as members of the team, their family members, club officers, and supporters gathered in strong numbers to honour the star-studded team.

The Haven junior A footballers under the guidance of Ned Cleary defeated Carbery Rangers on a final scoreline of 0-15 to 1-10 on September 9, 1973, to secure the Little Norah Cup for the first time in their history.

The talented panel of 24 players contained four sets of brothers. 

The Haven was backboned by the Collins brothers, the Minihanes, the O’Donovan brothers, and the O’Callaghan brothers who each played integral roles in their success. The Haven were captained to divisional glory by the late Morgan Courtney.

The Castlehaven junior footballers were ultimately defeated by the Seandún champions Douglas in the county championship that year, but the new generation of players was not to be deterred and they captured divisional glory again in 1976. They subsequently won the junior A county title that year after they beat Castletownbere by ten points.

Success in the intermediate grade followed within two years and by 1979, Castlehaven was competing in the senior grade for the first time. Incredibly they finished their debut season in the top flight with a county final appearance against the Barrs. 

That team still contained a number of players who had helped the club win their maiden junior A football title success in 1973.

Castlehaven club chairman Anthony Walsh said the recent gathering proved very successful. 

“The night went very well. There was a nice crowd present. Tommy Lyons acted as the MC. He is from the same era as the players so he grew up and played against a lot of the players. He had very detailed information on all the players. The players really enjoyed going down memory lane on various games and highlights,” he said.

“The players loved the occasion,” said the Castlehaven club officer. 

“We wanted to hold the event on the same night as that famous JAFC victory 50 years ago. 

"The victorious players didn’t want a big occasion. They just wanted to meet up and enjoy a nostalgic look back at their successful playing days."

"We have received so much positive feedback since the event was held. The players and their families were thrilled with the occasion and meeting up with old friends and acquaintances.

“A good few of the players are still based locally but a few are based in other locations so they don’t meet up that regularly. They enjoyed sitting down and chatting with each other. They shared funny stories as they looked back on their footballing career,” he added.

The Haven club chairman said all 24 players on the victorious 1973 panel were represented at the celebratory event. 

“All 24 players were represented on the night. Three of the players have sadly passed away. Morgan Courtney the team captain, Padraig Burke, and John Richard O’Donovan. The late Ned Cleary was the coach. He was represented on the night by his wife Kathleen and his children John, Denis and Emer. 

"All the players are still looking fit and strong. Tommy Lyons remarked that he still wouldn’t like to play against some of them. It is very fitting to mark important moments in the club’s history.” 

The 1973 divisional championship win represented the start of a remarkable era for the Castlehaven club as they proceeded to capture numerous titles at all grades, while several players enjoyed successful careers with Cork. 

Anthony acknowledged the importance of that breakthrough victory. 

“That 1973 winning team set the mold and was the start of the Castlehaven journey really."

"They were underdogs going in against Carbery Rangers. It was a great result and it was the start of the club going forward. It gave the club and the players great confidence. They went from strength to strength.

“There were some superb players on the team. Between all the Collins brothers alone, Tim Joe O’Regan, Jim Nolan, and many more. There was a fine setup there. The strength of that team is shown by the fact that a lot of that team contested a senior football championship final within six years,” he added.

Anthony was assisted by Andy Whelton, Kevin Buckley, Batt Maguire, Kathryn Courtney, and Shane Nolan in organising the celebratory night.

 The players were presented with a scroll with a picture of the team on the night. The club chair said they were ‘thrilled’. 

“Dinty Collins approached me about the possibility of setting up the celebratory night. We were fortunate the venue was available 50 years to the very night we won the championship title. The players were thrilled to receive the scroll. The players were so proud to be appreciated 50 years on.”