Golf classic keeps Rochestown GAA on course as they look to keep improving

Rochestown GAA Club have been busy of late, with a few notable firsts for the small local club with big ambitions.

On Friday, June 27, more than 40 teams took part in club’s first-ever golf classic, held at Kinsale GC. Declan Murphy and the organising committee of Matthew McAuliffe, Dean Redican, David Sheehan and Paul Sullivan attracted in excess of 100 sponsors supporting the event, we had local teams, as well as teams who travelled from all over the county as well as Dublin, and Wexford to participate.

The trophy for first prize was presented by the Murphys, a family famed in the history of the club. Frank and Mary Murphy of 10 St Gerard’s Place, Rochestown had 18 children – 11 boys and seven girls – and all 11 boys donned the black and amber at one stage or another, as did their children’s children in future years, and many of their in-laws also, such as current club chairperson, Michael Corkery.

The youngest in the family, Noelle, presented the trophy to the winning team, representing Carrigaline Joinery, consisting of, John O’Neill, Brian O’Neill and Ruairí Dwyer. Former player Barry Murphy collected the ‘nearest the pin’ prize, kindly sponsored by Skechers. Prior to the presentation of prizes in the Ensign bar, Monkstown, Declan Murphy invited one of the club’s most famous sons, Weeshie Murphy, to say a few words on the history of the club. It was a very moving moment for all in attendance.

The club wishes to thank Kinsale GC and all their staff, and especially all those who participated and sponsored tee boxes, prizes and donated financially to the great day.

Nine days later, Rochestown contested the county JCFC final for the first time. While they were unfortunate to come up just short against a good Castlelyons side in Mallow, the club was very proud of manager Niall Murphy and his charges.

In his first year in charge, Murphy continues to mould a magnificent squad of players, underlined by the fact that they also reached the Seandún JFL Division final, losing out to Nemo Rangers.

Keeping things going on the pitch requires effort off it and that’s why Declan Murphy of the organising committee was so delighted with the support received for the golf classic.

“What blew me away was,” he says, “I have a lot of contacts within sport and within business, in Cork and Munster and throughout the country – and even some that I deal with overseas – I reached out to them and they were fascinated by the story, fascinated by this small, local, rural sports club.

They were delighted to help and have their name associated with it and the feedback from the whole day, from the whole event, was very positive.

“This was our inaugural event and we had never asked for anything like this before, bar for a couple of sponsors like Elevate Credit Union, that would be good to us every year.

“People were thrilled to go in behind this, people like Louis Fitzgerald, who owns a hotel in Dublin. He’s from Tipperary, a guy who’s embedded in the GAA, and he was more than happy to contribute.

“He’s a GAA man, he gets it and I think that that’s what makes the GAA special.”