Distinguished Service Soccer Award winner Peadar O’Leary was a very deserving receipient

When Casement Celtic was founded in 1970, it filled a void in the district created by the disbanding of Ballyphehane United, Blues United and Botanic. 

A very successful street League competition produced a bountiful crop of enthusiastic and talented youngsters, and Casement provided the launching pad for them to display their skills in the Schoolboys League.

It was not long before sports fanatic Peadar O’Leary, realising that he was never going to get to play in Croke Park, joined the Casement movement.

For a decade or so he served as treasurer, keeping tight control of the purse strings as was necessary during a period of huge expansion, with teams entering in every grade from Under-10 to Junior.

Peadar later opted out for a period following a change of abode, but continued to support the club from afar. 

When he returned, Casement was almost unrecognisable from the club he had served so diligently throughout the seventies.

Casement were now playing senior football and had become prolific trophy winners, while providing players for League of Ireland clubs and Irish international teams.

Then, in 2003, Peadar answered a call from Tony Murphy and joined the Munster Senior League management committees. 

In a dedicated period of service spanning 23 years, he filled several roles, principally as treasurer — a key position that had evolved greatly since his Casement days, when he had to chase players for two shillings’ script.

In 2004, soccer in Cork received a huge boost when, following a joint venture involving the AUL and MSL, the new Cork City & County Youth League was born.

Peadar was chosen as one of the MSL’s three representatives on the founding committee. 

His previous experience on the financial side of the MSL organisation saw him nominated for a role in the new structure.

The success of the League is down to the commitment of those who have been involved since its inception in 2004. 

The League was innovative in operating its own youth academy, designed to help improve playing standards, and that enterprise was rewarded when the Cork City & County Youth League won the FAI National Inter-League Trophy in 2012.

Peadar had the honour of being Chairman on that auspicious occasion.

He recently retired from the MSL, where he will be greatly missed, especially by the players to whom he became a familiar sideline figure at the weekly Match of the Week fixtures.

It is disingenuous for the media to refer to league management officials as “blazers”. Some, like Peadar, have operated across as many as three separate associations, giving their time voluntarily for 23 years.

Apart from his regular remit, he sat on disciplinary and appeals committees and regularly brought work home — all for the love and promotion of football.

Like referees, these people rarely receive the recognition they deserve, yet the game could not have progressed to its current high standard without hard-working officials such as Peadar O’Leary.

Tonight, he receives a Distinguished Service Award for his outstanding contribution to Cork football.