Would our players overseas beat the boys at home?

Lockdown all around with the pitch gates closed and games nearly a distant memory as we all face an invisible enemy. I do not wish to be political, but I think our present government are doing a great job together and our frontline workers. Overall, the general public are excellent in compliance with the directions set out. We miss the games, but it will be safety first and we await permission and conditions for resumption whenever that will be. From a Castlelyons there are a lot of serious players on the team and we think we could take an IHC championship and it is said that we underachieve. Nationally with a quiet scene there are numerous real teams, fantasy and dream ones picked by various geniuses in the papers and social media and some of them are interesting too.

I even done a bit of dreaming myself about great players in the Club who sailed to new pastures in recent years. We now have our own GAA community around the globe and while it certainly was not forced emigration, I suppose one could call these players part of our diaspora. It is accepted that many of our diaspora may be born in either in Ireland or overseas and have Castlelyons roots even going back a few generations. However, in these notes we will remain with the lads who played with our club in more recent times and are now resident overseas. All good men who made a great contribution to our club. So, I tried to pick this overseas team and I found a real All-Star set up. Dare I say if they were all on the field together, they would be more than a match for any club and could take another county. If there are any glaring omissions, please forgive me and let me know and I will endeavor to rectify. Maybe I could do a better job in placing the team, but I can tell you one thing that all these lads were some operators so here goes.

Eamon Fitzgerald (goalie): - Immigrated to Australia many years ago now married to Laura from Ballymacoda. They are resident in Perth with their two children. Eamon always a good hurler played some mighty stuff for us at senior level but left at a time when he was reaching his best. Affectionately known as Santy on the field because of his height, gait, and style akin to a county hurler at the time. While he bagged a lot of scores, he played in goals too and I am a bit stuck for a goalie so in you go Eamon. He was a cool character and was never too excited. He played a lot in Australia and I think and set up an Imokilly team and sponsored them himself. He got a nasty leg injury over there which ended his hurling career.

Ger Dorgan (corner back): - The Killawillin man is now in Queensland Australia for almost 20 years. He lives in Bundaberg with his wife Meagan and children. Bundaberg is famous for its Rum since 1880. Ger played at all levels for Castlelyons. He was teak rough in the backs giving many sterling performances in his day.

Mark O Leary (full back): - Mark strong and steely gave a lot to the club at all levels until he left for Chicago in connection with his work for Glanbia. No doubt Mark has many highlights in his playing career and one of them must be captaining Castlelyons to a county U21B hurling title when the beat Ballinascarthy in 2010. This was the inaugural year of the competition and Castlelyons were the first winners of the Gene Fitzgerald Memorial Cup. Incidentally, another man who gave some time in Australia was Darren Tobin who fired over six points in that game and has since returned to hurling for the club again.

John Paul Dorgan (corner back): - Now resident in Suffolk in the UK for several years John Paul played all the way from juvenile to the glory days of adult titles making a tremendous contribution along the way. He played at corner back on many of the St Colman’s teams and again on the Castlelyons team that won the county JHC.

Callaghan McCarthy (wing back): - Now resident in New York with some years and a great underage player with the club winning many juvenile medals but immigrated early on. Now married to a Louth girl Áine Grant with two in family. They meet up with the Cotter family often and I am sure have a few beers.

Aidan O Sullivan (centre back): - Again one of our recent stars, stylish and a speed merchant, he is now resident in Boston, USA, Aidan has two SHC medals with Imokilly and played at all levels with Castlelyons in both hurling and football. He has taken up football with Donegal Boston and was outstanding with them in winning the senior championship out there with them in 2019.

Finan Waters (wing back): - Finan is in Melbourne Australia for a few years now. He played at all levels for the club and I think gathered a huge haul of medals at U14 leval. However, in this writer’s opinion his greatest hour was at senior level against Newtownshandrum in the SHC over in Mallow. He was at wing back that evening and marking Cork star Cathal Naughton. Finan had the proverbial blinder that evening holding Cathal scoreless and we almost created a major upset but lost by a few points.

Michael O Connell (midfield): - Hard to believe that Michael O Connell left for Munich in Germany almost seventeen years ago. Highly qualified in computers and languages Michael is well settled into the German way of life with his wife Corolin and family. He was one of the great Castlelyons stars in the glory days of the IHC county final and SHC semi-final. He played for München Colmcilles with great success too.

Paul Cotter (Midfield): - Now resident in New York with many years Paul was one of the most consistent and best hurlers I saw in a Castlelyons jersey. He shares a record three Dean Ryan Cup medals and two Harty Cup Medals. Of course, he has numerous juvenile accolades with the club and was central to the Club success in the County JHC and IHC titles. I had the pleasure of talking with him the other night and he locked down presently but is hoping to get on with his work shortly when Trump says go. However, married with four children he is still busy at home and keeps up friendship with Callaghan McCarthy who resides a short distance away in Yonkers. He was an outstanding midfielder.

Darragh Lawlor (wing forward): -   Like Aidan another recent star and now resident in Boston USA he concentrated in the hurling with Galway Boston. He won a JFC Medal with Donegal Boston and was a sub on the senior team. A strong man with a good paw Darragh has played at all level with Castlelyons and picking up many medals along the way.

Phillip Mahon (centre forward): - now here is one hardy buachall that strode around the field for a few years for Castlelyons. He came to us from Fermoy and added great steel and mobility to the middle third. A prison Officer he took some time out and left for Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates as his wife wife Nicole who is teaching there. He is now a personal fitness trainer at Haddins Fitness in Abu Dhabi and can give a few lessons over social media. Some man to keep that slioter moving at centre forward

John Mackessy (wing forward): - Now resident out in Stuttgart Germany for a few years with his wife Natalie and to daughters John works with the Bosh company. A very promising player he played all grades for us at juvenile level and has an IHC county medal with the club in 1998.

Robbie Feeney (corner forward): - Recently took some time out and with his girlfriend Leah and now in Sydney Australia. Robbie has given savage service from juvenile through the ranks winning an U21 county medal in 2010 at corner forward and on the intermediate team from a young age. He now plays with McAnallens and as they have big tournaments games over there and they have recently won the first league game. The club has a nice sprinkle of Cork lads in Cathal Naughton, Jack Herlihy and Ml Bowles from Newtown and Kieran Lane from Kilworth I think is joining up too. We are expecting Robbie to return after some time and take up again with Castlelyons.

 Eoin Fitzgerald (full forward): - We mentioned Eoin a few weeks ago as one of our all-time greats. He won an All-Ireland Minor with Cork and captained UL to a Fitzgibbon Cup win. He won two county SHC medals with Imokilly and several medals with the club including county JHC and IHC medals. He was also on the Castlelyons team that went to the semi final of the County SHC. He left the club due to his work and hurled in both Dublin and Galway meeting up his  now wife Ciara along the way. Eoin and the family are now in Dubai for some time in connection with his work with Dell. I have no doubt he will link up with some club over there and follow the goings on at home through social media.

Jackie O Leary (corner forward): - One of the great characters of the game as he enjoyed his hurling from juvenile up. Jackie has played at all levels and turned in some great displays at senior level. I remember one year in the senior championship and Jackie was the only man to score from play in the second half. Now married and resident in resident in Australia Jackie has put on some great entertainment during these lockdown times as “the Busker in the Bedroom” sometimes with his family as he is a top-class singer, guitar and uilleann pipes player.

Other Panel Members:

William Martin: -  Now based in Melbourne, William was a good hurler and footballer and played at all levels.  Ready to go on!

Coran Lawlor: - Now based in London, Coran was a player for all seasons and played well with many teams.

Brian Cotter: - Resides in Lexington Kentucky for a few years.  Played in all grades with Castlelyons picking up a hoard of medals from juvenile up and always gave value for the hour on the hurling field. Now Brian can play backs or forwards

Eoin O Donovan: - Now based in Brisbane, Queensland Eoin was very prominent at juvenile and minor in both hurling and football before pursuing his studies in physiotherapy. Again, Eoin can play in either backs or forwards. Maybe he would also do a bit of physio for the team.

Shane Foughy: - Shane is a veterinary surgeon and resides in Hampshire in the South of England for many years. A talented player at both hurling and football up to minor level. We would be hoping could assist with a bit of stitching if it got rough.

Daniel Corcoran (Sponsor): - Daniel played with us throughout his juvenile days but left for Germany many years ago and resides in Winterberg. This is a lovely winter resort town in the Rhineland and Daniel has the Blackwater Irish Pub there. He has four people from Fermoy on his staff and they have good food and great Guinness. Well done Daniel as a virtual tour of the pub shows your still flying the Castlelyons colours. Now Daniel it would be great to sponsor German style jerseys in the Castlelyons colours.

Dave Foughy (Sponsor): - A brother of Shane Dave has worked in the kingdom of Bahrain, a sovereign state in the Persian Gulf as an engineer for some years. He played at both hurling and football at all levels up to minor level with the club. No bother to Dave to make that five-hour flight back to Heathrow and onwards to Castlelyons to take stock of that fabulous pub the Pedlars Rock. Maybe Dave would make a few slabs of beer and pizzas available if we could not get into the pub.

We wish all the lads and their families well and hopefully, when there will be good days again and we could have a gathering of the Clans with the lads and their families from overseas returning for a week’s fun.

Assistance available from Castlelyons GAA during these times.

Do not forget Castlelyons GAA have a service available to assist as many members from the adult, juvenile and camogie sections have volunteered assistance to support parishioners who might be worried about leaving their house for: - Shopping pick up. Medication pick up. Any urgent matters. Should you need some assistance do not hesitate to contact any of those listed below and assistance will be arranged: -

Michael Barrett - 087 244 6597:

Trish Lawlor - 086 828 8285: 

Stacey Cronin - 087 637 2606:

Colm Barry - 086 238 1526: 

Pam McCarthy - 087 272 9002.

We do have over 25 volunteers available to assist overall and they all will do within the guidelines of HSE etiquette so do call if you require assistance.

Votes of Sympathy

Castlelyons GAA wish to express sincere condolences to the Hennessy family, Coolagown and the Fenton family, Midleton on their recent bereavements. Solas na bhFlaitheas ar a nainmeacha go léir.

Main Club Sponsor: ZEUS Packaging Group