Subject: Barna GAA Notes Sat March 13th
The Barna GAA Club held it annual Banquet at the Galway Bay Hotel on
Saturday last , attended by 205 persons, in what was another success for the
club, in this excellent facility for staging, such events. The club 2003
Awards were announced on the night. Medals were also presented to both our
Minor B West Board Champions and to our Ladies Senior B Football Teams.
Senior player of the year was star Corner Forward Peadair Friel. Junior A
player of the year, who lost in the West Board Final , was former Roscommon
player, Ronan Rogers. Jimmy Greaney , long time servant of Barna won the
Junior C nomination. The Minor player of the year award went to County
Panalist for 2004, David Brennan. Davy was presented with the Nicholas
O’Fegen Cup. Maura Folan took pride on been the first lady to win a Barna
award on the playing field, when she featured in the Senior Ladies Team ,
who went to a County Final, only to be beaten, in their first year in
competition, by a fine Salthill team. Another star of the future, namely,
Richard O’Carroll received the nod for the best Under 17 player of 2003.
Richard, who is still only 16, is a Galway Minor Panalist for 2004, and is
nephew of Kevin Moran , now famous ex Dublin and Manchester United player.
Last award, Clubperson of the year went to this writer, Henry Geraghty the
club PRO. I would have to think that it was due mainly forarranging and
taking a Panel of Senior/Junior players to Toronto, Canada for the Canadian
Powerscreen Sevens. on arrival in Toronto, an exhausted Barna Team, who
were favorites to win the tournament lost out in the very first round to St
Pats, Armagh, by one point. Barna who were stranded at Dublin Airport for
two days, before departing, also had to rush straight from the Airport to
the pitch. This recipient, in my acceptance speech , sated that I was
delighted to take Barna back to my old haunt, Toronto and ,how proud I was
of how good ambassadors they , the Barna group were for their village and
for Galway. After dinner entertainment was provided by the five piece
Silkwood Band, who as usual kept the dance floor busy right to the finale. A
special guest performance of Irish dancing was performed by Enna Ryan,
three times World Champion, before Tuam band, Silkwood took to the stage.
Thank you to Gay O’Brien our Chairman and Tommy Gannon , Club President , who
stepped into giving out the awards , due to the absence , of our special
guest Paudi O’Se.
Finally, can I on behalf of Barna wish the Caltra Panel and mentors the very
best of luck in Dublin on St Patricks day. So bring it home Caltra, and , we
look forward with pride to meeting you in the first round 2004, as newly
crowed All Ireland champions. Either way, win or lose , you have done us all
proud in Galway County and, proven that with hard work , it can do it. Go
get the Gaeltacht and as we say our Barna way, Tog go bog e, HG