Gardaí celebrate All-Ireland win
Jim Doyle (Enniscorthy), Sheamus Howlin (Leinster Council Chairman), Darin Sane (Enniscorthy), Eddie Brennan (captain, Portlaoise), John Roche (Chief Superintendent, Wexford), Mick Morrissey (Enniscorthy).
THE D-BAR of Treacy's Hotel, Enniscorthy, was the venue for the presentation of All-Ireland Garda hurling medals to the 2009 champions.
Included in the victorious Leinster side were twelve Wexford divisional-based Gardaí and four other Wexford-born members, while the side was managed by Enniscorthy-based Sgt. Mick Morrissey.
The Chairman of the Leinster Council, Sheamus Howlin, and Wexford Divisional Garda boss, Chief Superintendent John Roche, were on hand to make the presentations. Kilkenny ace attacker Eddie Brennan, as captain of the side, was presented with the All-Ireland Cup, and the squad members received special commemorative medals to mark the 125th year G.A.A. celebrations.
Mick Morrissey acted as M.C. and was assisted by co-selectors and panel members Jim Doyle and Darin Sane. Mick thanked both Seamus Howlin and Chief Supt. Roche for their attendance and support. He made reference to the fact that they were very grateful to Sheamus Howlin for making the necessary approaches to obtain permission to have the Garda finals played at G.A.A. headquarters as part of the 125th anniversary year celebrations. He then presented Sheamus Howlin and Chief Supt. Doyle with commemorative medals to mark the occasion.
Sheamus Howlin paid tribute to the victorious panel and had special words of praise for Mick Morrissey, Jim Doyle and Darin Sane for their continued untiring efforts in promoting Gaelic games within the force. He said he knew that competitions in the G.A.A. did not just happen, and a lot of hard work falls on a few, especially with a side drawn from various stations in the province. He also had special words of congratulations for the captain of the team who, as a member of the Kilkenny four-in-a-row All-Ireland champion side, was an example of all that is good in Gaelic games.
Chief Supt. Roche congratulated all involved in ensuring the victory and thanked the organisors for their invitation to the celebrations.
Eddie Brennan, on behalf of the team, thanked his co-selectors for organising the function and also his fellow panel members for ensuring a victorious end to their campaign as a unit. This was in reference to the fact that they will not be competing in the 2010 campaign as a united province and instead, as the championship returns to divisional competition, may be confronting each other in competitive action.
The Wexford divisional members on the panel were Jim Doyle, Darin Sane and Jason Seward (all Enniscorthy), John O'Flynn, Paddy Casey, Damien Ring, James Quirke and Barry Hennessy (all Wexford), Pat Kelly (New Ross), Dave Ryan (Duncannon), Martin Kehoe (Bunclody) and Brian Dignam (Gorey). Also included on the panel were Wexford natives Mark Carley, Barry Turner, Niall Maher and Damien Fenlon.
