A Chairde, 

It is my honour and privilege to be here before you in my capacity as Chairman of the South-East Board on this its Centenary Year. 

May I extend a warm welcome to all present as we come together to remember and pay a lasting tribute to the great men of vision, our founding fathers in the year of 1924.   

At the County Convention of that year a historic motion was passed and adapted setting up Divisional Boards in our County. The motion was promoted and put to Convention by a well known South-East GAA activist in the County Board, Michael Henry Murphy NT from Ringaskiddy. Carrigdhoun was born and now one hundred years have passed and today we remember that passage of time with fondness and great pride. 

On the 6th of April 1924 the very first meeting of South-East Board was held here in Carrigaline truly a great centre of Gaelic Games and all things Irish.    

The men chosen on that day to put the Carrigdhoun wheels in motion were Henry O’Mahony from Passage as Chairman. The first Vice-Chairman was Jeremiah O’Sullivan from Castletreasure. Jackie Robinson from Shamrocks was elected Hon. Secretary, John Wren from Shamrocks was installed as Hon. Treasurer and a third Shamrock man Paddy Sisk became the first Registrar. These were men with courage and determination and immediately put in place hurling and football championship competitions. Henry O’Mahony played a leading role in the war of Independence and later was elected Chairman of the County Board in 1937. Paddy Sisk would later go on to serve as Divisional Secretary for 34 years. 

1934 saw the first Carrigdhoun Senior Hurling team enter the County Championship when they faced UCC.  Great players emerged and became household names throughout the County and Country – Jim Regan, Jack Barrett, Con Murphy, Con Cottrell, Martin Coleman and Nicholas Murphy to mention but a few.  Carrigdhoun Clubs were now taking their places among the best in the County driven on by players whose memories will forever be etched in our minds.  We can mention The Kellys of Tracton, The Kellehers of Ballymartle, The Colemans of Ballinhassig, The Andrews of Shamrocks, The Learys of Ballygarvan, The Murphys of Crosshaven, The Cooneys of Carrigaline, The Dwyers of Belgooly, The Barretts of Kinsale, The Nyhans of Courcey Rovers and the O’Briens of Valley Rovers. 

Off the field our Administrators excelled two and Sean McCarthy from Upton and Con Murphy from Valley Rovers were elected to the highest office in the land, Presidents of the GAA. Jim Forbes was a distinguished Chairman of Cork County Board having served as Treasurer of Carrigdhoun for 35 years. 

Our pitches and facilities are among the best and improving at pace thanks to dedicated Officials whose mindset and ambitions are on par with the best. Our Division maybe small but we have always had a bastion of great men and women who have flown our Club colours with distinction and pride and no doubt lead us into a second century and leave an indelible mark on the Gaelic Athletic Association 

Carrigaline has over many years dating back as far as 1828 been a true centre of.hurling in this part of Cork.They marched proudly on to the goaling fields in those early days without fear taking on the men from Shanbally and Tracton. It was obvious that the first meeting would take place in the old Pottery village on the Owenabue River. Carrigaline was for many years the Club that hosted countless South-East Finals and indeed Cork County Finals too. Today The Carrigaline Club hosts the centenary celebration to honour the founding fathers of 1924. I have no doubt that over the years the countless thousands of people young and old who will pass through this Corner Stone Club will find a moment or too to view and admire this memorial plaque. 

I want to thank the Carrigaline Club and its Officers for facilitating our request, particularly Mr. Kevin O’Driscoll. Your prompt response and goodwill on this as most historic year for your Club on the playing pitches of County Cork is greatly appreciated by us all. I also want to thank Eoin Casey for the wonderful Job he done on the Plaque and having it ready on time.   

It gives me great pleasure to call on our esteemed President Mr. Dermot O’Brien to come forward and officially unveil this Centenary Plaque. Dermot is a former distinguished Officer of this Board and he has also served his Club both as a player, mentor and officer. He is part of a renown Valley Rovers family which includes his late brother Canon Michael O’Brien, a former Parish Priest of this Parish and whose contributions to the GAA over a lifetime is rarely matched.