50th Anniversary Dinner Dance
Sean McDermott’s GAA Club celebrated their 50th Anniversary in style at Birmingham’s National Motorcycle Museum on the 05th May 2007. At the venue where ‘legends live on’, it couldn’t possibly have been a more appropriate setting for a glittering occasion that quite simply epitomised everything that Warwickshire GAA’s leading club has achieved in its fifty glorious years.
Although GAA President Nicky Brennan was unable to attend, it was an occasion far from bereft of GAA legends with special guest and former club member Fr. Tom Scully OMI and the club’s doyen Noel McLean more than adequately filling the void.
Other special guests included GAA Provincial Council President John Gormley and FIS representative Seamus McGarry.
Every great GAA club usually has a great family behind it and after last weekend’s hugely successful and most enjoyable occasion every member of the McLean Clan can take a bow not only for their input into the preparation for the club’s 50th Anniversary celebrations but also for their immense contribution to the club’s success for almost fifty years.
After almost four hundred diners enjoyed a splendid five-course meal, they were all entertained by a unique DVD presentation of some of the club’s highlights over the past fifty years. Noel McLean Jnr. proved to be a most effective ‘anchor’ man / compere as he took all the guests on a nostalgic trip down memory lane. Decade by decade, speakers were called from the floor to relive some of the moments from their own respective eras.
Finally Warwickshire Schools GAA promoter Kevin McEvoy addressed the attendance on the future aspirations and ambitions for the club’s underage teams.
The evening’s formalities were concluded with the presentation of the club’s annual awards:
- Senior football – Ossie Bennett
- Intermediate football – Jake O’Riordan
- Young player of the year – Dominic Walshe
- Hall of Fame – Adrian McLean and Keith Sweeney.
- Noel McLean’s ‘Wildcard’ honours – Anne Sweeney
Matt Sweeney
Deirdre Folan
Michelle Dowling
Mary McLean
Joe McLean
By Larry Cooney at the National Motorcyle Museum, Birmingham.
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