*Colm Liddy. Photograph: John Mangan
A global pandemic was not enough to deter a GAA annual from coming up trumps yet again.
Tradraí, the McNamee award winning publication produced by Newmarket-on-Fergus GAA is back on shelves once again. The thirty eighth edition of the annual serves as a recap of the year gone by within the club but places a particularly strong emphasis on the life of the late Jim ‘Puddin’ Cullinan who died in February of this year.
In an interview with The Clare Echo at the time, two time All-Star Johnny McMahon said of Cullinan, “I have no doubt in saying he was the greatest Clare hurler of all time” while former county selector Jim Woods recalled, “He was the best I’ve seen in my time, I’ve seen many great hurlers, he is the best that I’ve ever seen, there were some fantastic Tipperary hurlers at the time but when we played against Tipperary we were very mediocre but he always shone out”.
Published author Colm Liddy now finds himself in the hotseat as Editor of Tradraí. He described their fourteen page feature on Puddin as “the definitive article” about his career. Chosen as the back centre back in Ireland in 1967 with the distinction of a Cú Chulainn Award, a dozen of Cullinan’s contemporaries were interviewed for the tribute.
Speaking to The Clare Echo, Colm pinpointed the tribute as a particular highlight along with a profile of former Clare dual-player Edel Arthur who now resides in Dublin. “The achievements of women in sport are only beginning to be properly acknowledged and Edel’s career was definitely worthy of note. She won senior county titles in both camogie and Ladies Football as well as All-Irelands in both codes as well,” he said of the popular ‘Archie’.
“Putting a magazine together was a great distraction from Covid. I interviewed two dozen people for the various articles, so with social distancing I got to sit in quite a few conservatories and sunrooms,” Colm quipped. Other features include a profile on John Ryan, captain of the Clare SHC winning side in 1981 who would be an invaluable addition to the underage ranks of the club following his retirement and an article on the history of the Tradaree building by Mary Grogan.
Colm confirmed the process of recording all the memories of the conquering 1960s generation is underway to document their endeavours. An update and expansion to ‘A Proud Past’, an early history of the club is also being undertaken by popular clubman Pat Corry.
Tradraí is available to purchase in Newmarket-on-Fergus at Halpins Garage, Newmarket-on-Fergus Family Butchers and Varden’s Pharmacy. Alternatively it can be ordered via nofgaa.com and by contacting Colm (086-8035-319).
