*The late PJ Kelly. Photograph: Eamon Ward.
LISSYCASEY’s GAA grounds are to be named in honour of the late PJ Kelly with plaques to be unveiled commemorating five club people at a special event this weekend.
On Sunday (July 13th), Lissycasey GAA will honour five men who have made a massive contribution to the club.
Plaques will be unveiled to the memory of the late PJ. Kelly, Gearoid O’Sullivan, Michael Melican, Brian Casey and David McMahon at a ceremony which will get underway at the club’s main field at 3p.m.
The club’s main playing field will be named Páirc na Muintire, in memory of the late P.J. Kelly, the club’s first secretary.
A playing member and secretary of the club in the 60’s, P.J. was chairman of the club’s development committee throughout the seventies and spearheaded the drive to purchase and develop the pitch which was officially opened in July 1982. He was one of only three county councillors to serve for five decades on a local authority, he retired from politics in June of last year and had a short-lived retirement, dying suddenly in September.
The contribution of the late Gearoid O’Sullivan to the development of Lissycasey GAA has also been massive. On his return from Dublin to take up a teaching post in the local school, he immediately got involved at administrative level with the club, serving as club chairman for sixteen years from 1981 to the end of 1996.
As club chairman Gearoid was instrumental in leading the way for many of the developments which led to the provision of many of the facilities members now enjoy. He was a key member of the club’s development committee chaired by the late Kelly which supervised the purchase and development of the main pitch.
On the playing field he represented the club at all levels being part of the junior championship winning panel in 1971. He was a key defender on the team which won the inaugural U21 B title in 1975. He led the club to a string of underage titles and also steered numerous school teams to Cumann na mBunscoil honours.
Within Lissycasey, the 2006 and 2007 playing seasons are particularly memorable.
Three major titles, the O’Gorman cup in 2006, the Clare senior football championship and Cusack cups in 2007, were all won by the club for the first time as years of hard work at juvenile level translated into adult success.
Three of the key members who helped bring these titles to the club for the first time are the late Michael Melican, Brian Casey and David McMahon.
In addition to playing for the club they also found time to assist with the preparation of underage teams and with contributing in other areas to the club’s development.
Members of the families of all five being honoured will be in attendance on Sunday as the club honours their memory and their valuable contribution to the club’s development.
