APRIL 2017 WINNERS

CARBERY SCÓR

All-Ireland Finalists

 Tadhg MacCarthaigh

Sam Maguires

Clann na nGael

Carbery Rangers

The April 2017 winners of the Rebel Óg Monthly Awards sponsored by the Clayton Hotel Silver Springs, Cummins Sports (Award Sponsors) with RedFM and The Evening Echo (Media Partners) are the CARBERY SCÓR GROUP featuring 4 clubs.  They follow January 2017 winners Kiltha Óg, February Winners St. Colman’s College Fermoy and March winners Stephen O’Rourke and Niall Delany from Mallow, winners of the All-Ireland U17 Handball Championship.  2016 winners were Na Piarsaigh Minor Hurlers, Cork Ladies Minor Football Team, Sarsfield U14 Camogie Team, Glen Rovers U14 Hurlers, Mizen Rovers, Mitchelstown CBS, Scoil Mhuire Gan Smál Blarney, Kilmurry Footballers, Buttevant Underage GAA Club and Mitchelstown Footballers and Ballygiblin Hurlers, Kilshannig Hurling Teams and Mallow Juvenile GAA Club.  2015 winners were Ahán Gaels, Midleton U15 Footballers, Cork’s Eimear Scally, Aghabullogue U16 Hurlers, Cork U15 Development Squad, Douglas U14 Footballers, St. Finbarrs U14 Hurlers, Christian Brothers Cork, Coláiste Chríost Rí, Coláiste an Phiarsaigh (Camogie) Sacred Heart Clonakilty (Camogie) and Ilen Rovers.

What an extraordinary year it's been for Carbery Scor! Having not one, but four participating clubs at The Waterfront Hall in Belfast for the All Ireland Scór na nÓg final ensured that there was applause aplenty for the West Cork contingent for the competitors from Carbery Rangers, Clann na nGael, Sam Maguires and Tadhg MacCarthaigh.

Scór in West Cork, had its inaugural meeting at Ballinascarthy Hall in 1969 with Bill Hart, Danny Warren, the late Michael McCarthy and the officers of the Carbery Board. Bill Hart, a proud Carbery Rangers man, has remained steadfastly at the helm of Scor and is an encouraging voice to all Clubs and participants at local and regional competitions. How fitting it was that Bill recently received the Presidential medal from an t-Uachtarán Aoghan Ó Fearghaill for his distinguished service to the GAA and in particular to Scór.

Scór is a celebration of our living culture, our music, our song, our dance, our drama and storytelling, found alive and flourishing in every parish in the 32 counties of Ireland and especially so in the Carbery division. This year, 17 out of the 26 Clubs in Carbery participated in Scór na nÓg. This is first and foremost a tribute to the hard working Scór committees in each of our Clubs, to the parents, mentors and coaches and also to the support and encouragement we get from the Carbery Divisional Board who are always eager to promote all aspects of Scór. In 2016 the Carbery Scór committee along with the divisional Carbery Board held a very successful 1916 commemorative night at St. Mary's Theatre, Rossmore, in which the representatives from each of the Clubs performed on the night.

Although Scór is alive and well in the Carbery division, it still needs a catalyst to give it the promotion and driving force it needs each year and that sums up the very vibrant Carbery Scór committee, comprising of Bill Hart, Gabrielle Crowley, Michael Kearns, Geraldine Keohane, Liam Hodnett, Micheál Ó Súilleabháin and Helen Collins. Meeting regularly in The Celtic Ross Hotel in Rosscarbery, the committee are presently organising a celebratory night on May 12th to promote and encourage participation in Scór and also to thank the hard working Scór committees at local level. Carbery has enjoyed unprecedented success in 2017 so its important to celebrate this success and also to thank the people who made it possible.

To have four Clubs from the Carbery division in an All-Ireland final in the illustrious Waterfront Theatre in Belfast is phenomenal and we are so proud of our competitors. Sam Maguires Club was represented by Shannon Buttimer in Recitation with her rendition of 'Mary Ann McGee'. Carbery Rangers competed in the ballad group with Joan O'Donovan, Aoife MacSweeney, Kate Creedon, Orlagh O'Gorman and Rachel Hodnett singing 'Through the eyes of an Irish Man' and Níl 'na Lá'. Tadhg MacCarthaigh performed 'A Dream of Skibbereen' in the drama/léiriú competition, the same discipline that Tadhg MacCarthaigh won an All Ireland back in 1988. Taking part for Tadhg MacCarthaigh were: Oisín Daly, Rory Kingston, Eugene Daly, Catríona Keohane, Katie Daly, Timothy Farrell, Maeve Kingston and Louise Keohane. Clann na nGael all flew the Carbery colours when they competed in the music section with a selection of reels and jigs entitled 'The Monaghan Jig' and 'Johnny Cronin's Reel. Taking part for Clann na nGael were: Davina Connolly, Saoirse Connolly, Molly McQueen and Andrew Collins.

There is an onus on every member of Cumann Luthchleas Gael to promote and support our language and culture. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Carbery Division and we are so proud, as the Carbery Scór committee to play a part in this. Go n-éirí go deo le Scór!