Brolly lauds Eoghan Rua at official launch of club’s new history book

BLAST FROM THE PAST. Chairman Brendan McLernon, Ulster Council GAA VP and Guest Joe Brolly, pictured along with past players dating from 1940's-70s at the book launch on Thursday night. They are (back row from left), Patsy Breen, Harry Creelman, Charley Mearns. Front left, Frank Dillon, John McKay, Joe McSheffrey and Hugh Mullan.CR11-107SC.

Also present were Michael Hasson representing the Ulster GAA Council, members from Coleraine BC and Coleraine Rugby Club.

The club was also delighted to see a number of the older player’s from the early days in attendance. In his speech Brolly was effusive in his praise for the local club as he regaled the good sized crowd with a few anecdotes in a most entertaining speech.

“It’s a good club, they are well organised and I love coming along to these things,” said Joe later in the evening. “These ‘ould’ books you know they are such fun, if you look at the photographs you see all the old faces and names that would be familiar to me, for example Kearney Brolly, he was a very close friend of my father, Kearney was one of the founding fathers of Eoghan Rua.

I REMEMBER....Chatting to guest Joe Brolly at the book launch on Thursday night is past Eoghan Rua player, Joe McSheffrey.CR11-106SC.

“He loved my grandfather, Kearney was actually from Drum you know, where I was born so there are all sorts of family ties to here.

“I always enjoy coming to these things and people make a fuss and I like that,” said Joe with a big smile.

When it was put to Joe that the Eoghan Rua club had come a long way from the days when it played in the Junior ranks against the likes of Dungiven Thirds, a very young Joe would have played have played against Eoghan Rua in those days, he readily agreed.

“The point is, it is a proper well organised club, a modern club,” he said. “The club is just part and parcel of life in this area; it’s not just about putting out a team anymore to play in Junior or Senior football, it’s about mass participation in the community, you have girls and boys from Under-8s and Under-10s upwards and with the parents all having a stake in it.

READ ALL ABOUT IT. Pictured at the book launch on Thursday night are from left, Norman Blair, President Coleraine RFC, Brendan McLernon, Club Chairman, Special Guest, Joe Brolly, Cllr William McCandless and Michael Hasson, VP Ulster GAA Council.CR11-105SC.

“The club now has very good facilities and then of course you have some very exceptional people like Sean McGoldrick driving it on in a very unassuming way, people like Brendan McLernon, whose hearts are in absolutely the right place. All these people, they are not doing this for any other reason than altrusism. As I said its enjoyable to be here at this launch of their new book which is actually very good, well produced and a good read,’ concluded Joe.