Certainly, one of the most outstanding GAA clubs in Westmeath over the decades has been the Castlepollard Hurling Club and they have a long and proud tradition, dating back to their formation in 1899.
The origins of one of Westmeath’s oldest clubs can be attributed to Patrick Corcoran, a young 18-year-old from the Tipperary-Offaly border, who introduced the game of hurling to the young people of the area, slightly bemused that the game was not prominent there at that particular time. The rest is history – Castlepollard grew and grew, becoming one of Westmeath’s most successful hurling clubs.
With 14 Senior Hurling titles to their credit, Castlepollard are third in the pecking order behind Clonkill and Brownstown, but will of course be determined to add to their impressive list of honours in future years. Of course success is not just measured in trophies and titles, it is also to the club’s immense credit that young people’s love of the great game has been nurtured and that so many have grown into great men over the decades because of their involvement with Castlepollard Hurling Club.
They were consistent over the decades without ever putting a string of senior titles back-to-back, but there are the noteworthy doubles of 1933 and ’34, ’36 and ’37, ’65 and ’66. Were it not for Mullingar in 1935, ‘Pollard, as they have become affectionately known, would have captured four senior titles in-a-row. That final was decided by just two points, 3-3 to 3-1, which is a measure of just how agonisingly close Castlepollard came to achieving a great feat enjoyed only by Clonkill.
DEVELOPING PLAYERS
When Paddy McCabe penned the history of Castlepollard Hurling Club in 2005, he undertook a considerable task, but the end product was in a word, superb. It reflected the enormous contribution of the club to the local community, recalling not just the list of senior successes, but remembering the three Junior titles, the six U21 championships, seven minor titles and numerous other underage successes. Feis Cup and Senior League glory was also savoured over the years.
One of the big reasons why hurling has been so successful is because it was always so strong in the local schools, with numerous Cumann na mBunscol titles won over the years and the local secondary school, Castlepollard Community College, has also tasted plenty of success.
Over the years, one of the big factors behind the club’s success has been developing young players and nowhere is that more evident than in the traditional street leagues, which kept endless young people interested in the game and helped them progress to the next level. People like Moss Finglass, Dan McLoughlin, Peter Reilly, Ollie Boylan, PJ Boylan and Ned Flynn were instrumental and the finals of these leagues were great occasions. Adult players became coaches and it was a great way of getting them interested in this important work, which is often not given the priority it merits by some clubs. It helped develop coaches such as Alfie Devine, Sean McLoughlin and Barry Kennedy, who went on to achieve great things managing teams in later years.
There are many great players who have came through the ranks, so to speak, and gone on to represent the club and county with distinction. Players like Darren McCormack, Barry Kennedy and Donal Devine tasted Christy Ring Cup glory with the Lake County during the noughties and these were proud days for Castlepollard and Westmeath.
Looking further back there were talented hurlers like Mickey Fagan (dual star), Frank Monaghan, Tommy Ring and Paddy McCabe, all of whom featured on the Westmeath Team of the Millennium, as chosen by this newspaper to mark the GAA milestone.
LEGENDARY
ENCOUNTERS
The redoubtable Ned Flynn, who was Chairman of the Castlepollard club for a decade, recalls that many great players were forced to emigrate and like Ned, many will wonder what might have been if ‘Pollard had all those players at their disposal. It looks odds on that their list of titles would indeed be longer and more trophy cabinets would have been needed.
Hurling in north Westmeath is a great story in its own right and the rivalry between Castlepollard and Lough Lene Gaels of Collistown is legendary, while there have been great games also against Delvin and Brownstown. Family connections were often put aside as hurling took on a greater significance and that’s a fascinating side to the GAA in this part of the county.
The Castlepollard club has every reason to be proud of its impressive facilities and the opening of their club house in 1991 was a momentous occasion. Their playing grounds underwent development in 1999 and in 2003 Castlepollard enjoyed their Centenary celebrations by winning their 13th Westmeath Senior Hurling title. A fitting and very appropriate success it must be said.
The club hasn’t forgotten its founding members, men like Joseph Keegan (1862-1939) and Paddy McCabe (1866-1928) who gave so much. There is a record of the first ever Chairman, Thomas Murray and Secretary, Patrick Corcoran.
Like a lot of GAA clubs, the Castlepollard Hurling Club has grown around people and families down through the years and generations of hurlers have enjoyed the great game. The club has developed that kind of enduring spirit, something which has helped it through difficult times and one gets the sense it will always be there playing a vital role in people’s lives.
There will be recessions and there will be emigration, but that pride in one’s local place will ensure that Castlepollard Hurling Club survives, just as it has done for over 100 years.
It’s not an understatement to say that hurling has been the heartbeat of the local community in Castlepollard and long may that continue.
