A wonderful evening of celebration was held in recognition of Fr Ulic Troy, OFM, who celebrated the Golden Jubilee of his ordination with a lovely Mass in The Church of The Nativity, Ballynacargy last Saturday evening.
It was followed by a fantastic gathering of family, friends, former GAA colleagues and well wishers in the nearby Parochial Hall, where a feast of refreshments were made available. It was typical Ballynacargy spirit and the local Ballynacargy GAA Club, where Fr Ulic made such an impression over the years, was at the heart of organising the event.
Current Ballynacargy GAA Club Chairman, Frank Mescall was M.C. for the evening and among the speakers was former County Board Chairman, Seamus Ó Faoláin. He paid tribute to Fr Ulic’s outstanding contribution to the GAA in Westmeath, recalling his time as County Board Chairman (1982 – ’85).
“He was an inspirational orator in his time,” recalled Mr Ó Faoláin, who took up the reins when Fr Ulic Troy’s term ended.
Mr Ó Faoláin was full of praise for the organising committee in Ballynacargy, noting that Saturday’s celebration was “a magnificent display of all that is good in the local community.”
Saturday’s gathering in-cluded a strong representation of people from the St Malachy’s GAA Club and that was indeed very fitting as Fr Ulic, an astute football coach, guided them to a Westmeath senior football title back in 1981. He also trained Ballynacargy to junior success in 1976 and led neighbouring club Shandonagh to a Westmeath junior title. There were special presentations to Fr Ulic from both the St Malachy’s and Ballyna-cargy GAA clubs.
Fr Ulic, a Ballynacargy native, was ordained in Rome as a member of the Franciscan Order in 1967. He made a major impression in Multyfarnham, where he was Rector at the Franciscan Friary. His vocation also took him to counties such as Waterford, Kilkenny and Dublin and he is currently Rector at Gormanston College, Meath.
