Club Notes 17.11.24

A CHAIRMANS TRIBUTE, ON BEHALF OF DEUGLÁN NAOFA GAA CLUB

TO THE LATE

MIKE HENNESSY (RIP) AND MATT FAHERTY (RIP)

The late Mike Hennessy (RIP)

The late Matt Faherty (RIP)

It is said that the strength of a community is measured by its people, and this came to the fore in recent days as the community of Ardmore and its environs bade a fond farewell to two giants of our community who have gone to their eternal rest.

A quote from Coretta Scott King (wife of Martin Luther King junior) says "The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” The Hennessy name is a cornerstone of our club down through the generations and while we knew our good friend Mike Hennessy was battling to win his corner, the village and community were numbed when the news broke that Mike (Mikeen) Hennessy had passed away. From that moment the club and community rallied to support the family, and this was so evident as people from all corners attended his funeral mass at St Declan’s Church and at his graveside on Saturday.

Mike was a people person who embraced all ages, and young and old alike gathered to mourn and celebrate this man’s life. Mike, along with all his brothers played with Ardmore GAA and the gene of this family has inspired many winning teams down through the years. Mike was a true sportsman with his passion being Waterford Hurling and Manchester United. Mike was part of the great football team of the 70’s in Ardmore where he won many Phelan Cup finals and a Senior Football County final in 1977. While Hurling was on the up in Ardmore, Mike won Junior County titles in 1979 and 1989. The upward curve of Ardmore Hurling took off from there and this is written in the history books of the great underage successes along with Junior Intermediate and Senior Hurling successes for many years.

Mike was equally an excellent runner and also took to cycling as a hobby, all this evident in his involvement with West Waterford Athletics Club and as chief organizer of the WWAC Summer 5-mile race at Ardmore. As for his cycling, he took on many a charity cycle with his friends in Ardmore and as we all know, a very competitive man he was. There are so many good things to write about Mike and his family as all are equally such wonderful people.

On Friday night more sad news filtered through that another great of Ardmore, Matt Faherty, Mike’s neighbour on College Road, had passed away. While writing about this mighty man, I’m compelled to hone in on the wonderful years of Matt Faherty Bus and Taxi Hire, his business which he ran from his home at College Road. Matt, equally an avid sports supporter will be remembered by a generation of kids and their parents as he transported them to and from Ardmore to the secondary schools in Dungarvan. In the past months while the families of Ardmore and Grange were battling to have their kids picked up in a safe and practical environment, as parents of children who were once of school going ages, we reflect on how lucky we were to have had Matt Faherty Bus Services to ferry our kids to school both National & Secondary in years gone by.

Down through the years Matt Faherty sponsored many an underage Tournament at Deuglán Naofa GAA Club for which we were always thankful as those were fun days as Matt always stayed to watch matches and would always look for the standout players on the day. Both National Schools (Ardmore/Grange) would have booked Matt for many a sporting and recreational day out. We all have special stories of being on Matts bus, and while not giving away any secrets he was a man of time keeping, especially in getting home after an event or a social occasion. Many reading this, along with the great Mike Hennessy (RIP), would have been culprits for such delays. His great and loyal friend Seamus "Vealer" Veale will have many such stories as he and Matt were very close friends. Matt was also the go-to Bus driver for the secondary schools of Dungarvan and scripter of this reflection can fondly remember the many years where Matt ferried lads to many College games.

I am also going to hone in on the great years of Dungarvan Colleges Harty Cup, St. Augustine's and CBS respective All-Ireland winning teams. Matt ferried the Harty Cup winners of 2012 and again in 2013 where Dungarvan Colleges went a step further to win the Dr. Croke Cup in the Senior Colleges All-Ireland overcoming Kilkenny CBS in the final. Matt was especially honoured as Ardmore GAA had three lads as part of this panel. That same year the CBS won the All-Ireland B Hurling final and St Augustine's won the All-Ireland C Football final, with both teams again hosting Ardmore Club players. Matt was very proud to be driver for those three great wins in 2013. This is only a snippet of the writer's pen picture of Matt Faherty's link to generations of families within our Club and Community.

As I mentioned at the outset of these few words, we have lost two great men in our community this past week. As we mourn their loss, we need to hold people like this close to our hearts as the likes of Mike Hennessy and Matt Faherty are the fabric that holds a community together.

Rest In Peace Gentleman - Forever in Our Memory

Nick Keating, Chairman, Deuglán Naofa GAA, November 2024