QUEEN’S HONOURS HEROES OF FIRST SIGERSON CUP SUCCESS
19 March 2019
Queen’s University GAA recently honoured the team that won the college’s first Sigerson Cup – the biggest prize in Irish university football – at Ballybay in County Monaghan on 15 February 1959.
Sixty years on from that initial success, the players of that team have an iconic standing within the GAA at Queen’s and their success had a greater significance across the province, as it came at a time when the tide was beginning to rise for northern teams.
The Reunion dinner was hosted by the Queen’s University GAA Past Members’ Union (PMU). Speaking to the Irish News before the event John Devaney, GAA PMU Chairman, said: “The players on that team became iconic figures for the Queen’s Club and their achievements inspired many others who represented the University in the decades after.
"We are delighted to once again have the opportunity to celebrate that success and to do so with the surviving members of the team and family representatives of those who are no longer with us”.
He added: “The Sigerson Cup has been a special competition for players and has always had a bond that maintains friendships among those who played together and those they played against. We always hope that that can still endure among our present teams.”
GAA President John Horan was guest of honour at the dinner at Riddel Hall at Queen’s on 28 February. It was a nostalgic event which rekindled old memories and friendships and reunited players from the team, many of whom featured for their counties during those years and later.
Among those present were the likes of Phil Stuart, Leo and Gerry O’Neill and Peter Smith had played with Derry in their first All-Ireland final appearance only months before the Sigerson success.
Sean O’Neill, who was an influential newcomer to Queen’s that year, would go on to enjoy a very successful career with the Down team, winning 3 All-Ireland medals.
Mick Brewster, John O’Neill and Des O’Rourke played with Fermanagh as they won the All-Ireland junior title later in 1959.
Cavan’s Jim McDonnell also attended the gathering; he had played on the UCD team in the 1959 final and had already tasted Sigerson Cup success in the previous two years.
Other guests included Ulster GAA President Oliver Galligan, Ulster GAA Secretary Brian McAvoy, former GAA President Peter Quinn and UCD head of Sport Brian Mullins.
Queen’s had participated in the Sigerson Cup for over 25 years but always fell short of winners’ honours to the much stronger UCD, UCC, and UCG teams, only ever reaching the final twice in the period from the 1930s-50s.
In his address at the dinner, John Horan highlighted the significance of a team that he said was: “…comprised of players from all six northern counties. Many of those players contributed handsomely to breakthrough achievements with their respective county teams”.
He added: “The Sigerson Cup is about much more than medals and titles. It is a competition that is particularly characterised down the years for the strong sense of enjoyment, friendship and memories for players who played together for some of the best years of their lives.
“It is unique, in that it knits together players who may go on to win bigger accolades on the national stage with players who may never have got the chance to play at county level and for whom the Sigerson Cup is the highest achievement of their career.”
For enquiries about the GAA Past Members’ Union at Queen’s University email: qubgaadevelopment@gmail.com.
To submit graduate news items, or for general enquiries about this story, please contact Gerry Power, Communications Officer, Development and Alumni Relations Office, Queen's University Belfast or telephone: +44 (0)28 9097 5321.
Caption: Standing (l-r): Alex McDonnell, Paul Brewster (son of Mick Brewster), Seán O'Kane, Tom Scullion, Henry McRory, Kevin Halpenny, Seán O'Neill, Brendan Donaghy, John Horan (GAA President), James Higgins (son of Frank Higgins), Daragh Mallon (son of Christy Mallon), Paddy McGuckian, Mary O'Hara (daughter of Paddy O'Hara), David Macaulay (son of Dr John A Macaulay), Breege O'Kane, Eamon Flanagan.
Seated (l-r): Des O'Rourke, Peter Smith, Monsignor Ambrose Macaulay (President QUB GFC), Hugh O'Kane, Maire O'Neill (wife of John O'Neill), Rhoda McDonald (wife of Patsy McDonald) and Armando McNally (wife of Barney McNally).
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