Search Results for 'great footballer'

An Athlone meeting of the Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas (Cedra) was pulled recently for a later date because there wasn’t enough interest - it was revealed at the March meeting of Westmeath County Council.

An Athlone meeting of the Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas (Cedra) was pulled recently for a later date because there wasn’t enough interest - it was revealed at the March meeting of Westmeath County Council.

A big crowd turned up at Aghagower last weekend to witness Jack Charlton open the Westport Country Lodge Hotel. This was a historic moment for Aghagower as one of the greatest Irish legends officially opened the new hotel. As always Jack was very friendly to all the guests and especially to a couple of pupils from Knockrooskey National School who were there for the Mayo Advertiser to get an exclusive with the man himself.

I had the privilege of introducing the last man who captained a successful Mayo All Ireland winning minor team to my own young man and a few of the Castlebar under- 12s at their training session last Saturday morning at McHale Park. Michael Fitzmaurice, captain of the Mayo minors in 1985, approached my car with a bag of footballs on his back. I hadn’t a clue who he was until he removed his cap. Even then it took me a second or two to recognise the former star as, like a few more of us he is, by now, follically challenged. He sat into the car and we chatted football for a while. I was delighted to discover that he was a part time GAA coaching officer, travelling around to a number of national schools down around his home place, Lacken. Michael was a great footballer and I recall making a number of telephone calls to his home in the mid nineties trying to persuade him to get involved with the Mayo senior set up of my tenure. He couldn’t make the commitment at the time for a number of reasons and I have to say it was our loss. Still it was good to have the chat and to reminisce about times past. Michael had spent the morning working with a Mayo under-14 development squad and I am sure they will be better players because of his tutoring. So also will the national school kids in and around Lacken.