Wednesday, 11th June was surely a proud day in our St Mary’s Gaelic Footballing calendar and one we will treasure, as we approach the conclusion of the 2024/2025 academic school year.
This day saw both our girls’ and boys’ teams travel to Páirc Bhruisceoir, Inis Ceithleann to compete in their respective Allianz Ireland Cumann na mBunscol Division One League Finals. Both teams went into their finals as title holders from last year, with our girls actually playing for three-in-a-row, having previously captured the Division One title in both 2023 and 2024.
St Ronan’s Primary School, Lisnaskea was to provide able opposition for our girls on this occasion, and, following a closely fought, exciting and terrific game, the Lisnaskea girls narrowly overcame our St Mary’s girls, and emerged victorious. We extend congratulations to St Ronan’s and salute our own Primary Six and Seven girls for your talents and skill, commitment, work ethic, resilience and team spirit. All of your travelling supporters - teachers and staff, fellow pupils, parents, grandparents and other family members, and Club members - were most proud of you, as you graciously accepted your runner-up medals for this school year.
Our St Mary’s boys’ team was excited and honoured to be competing for the Division One title once again this year but, with an added bonus - the victors in the Boys’ Division One League Final receiving The Brian Óg Maguire Memorial Cup for the very first time. This was made possible through the generosity of Brian Óg’s parents - Brian and Eileen - donating this beautiful new perpetual Cup to Cumann na mBunscol Fear Manach, in loving memory of their dear son. Thus, it was particularly special for our boys to take to the field against St Náile’s Primary School, Kinawley, very much aware that this beautiful Memorial Cup would be presented to the winning team. And so, after a very competitive and tight first half, the St Mary’s boys gradually took control and eased into a fairly comfortable victory, at the final whistle. We commend St Náile’s for a sporting and competitive game and wish them very well, in the time ahead. To our own victorious boys, we convey many congratulations; yours was a triumph built on strong foundations of skill development, tactical awareness, teamwork and communication, physical fitness and endurance, and a positive team culture. Well done to each and every one of our boys!
The presentation ceremony itself was most special, uplifting and inspirational, yet poignant, as our Primary Six and Seven boys, alongside our loyal travelling supporters, were privileged and honoured to share in the words of Liam Magee - Cumann na mBunscol Fear Manach - and Brian Maguire - father of the late Brian Óg - before being presented with their medals and The Brian Óg Maguire Memorial Cup. Please share in the video compilation below as compiled by a number of our Primary Seven boys. We convey our sincere thanks and appreciation to Brian and Eileen Maguire, and to Liam, Brian, John and fellow Officers and members of Cumann na mBunscol Fear Manach, for the wonderful opportunity and honour afforded to our boys.
Following their terrific success on Wednesday, 11th, our 2025 Allianz Ireland Cumann na mBunscol Division One Boys League winners were then invited as special guests to attend Saturday evening’s Tailteann Cup quarter-final, once again in Brewster Park, alongside their fellow respective divisional league winners. Sincere thanks to Fermanagh GAA and Cumann na mBunscol Fear Manach for inviting our and all other winning schools along; our boys greatly enjoyed their experience and were most delighted to witness Fermanagh progress to the Tailteann Cup semi-final!
As ever, we thank our own St Mary’s school staff, most especially Mr Kavanagh, Mrs Drumm and Mrs Gunn, and all parents, grandparents, family members and the Teemore Shamrocks Club, for your support. A special word of appreciation is reserved too for a number of our Primary Seven boys - Jack, Rory, Lorcan, Cillian, Davin, Tom, Shea and Samuil - who compiled footage and photographs into the compilation as below. We trust it will bring a little smile...
