50 years of Community Games in Dunshaughlin-Culmullen
Dunshaughlin-Culmullen Community Games celebrated 50 years with an event in Dunshaughlin's Pastoral Centre in early December.
The event saw a presentation on the history of local organisation by Robert Kennedy, photos of competitors who went on to represent Ireland with a commentary by Paula Doyle, and a newsletter by Alex Doyle.
Dunshaughlin-Culmullen Community Games was started by Anthony Gogan in 1972, who acted as chairman, secretary and treasurer in intervening years. In the first year, he attended the GAA Sports Day and selected Paddy Mangan, Tommy and Harry Clusker and Dominic Moran to take part in Community Games Athletics. Carmel Yore joined him as Treasurer in 1977 - a post she holds to this day!
Anthony was secretary, asst secretary and president of Meath Community Games over the years. Paula Doyle joined the committee in 2002.
In 2005, the late Bobby Ledden won a gold medal in U16 Backstroke at the National Swimming Finals in Mosney. He was the first competitor from Dunshaughlin-Culmullen to win a national gold medal in swimming.
The committee and helpers organised several events locally, entered a large number of team events which led to winning the Meath Area Participation Award in 2006. The events they covered were: Art run by Anthony Gogan and Paula Doyle; Swimming - Bernie Tormey, Noelle Lavery and Bobby Ledden; Athletics – Paddy Mangan and Niall McCarthy; Chess – Teresa Kinsella and Mairead Murphy; and Table Tennis Boys and Girls – Chris Cowan; Phase 1 Indoor: Basketball – Boys Mary Fitzmaurice and Girls Caroline Bedford; Phase 2 Outdoor: Gaelic Girls – Rachel Delaney; and Hurling Boys – Conor & Nuala Gavin.
In 2007, Shauna Moore achieved a wonderful success when she won the U16 Marathon over 7km at the National Finals in Mosney. The highly talented runner won in tremendous style and was the first competitor from the area to win a National gold medal in Athletics.
In 2008, Dunshaughin-Culmullen won the trophy for the “best turned out area” at the opening parade of the County Athletics Finals in Cushinstown, with a large number of children dressed in yellow t-shirts/tops with black caps holding yellow and black balloons and a sturdy Dunshaughlin-Culmullen banner.
In 2011, six children represented Meath in the National Cross Country Finals in Athlone; three in the Swimming National Finals, and 14 in the Athletics Finals in August.
In 2013, Robert Kennedy was proposed as chairperson and Anthony Gogan as vice-chairperson of the area committee. Video evidence at the Athletics National Finals was introduced in 2016 which had been recommended by Dunshaughlin in 2012.
In 2017 Anthony Gogan represented Meath at the National Community Games Golden Jubilee Awards as the long serving adult volunteer at area, county and national level.
In 2019, the group won the silver award in HSE Community Games Steps to Health Programme and as part of the Community Involvement Section we participated in and helped to organise the local ICA annual sponsored walk. The proceeds went to the Dunshaughlin Special Olympics Sports Club.
The annual churchgate collection is the main fundraiser for Dunshaughlin-Culmullen Community Games since the 1970s. Anthony Gogan attended several Masses over that weekend collecting funds. Carmel Yore has been collecting for over 40 years and Bernie Tormey almost 20 years.
At the National Athletic Finals in August 2022, Jasper Bennett came fourth in U12 Ball Throw. Jesse Osas was an Ambassador and presented medals. He finished sixth in 100m Final at the European Youth Olympics in May in Slovakia and achieved a PB of 10.86 seconds.
There have been so many fond memories from the last 50 years of Community Games in the area. Children participated in local events in Art, Handwriting, Swimming and Athletics, with teams involved in Gaelic Football, Camogie, Hurling, Indoor and Outdoor Soccer, Basketball, Pitch & Putt, Chess, Table Tennis, Futsal, Tennis, Gymnastics and Variety.