Kenagh recognised as Longford’s leading Community Games area
Kenagh captured the title of Longford’s top Overall Large Area at the Community Games gala awards in the Longford Arms Hotel last Saturday.
It was a great night of celebration and nostalgia, with one of the highlights being the presentation of outstanding service volunteer awards, in addition to youth and adult volunteer awards, with Megan Forbes (Ballymahon/Forgney) and Sean Kelly (Kenagh), selected as the respective county winners.
A special presentation was made to Shirley Maloney (Ballymahon/Forgney) following her appointment as National Community Games Secretary earlier this year.
Longford Community Games Chairperson Joe Fox thanked all area committees, parents, participants and volunteers past and present who attended the gala awards night, and he paid tribute to Longford County Council and Longford Credit Union for their generous sponsorship of Community Games in Longford.
Political representatives Minister Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran, Longford County Council Cathaoirleach Cllr Micheál Carrigy, Cllr Joe Flaherty, Granard Municipal District Cathaoirleach Cllr PJ Reilly, Cllr Mick Cahill and Cllr Martin Monaghan were in attendance and they presented some of the many awards distributed.
MC was the excellent John Duffy and he ensured that the function ran like clockwork.
Mr Fox thanked the Longford Arms Hotel, Longford Leader and the hard working committee who organised the gala dinner dance.
Appreciation awards were presented to St John’s Table Tennis Club and to St Mel’s College. While Longford’s 2019 National Community Games gold medal winners were honoured - Emma Kiernan (Ballymahon / Forgney U-10 girls model making), Eoghan Gilbride (Ballymahon / Forgney U-10 boys model making), Keela Flanagan (Ballymahon / Forgney U-12 girls swimming), Funmi Talabi (Mostrim U-14 girls 100m athletics) and the Killoe U-15 boys Futsal team.
One of the first area committees formed in county Longford, the best part of five decades ago, was in Clonbroney and a presentation was made to Patsy and Joe Kenny, Jimmy Fox, James McKenna, Gerry Hennessey and John Carty to mark this milestone.
Award recipients
Overall Large Area Award winner: Kenagh
Overall Small Area Award winner: Legan/Ballycloughan
McDonald Cup: Mostrim (area who wins the most medals at National Finals)
Overall Adult Volunteer Award winner: Sean Kelly (Kenagh)
Overall Youth Volunteer Award winner: Megan Forbes (Ballymahon/Forgney)
Outstanding Service Volunteer awards
Abbeylara / Mullinalaghta: John O’Reilly
Ardagh / Moydow / Glen: Paddy McPhillips
Ballymahon / Forgney: Paul Foxe
Carrickedmond: Therese Mulligan
Clonbroney: Pat McDonnell
Dromard: Brid Minmagh
Drumlish/Ballinamuck: Mary Gillooley
Granard: Paddy Dowd
Kenagh: Michael Duignan
Killoe: Patricia Feeney
Legan / Ballycloughan: Margaret McDonald
Mostrim: Seamus Gilchriest
Newtowncashel: Mattie Reid RIP
Executive nominated: Vera Flood, Margaret Mulleady, Fabian Walsh, Betty DeVincenzo
Youth volunteer nominees
Dromard: Matt Duffy
Ballymahon / Forgney: Megan Forbes
Kenagh: Millie Flanagan
Killoe: Ciaran Bracken
Mostrim: Yemi Talabi
Legan / Ballycloughan: Alannah Coughlan
Adult volunteer nominees
Ballymahon / Forgney: Nerijus Smiling
Killoe: Karen Hough
Carrickedmond: Evelyn Wright
Kenagh: Sean Kelly
Mostrim: James Hynes
Drumlish / Ballinamuck: Bernie Noonan
Legan / Ballycloughan: Sharon Coughlan
Newtowncashel: Joe Mulvhill