THE great and the good of road bowling took centre stage at the annual Ból Chumann awards that celebrated another memorable year for the sport.
Despite the very bad weather on Saturday, a fine crowd attended the big event at the Parkway Hotel in Dunmanway, and 75 percent of the players were there to receive their awards.
The Female Player of the Year award went to Geraldine Curtin after her back-to-back senior county wins of 2023 and 2024. While the All-Ireland title has eluded her, she will be one of the players to watch again next year.
The Male Player of the Year award went to Bandon bowler James O’Donovan for his wonderful individual gold medal in Moors in Neuharlingersiel, Germany in May. James has given his life to bowling since he won an U12 All-Ireland at Lyre in 1999. He has followed in the footsteps of his grandfather Brendan and father Declan, but that county senior title that he has come so close to winning on occasions – in 2010 and again in 2020 – has proved hard to get his hands on so far.
The Personality of the Year award went to Castletown Bowling Club president Jimmy Hennessy, who was a popular recipient on the night. He has given his lifetime to bowling and was a player of note in his day. Jimmy is also vice chairman of the Mid Cork region. He has passed his interest of road bowling on to his grandchildren – Aoibhe, Anna, Leah, Grace, Rosie and Lily – who have gone on to win county titles of which he is very proud and has even got his son-in-law involved. Jimmy’s son John passed away in 2005 and Jimmy put a memorial cup up in his honour for the novice E championship.
Jimmy Hennessy, Coppeen, was presented with the Personality of the Year award, and is pictured with friends and family. (Photos: Gretta Cormican)
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There was a joint presentation of the Hall of Fame, from both Ból Chumann Ard Mhaca and Ból Chumann Cork, with the late Pat McCarthy, who passed away in September, honoured.
In its citation, Ból Chumann Cork hailed Pat for his outstanding contribution to the sport over several decades.
‘He served as PRO of Ból Chumann for close on two decades, during which time he transformed the role and also became one of the preeminent authorities on the sport and the association. No major decision was made in that time without his detailed and considered input,’ they said.
‘His annual reports are legendary for their level of detail and analysis and now form an essential part of the archive of the sport that needs to be carefully preserved. He was also the bowling correspondent for The Southern Star – his weekly columns were considered the ultimate account of happenings in the sport. He also contributed to a range of their publications on the sport.
‘Apart from all of this he was a dedicated club man. He orchestrated everything in the Reenascreena Bowling Club up to the very end of his life. He was also an active competitor in the sport. Pat McCarthy, a native of Drinagh, was of bowling and for bowling throughout his adult life. He leaves a wake of virtue, a legacy of achievement and a void that will never be filled.’
Enjoying the awards were, back from left, James O'Donovan Male Player of the Year; Jimmy Hennessy, Personality of the Year; Willie Murphy, Chairman Ból Chumann; City Mayor Albert Deasy; Charlie, Michael and Susan McCarthy, and Micháel O'Ceallachain, Ból Chumann secretary. Front from left, Anne McCarthy; Geraldine Curtin, Female Player of the Year; Cllr Deirdre Kelly; Pat O'Hagen, Ból Chumann Ard Mhaca; Deirdre McCarthy, and James O'Driscoll, Ból Chumann treasurer.Meanwhile, the Ból Chumann Northern Branch also announced that the Armagh Construction Hall of Fame award for 2024 goes to the late Pat McCarthy.
In their citation, they said ‘Pat was a tireless worker and a wonderful ambassador in all aspects of the sport of bowling. His contribution to the sport especially as PRO for over two decades cannot be overstated. In his role, he covered every major bowling event in the four corners of this island and indeed further afield.
Deirdre McCarthy, third from left, receives the Hall of Fame award on behalf of her dad Pat. From left, Albert Deasy, City Mayor; Pat O'Hagen, Ból Chumann Armagh; James O'Driscoll, Ból Chumann treasurer; Deirdre Kelly, deputising for Joe Carroll, and Ból Chumann chairman Willie Murphy.‘He was a man of utmost integrity who was highly respected on the roads of Armagh where his bowling coverage was always carried with complete impartiality. His sad passing has left a huge void in the association not only here in his native Cork but also in Armagh. The Northern Branch are truly honoured to induct the name of the late Pat McCarthy into the annuals of the Armagh Construction Hall of Fame.’
Deirdre McCarthy, Pat’s daughter, accepted the award on behalf of her brother Brian and all the McCarthy family. She thanked both organisations for their very thoughtful gesture. Deirdre explained that Pat was a very humble man and would be totally embarrassed by this award. She said that bowling was his life, Sunday after Sunday week in week out, even their Christmas day dinner had to be organised around his Reenascreena scores. She said of his Southern Star reports that they were a two- to three-hour job on a Sunday night, Monday morning, precision was everything to him. He had wonderful friends made through bowling over the years. And he enjoyed immensely when travelling to European countries or his trips to Armagh.
