S

SPA GAA CLUB members laced on their football boots to march back through the decades last night as the surviving members of the team that won the club’s first O’Donoghue Cup title enjoyed a grand reunion a half-century after the historic occasion.

They were guests of honour at a celebration in Spa’s clubhouse along with representatives of their teammates who have sadly passed away during the intervening years.

A member of the 1966 team, Fr Michael O’Donoghue, celebrated Mass for all deceased members of the Spa GAA Club, including those who were on the 1966 panel, at 7pm.

“The win has always been regarded as a historic occasion for the club,” said spokesman John Kelly. “While there was a GAA club in Lissivigeen dating back to the 1920s which remained active in East Kerry competitions until it became defunct in 1947, in 1948 it was decided to establish the current Spa club.”

While the club was still in its infancy, this team won both the junior and senior East Kerry competitions in 1948 and 1949.

Due to emigration retirements and other factors Spa became temporarily defunct for a four-year period but after a Spa/Glenflesk amalgamation won the East Kerry minor league.

The Spa club was revived 1966 and as happened in 1948 the team won the East Kerry senior league for the O’Donoghue Cup in the first year of its revival on August 28.

“At the September meeting of the EKB in 1966 a decision was taken to initiate an knockout championship-style competition and again Spa proved victorious in this competition,” said John. “For the record this format has prevailed for the O'Donoghue Cup during the interim 50 years during which Spa won the cup on a further nine occasions."
 

 
Players and representatives of the Spa football team that won the 1966 O'Donoghue Cup final at the Spa renion function in Spa's clubhouse on Thursday night. PICTURE: EAMONN KEOGH