The Crossakiel handball club with the cooperation of the Communications Workers Union An Post, and the Jim Connell Committee delivered a fitting memorial tribute to former club chairman Hughie Reilly, writes Michael McGee

On Sunday evening last the Parish of Crossakiel turned out to witness the unveiling of a memorial plaque/scroll in memory of the late Hughie Reilly, former Chairman of the Crossakiel handball Club who passed away on 9th August 2016.

With the Co-operation from the Crossakiel handball club,  Jim Connell Committee and the  Communications Workers Union  Kells Branch an Post, it was decided to erect a memorial plaque in honour of  the former Chairman,  the driving force in getting the then open 60 x 30 covered in and which was officially opened in 1986

Local craftsman man Louis Leavy was given the task of constructing the stone memorial plaque while Mark Bennett of Bennetts Monumental Stoneworks Kells , carried out the inscriptions.

Steven Quinn Chairman of the welcome everyone to the unveiling and said "it was just brilliant for the club this year to have the memorial stone plaque in Hughie's honour." The Chairman thanked the Communications Workers Union for donating the initial stone to the Reilly family.  He also thanked James Quail from the Communications Workers Union for their massive input into the project and also Meath County Council for permission. Craftsman and Sculptor Louis Leavy was warmly thanked for his magnificent work as was Mark Bennett of Bennetts Monumental Stoneworks for all the inscription work. Others who were thanked were Peadar Byrne from the Jim Connell Committee, the handball committee and Jim Curry Hillside Stores Drumbaragh who kindly donated all the flowers for the occasion.

Members of An Post Eamonn Yore, James Quail, Cyril Convey, Jane Duffy with Rosaleen McDonnell and Kevin Reilly.

James Quail the Communications Workers Union representative then spoke and said he was "very honoured and privileged to be at the unveiling". He praised the late Chairman describing him "as playing a pivotal role in An Post for over 40 years and for his work on the Jim Connell Committee.

Christina McEachen mother of the late Paul McEachen was also remembered. He was a trainee on the building project and who was subsequently killed in a tragic motorbike accident in 2005. She thanked everyone for remembering her son on the plaque.

Rosaleen McDonnell sister of the late Chairman then spoke on behalf of the family and said the Reilly family were honoured and grateful to receive such an amazing scroll from the Kells Communications Workers Union in recognition of Hughie's 42 years of hard work in An Post.  She also thanked James Quail the Communication Workers Union representative for doing the honours at the unveiling. "It was a place close to Hughie's heart and he would be more than happy to see where the scroll is".  He would often say "It will be on your scroll." She also thanked Louis Leavy for his " very skilful stonework" and the Crossakiel handball club for arranging to erect the scroll in her late brother's memory.

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