As a player, official and supporter, Nicky Callan has served Drumconrath GFC with distinction. Royal County talks to the shop proprietor about the Junior championship win of 1963, the current team's future prospects and the photographic display he organised this year to commemorate the dawn of the millennium, amongst many other things. A photographic exhibition, spanning the 20th century, was organised in Drumconrath over the June Bank Holiday weekend to commemorate the dawn of the new millennium. Callan's shop, on the main street, was the venue for the exhibition and the brains behind it was the shop's proprietor, Nicky Callan. "I've always had an interest in photographs and have saved match programmes, paper cuttings and so on for quite some time now," Nicky explained. "When Drumconrath and Meath reach finals I take great pride in decorating the shop window, with the great help of PJ McCabe from Carrick, with photographs and colours. "This year I had the idea to put together a display to celebrate the millennium, with photographs from the last 100 years. I had quite a few photographs myself and asked other people to contribute some and received a magnificent response. "I then had a chat with Fr Connaughton, the local priest, and we decided it would be a good idea to hold a mass. "The oldest living resident in the parish, Mrs McEntaggart, who had just turned 102 years of age at the time, featured prominently in the centre-piece of the window. We invited her up to see it and she was delighted with it. Later that night, after the mass, we then got her to make a presentation to the last baby born in Drumconrath parish in the 20th century. "The entire event was a great success." You don't have to take Nicky's word for it, Drumconrath GAA's secretary Peter O'Halloran had this to say: "Nicky has always had a great interest in Drumconrath, not just in the football end of things, but in the parish as a whole and this culminated in a brilliant photographic display held over the June Bank Holiday weekend." Indeed, there's few better qualified in the area to host such an exhibition as the Callan family name has been synonymous with Drumconrath for quite some time now. Nicky's father, James was corner back on the Drumconrath team which captured the club's first major honours, the junior championship of 1928. Two legendary figures of Royal County GAA, Fr McManus and Matt Nulty were also on that team. A lean period, in terms of silverware, ensued for the north Meath club and they had to wait until 1963 before the junior championship was once again captured. And similarly to 1928, the Callan family played a major role in that success, with no less than seven brothers involved. Nicky was centre half back. "Five of us played in the final against Kilberry which we won by a point, while two others would have played at some stage of the campaign," remarked Nicky. "Gerard McArdle, a National League medal winner with Meath in 1946, and Tom Conlon, who was full back on the Louth All-Ireland winning team of '57, were also on that team. Mickey Crosbie from Meath Hill was the captain." Nicky's performances with the home club attracted the attention of the county junior selectors and he was full back on the junior team which garnered the Leinster title the following year. "We reached the All-Ireland final against Cork. It finished a draw match in Croke Park the first day but, unfortunately, they beat us by a couple of points in the replay at Portlaoise. Future All-Ireland senior winners Ollie Shanley, Tony Brennan and Mattie Kerrigan were on that team. "I got a run with the seniors in 1965 but I broke a leg in a challenge game against the juniors and that effectively finished my playing career." While still always available to help out whenever called upon, Nicky hasn't been a member of the club's committee for the last seven years or so. He was treasurer for approximately nine years prior to that, including the middle part of the eighties when Drumconrath embarked on a major fundraising drive to pay for the development of their pitch and clubhouse. "Dr Cummins was chairman of the club at the time and we ran various draws to help fund the development of the pitch. All the hard work was well worth it as we have a fine pitch and clubhouse here now." On the pitch, 2000 will not be a year fondly remembered by Drumconrath gaels. Defeats at the hands of Ballivor, Duleek, Drumree and Castletown and a draw against Carnaross brought a premature end to their involvement in the Intermediate championship. "It just wasn't to be for Drumconrath this year but I'm confident that we'll be back soon. We've some very good youngsters coming up through the underage ranks and we should emerge as a very strong force to be reckoned with in the coming years. "We were unfortunate in 1998 when we played Blackhall Gaels in the Intermediate semi-final. Blackhall came back late in the game to draw with us, won the replay and then won the championship. "Then last year the team broke up with lads heading off to Australia and America but they gave us a good bit of satisfaction and brought a lot of pride to the parish down through the years." Never was the pride of the parish so much at stake than it was when Drumconrath and fellow parishioners Meath Hill were pitted against each other in the 1996 Meath JFC decider. The clash gripped the imagination of GAA folk throughout the county and fortunately, from a Drumconrath perspective, it was they who were sporting the biggest smiles when the final whistle was blown. "That was a ding-dong game which was very sporting and both teams deserved to be congratulated for that. There was a lot at stake but there wasn't one dirty incident in the entire game. They're a great bunch of lads in Meath Hill and we'd wish them all the best for the future. "We were also very pleased to see our other neighbours Syddan do so well in their first year back in the senior championship this year. Hopefully they can go a couple of steps further in next year's championship." Drumconrath's Year Another barren year in the championship, hopes where high that with the return of most of the emigrants this might be our one but a lot of the early training was done by the time they had all settled in. At this stage Austin Hickey had gone to America and with Wayne Reilly still on his soccer scholarship we knew straight away that we'd be missing two key men. The A League started well and we made history by becoming the first club in Meath to win a competitive match in the new millennium. For the record it was a 0-10 to 0-9 win over Trim on 6th February. Two further wins and a draw against neighbours K-Wood had the confidence high for the first round of the championship but Ballivor beat us narrowly and this was a serious blow to our title aspirations. Wins over St Michaels and Moynalty and a draw with Carnaross left us in a good position again but Duleek beat us in a game in which we just didn't perform. Other results meant a win over table toppers Drumree would give us an outside chance but some questionable decision making meant the best team lost on the day. U21's, minors, U16s and U14s found their divisions far too strong but the U13's are going well and the U12s won their competition. The Junior C team recorded its first win in a while with a first round victory over K-Wood. A walk over from Castletown left us with a good chance until O'Mahonys beat us by 30 points. This knocked the heart out of the team and with a few promoted to the Intermediates we couldn't field against Bective and thus lost the chance of progressing. There seems to be a massive difference in teams in this championship and getting such beatings seem to devalue it for a lot of clubs each year. The B League kept the flag flying this year with a good run in Division 3, played 12, won 11, drew one and a final win over Moynalty in early October saw that a cup was brought back to Drumconrath by a B team for the first time ever. B League profiles Sean Kane - very steady and kickouts improved, stand back if he has sand in his eyes Leo Reilly - tall and rangey, the bright spark of the team John McDermott - back after a few years, soon be able to assemble his own plane for flights home Brian Flanagan - very committed and knows how to win an important game of pool! Wesley Byrne - a real 'don't like Monday's man' Did the business in the final Ollie McMahon - Loves to throw a spanner in the works, a keen gardener Gerard Duff - An U16 and a good young prospect, a vital addition to the team. Thomas Dardis - Good in the air, but what about the ground work David McMahon - One of the most improved players in the club, if he lays a carpet the way he lays on a pass, householders beware Alan Byrne - smooth left foot which can chisel out an odd score, a player we hope to build a team on. Sean Reilly - Another live wire, loves the 6 pointers, Mickel is the boy to score the points, loves the odd weekend away. Peter Tighe - Needed a lift for the final but sure we had to CARRIE him anyway Padraig McMahon - Scored the only goal of the game, nice one it was Peter O'Halloran - scored a vital point before half time, super captain, super player, what a man (who wrote this anyway) Leighton Irwin - stockings but no new shorts, a big man for the big day Other players who contributed; Garry Tighe, Gavin Duff, Paul McMahon, Wayne Sherlock, Eoin Sherlock, Alan Dunne, Niall Carolan, Dara Carolan, Mark Reilly, Stephen Lynch, John Lynch, Bernard McMahon, Rory McMahon, Christopher Tighe, Derek Tighe. Drumconrath GFC B League title for 'Drums' Drumconrath claimed the Division 3 B FL title with this final victory over Moynalty at Carlanstown in early October by 1-11 to 0-11. A 21st minute goal from corner forward Padraig McMahon was the decisive score and that left the 'Drums' 1-7 to 0-6 ahead at the interval. Sean Reilly put his name to four of his team's first half points and he soon increased his personal tally to six with successive scores in the 52nd minute and that gave Drumconrath a 1-10 to 0-10 advantage. Sean Kane, Leo Reilly, Gerard Duff, Sean Reilly and Peter Tighe impressed the most for the winners. Drumconrath - S Kane; L Reilly, J McDermott, B Flanagan; W Byrne, O McMahon, G Duff; D McMahon (0-1), T Dardis; A Byrne, S Reilly (0-6), P Tighe; P McMahon (1-2), P O'Halloran (0-1), L Irwin (0-1). Tweet

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