Two-thousand-and-three heralded the genesis of a new GAA club in the county town. Fergal O'Hanlons GFC in Monaghan town concentrated exclusively on juvenile teams during its formative season but the plan is to affiliate an adult (junior) side in 2004. Gerry Robinson speaks to club secretary Shane Treanor about these exciting developments in the county town. The birth of Monaghan GAA's youngest club took place in Monaghan town in January 2003, when Cumann Fheargal Ui Annluain GFC (Fergal O'Hanlons GFC) came into existence. The coming on stream of the new club is a positive development not just for gaelic games and culture in the Monaghan town area, but for the GAA in the county as a whole. Shane Treanor, secretary of O'Hanlons, reflects on the club's conception: "On January 23rd this year [2003], a few local people who had the idea of setting up a new juvenile club called a meeting in the Monaghan town community centre on the Broad Road. The area has grown rapidly in recent years and the feeling was that the population was adequate to sustain a new club, serving the parish of Monaghan/Rackwallace. The aim of the new club is to provide more young people with the opportunity to play our games." John McAleer and Brendan McKenna are the two main visionaries credited with setting the new club up. In 2003, Fergal O'Hanlons fielded teams at U10, U12 and U13 levels. They never set the world on fire but this was never their objective. Rather, these guys are in it for the long haul... The response to the arrival of a second club in the town was both positive and encouraging: "To be honest, we were taken aback by the tremendous amount of goodwill afforded the club from the very beginning," the public face of Park Street's Chieftain Bar confirms. "Straight away, the idea met with widespread support and we received great support from people who recognised the development for what it was - a positive step for gaelic games in Monaghan. "One of the first to throw his lot behind the club was Barry Healy of Barry Healy & Co Solicitors, who gave us a very generous sponsorship of two sets of jerseys. We're very grateful to Barry because that really helped us get off the ground." Incidentally, Fergal O'Hanlons GFC's colours are green, white and gold, Offaly style. At the club's inaugural meeting in January, Fergal O'Hanlons GFC's first ever executive committee was established. This comprises Brendan McKenna (chairman), John McAleer (vice-chairman), Shane Treanor (secretary), Colin Richardson (treasurer) and Ben McCloy (PRO). Shane takes the story up: "We knew there were a lot of good young lads in the town who weren't playing football and we could guarantee them a game. Brendan and myself went to the County Board and made representations to be affiliated as a gaelic football club. The motion was passed by a big margin and, once again, we met with an unbelievable amount of goodwill from the County Board. We were delighted to be officially welcomed into the fold and set about getting the club up and running..." Of course, Shane and his colleagues knew it wasn't going to be an overnight success story. A lot of work would have to be invested, with time and patience very much of the essence. To borrow a cliche, you have to walk before you can run. Before that, however, one must first learn to crawl! One of the most pressing difficulties facing the new club is that they currently have no facilities to call their own. To this end, they played all their games at away venues in 2003 ["We're very grateful to all the clubs that accommodated us."]. However, the committee aspires to hopefully get a pitch of their own up and running sooner rather than later. Fergal O'Hanlons GFC often used the County Board pitch at Mullaghdun during the year ... appropriate given that this is the former site of the town's CBS, where Fergal O'Hanlon, after whom the GAA club is named, played a great deal of his football. The new club has already captured public imagination in the town and hopes are high that it will continue to thrive. "Monaghan is a growing town and the demand was there to create another club," Shane states. "We're not here to step on anybody's toes. To the contrary, we're convinced that Fergal O'Hanlons GFC will help improve and promote gaelic games in the town and the county. "We anticipate that our arrival will enhance gaelic games in the area. We're pro-active and it's a very positive thing for everybody." Indeed, it must also be pointed out that but for healthy competition the GAA would never have become the magnificent Association it is today... Fergal O'Hanlons GFC's first major achievement was participating in the senior Scor finals just up the road in Corcaghan. The club entered four events - recital, solo ballad, team quiz, and instrumental. In the instrumental section, they won their first ever county medals. The winning team comprised Kevin Curran, Eamonn Curran and Tiernach Dinkin, who rendered outstanding performances on a night that will be fondly remembered by all. The club secretary enthuses: "Once more we were made feel very welcome, in particular by cultural officer Siobhan McQuillan. We were made to feel at home and a big hurrah greeted our win, which was memorable." A couple of weeks after the senior Scor finals, Fergal O'Hanlons GFC held their official club launch in the Lakeside Hotel. The function was attended by several high-profile gaels as well as many dignitaries from public life. Speakers on the night included Pauric Duffy, Nudie Hughes, Eamon Coleman and members of Bellaghy GFC. Says Shane: "It was a great night and we had a lot of support. Everybody spoke well and gave us their best wishes. All the clubs in the county were represented and there was a great turn-out from all over Monaghan and the province." Over the course of the year, Fergal O'Hanlons played mostly challenge games. The club is starting from scratch, taking very young lads under their wing. In 2003, they had three teams - U10, U12 and U13 - and most of the games played were friendlies. The club did participate in the Conlon Cup (U12, Division 3) and weren't out of their depth in that. They also entered an U13 competition. It's very much a hands-on operation. Coaching is handled predominantly by Brendan McKenna, John McAleer, Colin Richardson, Donal Treanor and Ben McCloy. Up to 50 young boys and girls turned up for training and the club is optimistic that a talented crop of U10s will come through in the next two to three years. Off the field, the club also launched its Lotto during the year, and that has been very well supported. Fergal O'Hanlons also competed in several events in the Scor na nOg finals in 2003, almost winning the quiz event. Next year, the club intends to launch a junior team. "We're hoping to have a junior football team in 2004," the secretary confirms. "I don't think we'll have any problem with numbers as there are a lot of good footballers in the town who aren't playing at the minute. We won't be going out to break any records and our expectations will be modest. We're in this for the long haul. We envisage big things for the club's long-term future, but for the time being we're going to take it one step at a time. "We realised when we started out that we wouldn't be up and running properly for a few years - but we'll get there! At the moment, we're very small, but if we grow gradually every year then we can achieve a lot." Fergal O'Hanlons GFC's Mission Statement is very clear. The club is setting out to promote, strengthen and preserve gaelic games in the county; to provide everybody with an equal opportunity; and to play an integral part in the community. The target for 2004? "We're looking forward to competing again, to being part of gaelic games in Monaghan, and to taking it a step further by entering a junior team. Our current expectations aren't high. We're just looking forward to increasing our membership. Playing football is a great character-building exercise. At the moment, it's not about winning cups - though obviously we're hoping to win plenty of them in the future!" Though he died at a young age, Fergal O'Hanlon, in whose honour Monaghan's newest GAA club is named, had an incredible GAA career. Fergal started out playing for Park Street in the street leagues in Belgium Park and went on to represent St Macartan's in the McRory Cup in 1952. In 1952, at the age of 16, he played for Monaghan Harps against Carrickmacross in the county minor final. The game went to a replay before the south county side came out on top. Fergal played minor up until 1954 and was also on the Harps side that won the intermediate double that year. He was playing senior football with the club at the age of 16 and became secretary in 1956. He also played handball and was a true lover of the Irish language. Fergal O'Hanlon died in County Fermanagh a day short of his 21st birthday. Tweet

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