Since its foundation back at Easter 1917 the Blackhill club has progressed through the full range of emotions in what has been a very colourful and chequered story up to now. They have experienced the elation of victory and the deep disappointment of defeat. They have obtained great satisfaction for their achievements off the field in developing facilities but they have also encountered many pitfalls in their ongoing efforts at keeping the GAA flag flying in that area of County Monaghan. By John P. Graham The year after their foundation Blackhill won their first trophy and in those early years the club was quite a force in Monaghan. They can also claim that the legendary Mick Duffy who was chairman of Monaghan county board for a record breaking 21 years while he held the post of secretary of the club for all of 11 years was one of their own and they can boast of a number of people who have given a lifetime of service to the Blackhill cause. Thinking in those terms the current chairman Tom Griffin would immediately single out Seamus McEneaney as a man who can match the legendary status off the great John "Runner" McGeough who was instrumental in organising the meeting that set up the club back in the lean and difficult aims of 1917 when Ireland as the country was in turmoil and matters such as the playing of games often took second place to more pressing demands. While they enjoyed some success on the playing fields they also experienced many problems with the club fading from the picture on a couple of occasions but the spirit that has kept the Blackhill flag flying was always there in abundance and the club was resurrected on a number of occasions. Their biggest success was winning the intermediate football championship back in 1953 coming some 20 years after putting junior football championship titles back-to-back in 1932 and 1933. That win back in 1953 however is the club's last championship success at senior level, an indication of the ongoing struggle the club has had in keeping the flag flying. In terms of playing success 2007 was akin to many others, plenty of endeavour but ultimately disappointment as far as major honours were concerned. "2007 was not a good year on the playing front at adult level but we did have some success at underage level when we won the 11 a-side under 12 competition. Our biggest achievement in 2007 was opening our new dressing rooms and gym that have been added to the facilities that we have developed at our club ground on the outskirts of Castleblayney. We are a lot more accessible now too with the new C'Blayney bypass running just beside us but it probably won't bring in a crop of new players," Tom Griffin mused. "One of the problems we have is that we are in an area that is effectively serving the needs of three or four clubs so it is difficult from the point of view of numbers but there has been quite a lot of development in housing out in our area which should help us into the future. It is for those people that we are continuing to plan and develop because if we do not have the facilities to take in the youngsters and work with them then they will be lost to us and possibly even lost to gaelic games completely. Developing the new dressing rooms and the gym cost us in the region of ?270,000 which is a substantial sum of money but as far as we are concerned it is a great investment. "The gym is only for the use of the players and club members at this moment in time but we could develop on that going into the future because our Social Centre now is well used by a number of organisations and groups and has become something of a focal point in the area which has always been our intention. "That end of our affairs is very successful and the Centre is used by both young and old alike and we are always delighted to see our senior citizens coming along to the "Young at Heart activities every second Monday where they can come together and have a chat and a bite to eat and then we have music and dancing for them and every one of them tells us that they look forward to all of those sessions because it's a great social occasion for them. The centre too is used for dancing classes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and that too gives people an association with us. Catering for those type of things is very important because it helps to develop the image of the club in the wider community and that will be essential in helping to keep the loyalty of all of the people of the area. "On the playing fields our only success was winning the under 12 division 4 Shield but any success at underage level is important because it keeps these young people's interest. "I know that winning at underage level is not everything but if we can achieve victory even in small competitions like this as well as developing these young people as future senior players and maybe even county players then that will be marked down as a great success. As well as teams in the under 12 competition we also competed at under 14, under 16 and minor level but without taking any silverware. "We did however reach the semi finals in the under 14 league division 3 Shield and the under 16 league division 3 which we would regard as something to be very pleased about and while the lads were disappointed everyone put in a great effort. If I was singling out any one person for their input at under age level it would have to be Seamus McEnaney who in many ways is Mr Blackhill because he has given a lifetime of service to the club in so many capacities. "Seamus has been central to everything that has happened in Blackhill both on and off the field and especially the development of the facilities we have so I could not pay him a high enough tribute. His son Brendan too does a magnificent job as club secretary. "We had a very mixed season although we did win our first championship match against Fergal O'Hanlon's but we went out of the championship in early September after being defeated by the eventual champions Aughnamullen in the first round and our neighbours Toome in the second round. We probably could have done better in our game against a team as strong as Aughnamullen but you cannot afford to be without five or six of your first choice players and that is that what happened to us. "A couple of the lads went to Australia and a few others were just unavoidably absent. That said though I have to complement every one on the effort they put in, both the players and the team management and hopefully we may be able to go one better next year." If having good facilities is central to team preparation then Blackhill is up there with the best and always seeking to improve. "To provide the best facilities we can for training and playing matches we also did some work on the pitch this year when we brought in Curran Contracts to do some sanding and Verti Draining which should help in keeping the pitch up to the standard required. We also intend to have an official opening night sometime early in the New Year to officially launch our new dressing rooms and gym but at adult level we definitely do need a lift off some form or another. "The players definitely need a boost because some of them were getting a little disheartened this year as we had struggled in quite a number of our matches. That was tempered a little however when we won the Philip Courtney Memorial Cup this year. The cup is in memory of one of our legendary people the great Philip Courtney who was prematurely snatched from us just a few short years ago and we felt that as a man who played for the club for over 20 years that the best way to commemorate him and remember him was by playing the game that he loved. "The competition is run as a local four team tournament over the August Bank Holiday weekend and every year the proceeds are donated to charity. "This year along with ourselves Toome, Doohamlet and Drumhowan took part but Doohamlet and Drumhowan enter their reserve teams because at senior level they would be that bit stronger and after some great matches and a very exciting final we came out victorious. "More importantly though we were in a position to make a presentation to the Cavan/ Monaghan Downs Syndrome and over the three years that the tournament has been run we would have been able to donate between some ?3,500 to ?4,000 to charity, which is very satisfying". Satisfaction is the outcome when effort produces the desired result although if over the years the outcome of certain things was not what was planned the Blackhill club can still take great satisfaction from the work they are doing in catering for the sporting and social needs of their members and the wider community and with people like Tom Griffin and Seamus McEnaney at the helm there will be an ongoing feeling of satisfaction in the Blackhill area going into the future. Review of 2007 in Blackhill With the year 2007 almost at an end one would have to admit that it was not a good one for the Blackhill club, it's officials and supporters. Languishing in the bottom half of the junior league for most of the season and making no impact in the championship it was indeed a most disappointing year for the men from the hill. In the Junior Championship they met Fergal O'Hanlons in Castleblayney on the 3rd June and were winners by 1-9 to 1-7. On the 18th August in Clontibret, Blackhill were beaten by Aughnamullen who went on to win the Junior title later in the year. This defeat left the team facing the backdoor system to stay in the competition.The team were drawn to play neighbours Toome in Drumhowan on the 9th September and were well beaten; their championship aspirations gone for 2007. The minor team had a great league campaign reaching the final with good displays against Inniskeen, Tyholland, Magheracloone and Rockcorry. They met a very strong Aughnamullen side in the final and were it finished Aughnamullen 2-11 Blackhill 1-4. The U-16 team reached the League semi-final and lost to Killanny while Drumhowan knocked them out of the Championship. There was no luck either for the club's U-14 side who lost to Cremartin in the shield semi-final. The only success on the playing fields was achieved by our U-12 team who were winners of the Shield title with a marvellous display against Drumhowan. The Junior team were winners of the Philip Courtney tournament for the first time on August bank holiday Monday. This annual tournament raised over 4000 Euro for the Down Syndrome Association in Cavan and Monaghan. The sports day on June Bank Holiday Monday was a wonderful success with young and old enjoying the occasion and brilliant sunshine. The club's new dressing rooms are ready and completed for the new playing season. The new building has four changing rooms, a referee's room and a gym which is sure to be of great benefit for everyone in the years to come. The club would like to sympathise with Tom Griffin (Club Chairman) on the death of his mother Joan. To Bridie McEneaney (Treasurer), on the death of her father Michael McNally. To the Connor family on the death of Gerry Connor, a former player with the club. And to the Fitzpatrick family on the death of Jack Fitzpatrick last year's joint person of the year. Tweet

Most Read Stories