When Tom Rice got the Hall of Fame award from St. Marys, Ardee last year everybody recognised that he was perhaps one of their best ever club workers. He was a unique footballer and hurler and a wonderful example to other members of the club. By Sean Ross.

Tom is an extremely practical man with his advice and influence to members of St. Marys proving invaluable.
Tom was born in Belurgan on the Cooley Peninsula to Tom and Mary Rice. He had three brothers - Michael, Paddy (deceased) and Desmond and one sister Teresa. Tom went to the local De La Salle Brothers where Brother Vincent had a great influence on the pupils. During his time there De La Salle were beaten in a Ned Bailey Cup final.
Tom took part in Ardee Street leagues, where north, south, east and west were the boundaries. He mentions Tom McKenna as a wonderful influence as was the recently deceased Nicky Roe.
Tom won two minor championships and two Tom McKenna Cups playing in goal in both championships. His interest in the St Marys club began as a 17-year old when he became secretary of the minor club and he has been involved with the club in the Ardee and Mid-Louth area ever since those times. There were three minor boards - Mid, North and South. Paddy Callan, Pat Leavy and Nicky Roe were very active, as was Tom himself, with all meetings were held in St. Mary's clubrooms on Bridge Street.
Tom's senior football career began in 1967 in goals and in 1968 St. Marys played St. Fechins in Drogheda in the Louth senior final.
There was a Bing Crosby in the St. Fechins team that day but is was St Marys who were singing as 17-year-old Pat Landy back heeled the ball into the net to take the trophy for his side.
As the goalkeeper Tom found a six-pence coin with the date 1960 which happened to be the last time St. Marys won the championship, when captained by Johnny Ross. This coin proved to be a good luck charm for Tom. St. Marys got to the final in 1970, 1971 and 1972, winning on once on the latter date as part of a senior and minor double. In 1975 St. Marys beat Cooley and in 1978 Cooley turned the tables.
The 1970's were very fruitful in terms of trophies with two senior and several Cardinal O'Donnell Cups and Old Gaels Cups.
As well as winning football matches the men from the Deeside had some great singers on the team and matches always finished with a sing song. Also at matches there were many characters, fellows like Enda Muldoon who had loads of people around him. Enda always had some wise sayings and also advice for the unfortunate referee. In these years St. Marys also played in many tournaments, and went on a trip or two. So from 1970-1980, St.Marys were a very successful club with a great bond between players, supporters and committee members.
In 1972 St. Marys got involved in the Leinster club championship with a win over Seneschalstown before St. Vincents of Dublin ended their run. In 1975 St. Marys beat Summerhill in Meath as Turlough McDonald scored two last minute goals. But Athlone defeated Ardee on a wet and windy midlands pitch in the Leinster quarter-final. Tom was also hurling for St.Colmcilles, with Michael his brother and Sean Walsh, John Clarke and a few more Ardee men played in both football and hurling provincial championships in 1975.
Tom won at least two All-Ireland hurling championships representing Louth in the junior finals. Unfortunately St. Colmcille has since stopped but it is good to see Mattock Rangers in the Louth hurling final.
Tom is extremely proud of one publication, the history of St.Marys G.F.C (1928-1978) which won the All-Ireland McNamee Award for a club publication in 1978. Some of the people that helped to produce the publication were Joe Crawley (Chairman), Paddy King (Editor) and Tom himself. The presentation of the McNamee Award took place in Dublin.
Tom served as Treasurer of St. Marys and in 1981-83 the clubrooms in Bridge Street were developed with badminton and squash courts. President Hillary opened it on June 21st 1983.
These clubrooms were sold in the early 90's and the committee moved up to Pairc Mhuire. In 1979 the stand was built in Pairc Mhuire and in 1991 the development of Pairc Mhuire pitch took place with a second full sized pitch. Paddy Lennon was chairman at this time. The new clubrooms were built in 2002 and in 2005 an all-weather pitch for training was finished. In 2010 the juvenile pitch was laid down, and because St. Marys had vested themselves in the association, this helped all these ventures.
One other part of St. Marys was Scor which Sean Ross introduced to the club. In 1980 the county Scor trophy was won in Cooley Hall. People like Sean Ross, Francie Gillespie, Vincent Callan and Tom Rice played their parts in the winning of the trophy.
Since those humble Scor beginnings, St. Marys reached Leinster Finals and also won two All-Ireland titles. Sean Sweeney won the Recitation section in Athlone at All-Ireland level. Ruth Kelly won the Singing section in Cork at All-Ireland level. Tom Rice to this day admits great pride in those successes.
When asked about St.Marys, Tom was happy with the recent U16 success and the victories over Geraldine's and Clan Na Gael. He hopes for more luck next year.
With regard to the modern game, he feels it has some bad points including the overplaying of the hand pass and players being tackled while on the ground. He also wants more protection for the player in possession while he has great doubts about forwards playing in the back line.
A very down to earth GAA man, the fact that Tom got Hall of Fame was a genuine tribute to a wonderful clubman.
Like the quiet flowing of the Dee river, Tom's heart will always be with St. Marys. Characters like Paddy Farrelly and Ollie Ward will always get a lift in his car to football matches. Not too many clubmen or women have served the club as Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Selector and player in both minor and senior clubs.
Tom represents all that is good about the GAA and his strength is in his great ability to have all the ideals of the founding fathers of our association. Tweet

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