The GAA is family ...

The Rob Cornally Memorial Tournament provided more evidence of one of the defining characteristics of the GAA that linked clubs from the east coast, the west and the midlands. Lining out for St Sylvester's and wearing the No. 9 jersey was one Charlie Ryan, son of the great Dermot, a winner of 6 county senior medals with Mullingar Shamrocks, long-time net minder and miracle worker for Westmeath and a former treasurer of our club. One of those leading the charge for Mullingar Shamrocks in the tournament was Ruairí Kilmartin with Dermot's sister Gráinne, a supporting mum. (The third member of the Ryan family Daragh was over in Oliver Plunkett's ground as a member of the management team of Mullingar Shamrocks LGF intermediate team). When Mullingar Shamrocks played St Sylvester's Charlie Ryan and Ruairí Kilmartin were in direct opposition.

Ollie Keating is another former Westmeath great with several Westmeath senior football medals in his collection won with Athlone. Ollie is now a valuable member of the Mullingar Shamrocks club while his brother Tom is involved with the Uarán Mór Mearaí club. Tom' s son and Ollie's nephew Barry Keating was a member of the Uarán Mór Mearaí winning team. The GAA truly is family ...