St Patrick’s High School, Keady are riding the crest of a wave and we find out more about their successes.

By Shaun Casey

ON Friday past, St Patrick’s High School, Keady held a night of celebration to recognise all the sporting achievements the school have experienced in the last year, and there was plenty to celebrate.

The Year 8 football team won the Connor Marron Cup and the Caoimhin Mallon Plate while the Year 9 squad won the Ennis Cup. Keady also secured glory on the hurling field, collecting the Kirk Shield title.

Not only that, but Keady gained silverware with their rugby team, capturing the Ulster Shield crown while the school’s golf team won the NI Children’s Kidney Fund Trophy. And there were various other victories in cross country and athletics as well.

“I was winding them up because we won two Ulster football titles with the u-16 girls last year, two different teams at that level, and then we won the Junior Camogie Ulster as well, but we didn’t have anything last year,” laughed PE teacher Catriona Taylor.

“I certainly came away last Friday night more motivated to do it again next year. It is something that we’re very, very hopeful of making it an annual event. We’ll just put the date on the calendar at the end of every year, and everybody knows that’s when it is.

“I think it should be a good driver for the kids to motivate them. Everybody wants to be acknowledged and it’s about making sure they get the chance to showcase themselves and their talents.”

Taylor explained that the idea for the special night of recognition stemmed from the school’s vice principal Grainne Lundy.

“Our vice-principal was very keen to acknowledge participation within the sport. There’s varying abilities and varying successes, but it’s acknowledging the fact that you’re committed to training, to putting on the school jersey, and you’re committed over the five or seven years or however long you’ve been here.

“Take the example of Claire McElvanna, who won Junior Sportswoman of the Year. She’s a first year but if there was a bus going out of this school, then Claire was on it, for whatever sport it was.

“And that’s what the likes of the Junior Sportswoman of the Year awards are all about. It’s about celebrating those who have just completely submerged themselves in the sport. Our kids love sport and we’re very lucky to have the catchment area that we have.”

On the rugby element, Taylor added: “The rugby was a big thing this year too because we’re obviously not a primarily rugby-based school, but to be able to go and win an Ulster title against the likes of Glastry College from Newtownards is massive as they’re a big rugby school.

“For those boys and the coach to come away with that was massive, and we did make a big deal of that at the time. They had a special assembly and we’re constantly promoting it and seeing the buzz that it brings around the school, which is great.”

And the success isn’t just finished quite yet either. Six Keady High School pupils are involved in the Armagh minor team that will compete in the county’s first All-Ireland final appearance since 2009 against fellow Ulster hopefuls Derry next weekend.

Keady clubmen Sean Woods and Jack Loughran have been mainstays of Aidan O’Rourke’s side, holding key roles at centre half-back and midfield respectively, right throughout the entire season, while there are four other panel members as well.

Not only that, but Loughran had the distinction of playing both hurling and football for Armagh at minor level this year and also picked up a Hurling College All-Star award for St Patrick’s back in April.

Loughran wasn’t on his own in picking up an All-Star gong for the school as Fiadhna Loughran earned a Camogie All-Star award while Eimear McGeary was named on Queen’s University Belfast Future Stars Camogie Team of the Year.

A member of the Granemore Camogie club, Loughran was involved in the side that captured a Junior A All-Ireland club title in December while Madden’s McGeary helped the Orchard County reach the All-Ireland Minor B final, which they lost to Kildare.

The school was also well represented in the Armagh ladies u-14 team that recently reached the All-Ireland Gold final but lost out in heartbreaking circumstances to Derry via an additional time goal.

“Two years ago, Armagh ladies won the u-14, the u-16, minor and senior Ulster titles. We had 20 girls from the school involved across the u-14, the u-16 and minor teams.” continued Taylor on their contribution to the recent county success.

“We had Kelly Mallon with the seniors, a past pupil. Maeve Lennon and Corinna Doyle are on the senior panel too. Then with the boys we have Rory Grugan, Niall Grimley and Darragh McMullen on the senior team, and they’re all past pupils too.”

There is a lot of excitement in the school at the minute for the Armagh minors, who are hoping to bridge a 15-year gap for an All-Ireland title. Keady High School was well represented the last time the Orchard County got their hands on the Tom Markham Cup.

Grugan is a one of the stars of Kieran McGeeney’s current Armagh squad, and their second top scorer this season, and he won that minor title in 2009, as did his Ballymacnab clubmate Gavin McParland.

Granemore duo Padraig Hollywood and Ryan Rafferty, Stephen O’Reilly of Madden and Keady Michael Dwyer’s clubmen Shane Mone and Dean Nugent were also part of Paul McShane’s minor squad.

“It’s hard this time of year because exams have finished up, but you’re trying to get the pupils in and you’re trying to promote everything that is going on,” Taylor explained.

“2009 is a long time ago, since the minors were last in the final. We had great representation on that team in 2009. But it’s building that excitement and you’re promoting the players with it as well.

“I think Friday night was massive for that too, in terms of showcasing what the school have contributed to victories like the 2009 final, but you were also referring to the fact that the minors were playing Mayo on last Sunday in the All-Ireland semi-final, and the girls that were winning too.

“We had Annie McGeown, who got Player of the Year for Football and Camogie, and we were able to reference the fact that she was going to be playing in the All-Ireland semi-final with the u-16s (on Thursday). There’s serious talent, it’s an unbelievable catchment area.”

Now Keady have got a taste of that sporting success, they’re hungry for more and Taylor admits they have already begun to put plans in place for next season. “It gives you something to focus on.

“It was no more than an idea when the rugby team won, but then when there were other winners, we thought we had to do it.

“You’re trying to get the backing of everybody within the school on sport, and sometimes it takes a wee shift for that to happen.

“The value that it can bring to the school is significant, and the appreciation coming from the parents obviously as well is massive as well. Then it’s linked into raising money for the Southern Area Hospice, and sometimes that’s a good way of bringing people in.

“It’s relevant to everybody then too. We do a raffle on the night, and we do an auction, and it obviously generates a good buzz then within the place too.”

Pull quote

“I certainly came away last Friday night more motivated to do it again next year.”