1984 Dan Rooney
Dan’s contribution to Castlewellan Club since he first pulled on the green jersey as a 14 year old youngster in 1940 until he stepped down as Club Chairman in 1986 has been equalled by few and surpassed by no one.
Dan is probably best remembered in his later years as Club Chairman from 1976 to 1986. It was in this important role that Dan’s diplomatic skills and steady hand at the tiller steered the Club through a time of great challenge, both financially and physically. Gone were the days of the annual guest tea and treasure hunt as a means of raising the necessary few pounds to keep the Club ticking over.
Dan’s chairmanship overseen the opening of the Social Club (first GAA Social Club in Down) in 1976, and the transformation of the old ‘meadow’ into a purpose built playing pitch with the opening of Páirc Naomh Maolmhóig in 1978. Both these ventures were huge and indeed controversial undertakings at that time and involved plunging the Club deeply into debt. It took steady nerves and a cool head at the top to see the Club through the difficult financial years that followed. To Dan’s credit he remained in the chair despite mounting work commitments in his teaching career until the Club was safely out of debt some ten years later.
The Social Club was a major challenge for the Club Committee of the time. A Committee that would be more familiar with marking the pitch, putting up nets and running the teams, rather than trying to run a new licensed and entertainment centre and all the teething troubles that this new venture brought. But Dan, although a life long pioneer unfamiliar with the nuances of licensed premises never faltered and was always on hand to offer advice and to steady committee nerves as each new crisis was encountered and finally resolved. He even found time to do a stint behind the unfamiliar territory of the Club bar on busy Sunday nights washing glasses and stacking shelves, where he would receive a fair amount of banter from former pupils.
The other major milestone that Dan’s Chairmanship overseen was the GAA centenary celebrations in 1984, and again Dan played an active role in ensuring that the Club marked this occasion in a fitting and memorable fashion. It was a huge success and the Club retains important video footage of this splendid occasion when all existing teams, from the 1930s to the 1980s paraded through the town from the Newcastle Road entrance of the Park and back via the Circular Road.
Dan’s administrative role with the Club did not only commence however when he took the Chair in 1976, as he had also been the Club Secretary from 1945 to 1969. In 1979 Dan was awarded the coveted Clubman of the Year Award for outstanding service to the Club.
But like so many sportsmen Dan will probably want to be remembered more for his football achievements both on and off the field rather than his administrative achievements, and there too his skill and abilities were well recognised and appreciated.
In an interview in 1992 for the Club magazine ‘Over the Bar’ Dan recalled that back in 1940 when he began his playing career it could easily have been with arch rivals Bryansford rather than with the ‘Town’. Dan explained that on that fateful day there was to be a match in the old meadow between the Town and Bryansford. As it happened Seamus Fitzpatrick asked Dan would he like a game for the Town and he duly accepted. Two minutes later Dan’s uncle, John King, asked him if he would like to play for the ‘Ford’. Dan declined saying that he had already promised to play for the Town although admits that had John King approached him first; he would have played for the ‘Ford’. Ironically Dan marked his uncle during the match and much to the delight of the crowd bagged a handful of goals.
Dan continued to play with distinction for the town right up to the end of his career in the late 50’s and even made the odd rare appearance up until the mid sixties. Dan played in the famous or infamous 1950 championship final against Warrenpoint (the year of the Burst ball). Warrenpoint were hammering Castlewellan and at half time it was decided that that the ball would have to be burst (hence match would have to be abandoned). After many attempts to drive the ball against the barbed wire the ball was eventually kicked out of the field and out of view, and a pioneer pin did the rest. When the burst ball returned the referee, Liam Froil (Belfast) had no option but to abandon the game. It was rescheduled for the following Sunday and Castlewellan won handsomely. Dan is also very proud of the four Féis (Féis an Dúin) medals that he won with the town, as well as Down Div 1. League winners medal in 1955.
Dan was also on the Down panel that won the All-Ireland J.F.C. in 1946. However there was to be a fortnights training in Newry before the final in Croke Park, and because of other commitments Dan, who had played in the semi-final was unable to attend training and was dropped from the panel and missed the final. Dan has also got Dr Logan Cup medal.
Dan was East Down Secretary between 1957 and 1962 and was there the County Vice –Chairman In 1964, ’65 and ’66 he was manager of the Junior and U-21 teams. He won Ulster titles with both in the same year only to fall in the All-Ireland semi-finals both to Kildare, in the space of a fortnight.
During this same period Dan was also Club Secretary, and still made time to manage the senior team, along with Fr. Sean Murphy, between 1963 and 1967. Under their management the ‘Town’ was Division 1 winners in 1964, and in 1965 won the County Championship.
In 1967 Dan became selector of the Down Senior team and was part of the management team which steered the team to win the 1968 All-Ireland SFC, the National League, the Wembley Tournament, also winning in New York.
Dan was recognised for his contributions to the County and East Down in particular when .he was awarded the East Down Hall of Fame Award in…… following in the footsteps of that other great Clubman John O’Hare.
Since his retirement from Club duties in 1990 Dan has played a less active role in Club affairs following a spell of ill health. Thankfully Dan has made a full recovery and is always on hand to offer advice, and is a source of much valued historic information relating to the Club. There’s nothing Dan enjoys more than recalling stories about much loved characters and famous games in the Club’s past. With the introduction of this web-site and the forthcoming Club Centenary in 2006 you can be sure he will be called upon again to provide much needed information.
Dan, his brother Pat and mother Bessie are all recipients of the Club’s highest award entering the Hall of Fame in 1984, 1989 and 1994 respectively. A magnificent achievement that the Castlewellan Rooney Clan can be truly proud of.
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