GAA World - Down - Castlewellan GAC

2002 Dermot McCabe

Dermot “Chum” McCabe a ‘Town Man’ born and bred was the winner of the 2002 Hall of Fame Award.

Dermot’s father PF McCabe was a great ‘town man’ too and was a life-long servant of the Club. He had been involved with the Club before it broke up for a few years in the late 1930’s and was one of the main driving forces involved in the Club’s revival after 1940, taking over the treasurer’s role from Pat Savage in 1948 and holding this important post until 1967. P.F.’s role in the Club’s development cannot be overestimated. In times when less attention was paid to club organisation, the treasurer’s "book" was made up every Monday night, and the club knew exactly where it stood- usually in the "red", but here again the overdraft was often "carried" by the treasurer. It was no wonder then that P.F. sons Colm, Dermot and Liam played football for Castlewellan from an early age.

As a 13-year-old Dermot won his first medal, when the Town won their 1st East Down U16 championship in 1953 and collected his second U16 medal as captain two years later in 1955. He was also captain of the U18 team that claimed the Town’s first Minor Championship title in 1957 beating Glen in the County Championship final. The team was: -

MFC 1957: Dermot (Chum) McCabe, James McKenny, Frankie Rooney, Joe McVeigh, Jackie Fagan, Eamon Magorrian, Paul Hillen, Sean McMullan, Ned Rooney, Raymond Jennings, Oliver Brannigan, Eugene McKelvey, Gerry Poland and Dessie Toner.

Success on the field continued with his first Senior Championship medal in 1958; ‘B’ League medal in 1963; ‘A’ league medal in 1964; and a second SFC medal in 1965 (see Club successes section for photographs of all above teams). However these were only the major successes of this talented player. He holds numerous 7-a-side and tournament trophies and medals and as a young man growing up was an exceptional sportsman, the envy of many other Clubs, excelling at both football and hurling, a feat recognised at County minor level in both games. His team mates and mentors alike have all referred to Chum as a solid honest, dedicated performer, regardless of his size or posture, having played in numerous positions when the need arose, whether in defence at mid-field or the forward line.

With his playing days behind him ‘Chum’ remained committed to the Club and served as a committee member for a while but his real love was in coaching and this is what he now devoted his time to. About 1974/1975 the County board had called on all clubs in the county to become more involved in the promotion of hurling.

In answering this call the club decided to enter a junior team in the new East Down Hurling league. About that time too a very experienced Antrim hurler by the name of Art. McClone from the Belfast Club St John’s, had arrived in town to work for Rodger Bros. Building Contractors. Art quickly became involved with the club and in particular the fledging new junior hurling team. Art along with Tom McGrady (from Bunker’s Hill) and Dermot McCabe were about the only three experienced hurlers, having played the game at college. Most of the new hurlers also came from the ranks of the senior and junior football teams and although the team did enjoy some success unfortunately inexperience led to multiple injuries and fractures, so much so that it left the junior and senior teams greatly depleted for important games.

Regretfully then the Town had to withdraw from the league in only its second or third season - but not before knocking holder’s Kilclief out of the championship in 1975 in a memorable game in the old meadow (the last game of hurling ever played in the meadow). The club decided then to concentrate on juvenile hurling and to progress with the young lads to junior and then senior hurling. After the team folded it was Chum that was responsible for it’s revival in the Club starting at U14 level with his own 3 son’s Paul, Ciarán and Cormac who were now talking a keen interest in the game.

The young McCabe brothers then became the nucleus of the hurling revival, and Chum became mentor and coach bringing the young team through the various age groups and building on experience year on year often working on his own and suffering many frustrations and setbacks along the way. But Chum was not a man to give up easily and his perseverance eventually paid off, as young talent was beginning to shine through among the young town lads, and others from Annsborough such as Gary Cairns and the Morgan brothers who joined the Club to play hurling. In 1993, 3 Club members, Gary Cairns, Neill McVeigh and Peter Jennings featured in the Down Hurling Team that won the Junior Hurling All-Ireland that year.

Chum’s eldest son Paul was later to join the Down Junior Hurling panel. Hurling now began to flourish in the Club culminating in the junior hurling team winning the league in 1999 and gaining promotion to the higher Division (click here for a photo of the winning team). The senior hurlers also tasted success at the Feis Sevens winning in 1992 and 1993 and a historic Centenary Feis Sevens success in 2002. By the early 1990’s the Club was fielding senior, minor, U16 and U14 hurling teams, as well as coaching at U12 and U10 level. The young lads that Chum and Mickey McCann had coached in the eighties were now coaching and running the town hurling teams and experienced hurlers were now in place to ensure hurling would gain the same respect and place in the Club as football had gained over many generations. Chum could now step back and enjoy watching the fruits of his labour.

He also had more time now to follow the Town senior football team. In the 1990’s his second son Ciarán was making a name for himself as an exceptional and deadly forward on the football field and won two SFC medals with the town in the famous back to back double of 1994/95. Ciarán’s brother Paul was also a member of this successful team, and Ciarán was also member of the victorious 1994 All-Ireland winning Down football team. Perhaps one of Chum’s most cherished moments in sport was that sunny afternoon in Celtic Park Derry when Ciarán scored that vital goal to beat the then All-Ireland champions Derry and send Down on their way to a 5th Sam Maguire success.

Often a harsh critic on the terraces when he would be quick to offer his opinion on team performances. He would also be the first man to offer his praise when he considered that the team got it right, so following a long line of ‘Town Men’ and Hall of Fame recipients who held in common the great belief in the Town’s ability to achieve success if only it could get the ingredients right and make the right decisions.

Chum’s contribution to the Club’s success down through the years was not confined to coaching and he was one of the main driving forces and voluntary workers involved with the establishment of the Social Club when it was converted from a disused bus depot in 1976. After the Club opened he was a regular doorman along with Pat Rooney on Sunday nights and at other Club functions. After St Malachy’s Park opened in 1978 and goalmouths needed re-sodding or other repairs to the Park, it was Chum along with other dedicated Club men such as Pat Rice and Pat Rooney who were out there on Saturday mornings in all kinds of weather leading the younger Clubmen by their example.
Like so many other recipients of this prestigious Club Award Dermot ‘Chum’ McCabe remained a dedicated and committed ‘Town Man’ after the glory days of his playing career had ended, and in the words of Maurice Hayes “… the mark of a great Club man is one that will do the simple and laborious tasks such as cutting the grass and repairing the pitch much more than the man that can win medals for his Club on the field of play….” Chum McCabe has done both.