2000 Fr. John Fitzpatrick
Although born and bred in the villageof Maghera, John and his brother Peter both played their Gaelic football for the town.
John made his debut for the town as a minor in 1954 when Castlewellan reached the Minor Football Championship final for the second consecutive year only to be beaten by a strong Newry side. The following year 1955 John had won his place on the town senior team playing alongside such established players as Dan and Pat Rooney, the Rodger brothers, the Guinness’s Paddy O'Donoghue, Patrick McAleenan and Jim Jennings. This side went on to win their second All-County league title in that year, with the previous honour coming in 1935, and young John Fitzpatrick picked up his first League medal in his first year on the senior team.
John had fashioned his Gaelic football skills at St Coleman’s College Newry and was fast making a name for himself on an experienced Castlewellan side. Within a few years, in 1958, this side would contest and win the SFC final against Clonduff to lift the Senior title for the 5th time in the Club’s history with Fr John a member of that successful side and lifting his first SFC medal. Also in 1958 Fr John picked up a Feis Sevens medal as a member of the successful side that won the Feis Sevens in that year.
Within a few years Castlewellan’s fortunes were declining and by 1961 were blowing hot and cold in the All-County 'A' league languishing in the bottom half. And in their last two games had to line out in both games without the influence of Pat Rice and Hugh McAllister through injury. When they lost to Ballykinlar, by the minimum of margins 2-3 to 2-4, the result sealing their fate and relegation from the 'A' League for the very first time.
However a year later even though the town were playing 'B' League football, they were beginning to raise a few eyebrows in the Senior Football Championship, when they knocked-out strong favorites Clonduff in the first round 3-5 to 0-5. The Town then beat Dromara in the quarterfinal to set up a semi-final against the holders Newry Shamrocks.
The ‘Mourne Observer’ newspaper report on the semi-final reserved special praise for the back line that included Fr John: -
‘… There were no weaknesses in the winner’s side. The full-back line of Eamon Magorrian, Oliver Brannigan and John Fitzpatrick gave absolutely nothing away….’ Final result Castlewellan 2-7 Newry Shamrocks 1-1.
So the Town, as a 'B' League team, qualified for their first County Senior Football Championship final since 1958, where they would meet a Glenn side laden with a host of inter-county footballers such as Dan McCartan, PJ McElroy, Val Kane, James McCartan to name but a few). It proved to be one of the most disappointing finals for years when Glenn's power-house of football talent swamped Castlewellan almost as easily as the score suggests, Castlewellan 0-4 Glenn 1-12
By 1964 Castlewellan were back in the A League with Castlewellan's 3-6 to 0-0 victory over Glenn sending shock waves around the County. In November the Town clinched their third All-County Division 1 League title (1935, 1955 and 1964) when they beat Burren by 1-11 to 2-4 and as a member of that successful side Fr John picked up his second A league medal. A year later Castlewellan captured the Club's sixth Down Senior Football Championship title with a comprehensive 3-10 to 1-9 victory over old rivals Clonduff at St. Patrick's Park, Newcastle and Fr John was the proud recipient of his second SFC medal with the town.
Fr John continued to play for the town right through the 1960’s regardless of which Parish his ministry brought him to and even found time play on the ‘Clergy of Down’ team in challenge games organized by the Club against the Club’s ‘Old Crock’s’ team which was organized during the Club’s Carnival week in 1970 and 1972.
When his playing days finally ended he continued to follow the fortunes of the ‘town’ and support the Club at every opportunity attending the annual Club reunion dinners and celebrating Mass on important Club occasions. He was particularly proud of his nephew’s John and Maurice O’Neill’s achievements on the Gaelic field and especially the town’s back to back SFC victories in 1994 and 1995 and was there to see Maurice pick up his two SFC winning medals.
In 2004 Fr John returned to the Club reunion dinner in the Canal Court Hotel to meet all his former teammates of the 1965 SFC winning side who were guest of honour to commemorate the 40th anniversary of that historic occasion.
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