1989 Pat Rooney
When the club reformed in 1940 after a short lapse, one local family in particular was to become synonymous with Gaelic games in Castlewellan and would play a pivotal role in shaping future generations of young Gaelic footballers, and their local club, namely the Rooneys of ‘the cut’.
Pat Rooney, younger brother of Dan (see Hall of Fame) commenced his club playing career in 1945 developing into one of the best if not the best scoring forward ever to dawn the green jersey for the town. The holder of 2 Down S.F.C. medals 1950/58 and a Division 1 league medal 1955 along with 4 coveted Feis 7’s medals, Pat as one of the Rooney Bros. commanded the left wing not only playing for the ‘Town’ but also with Down in the less fashionable days of the 1950s. While still playing, Pat took a keen interest in the rules of the game and became the clubs official whistler. Pat went on to became one of the best respected referees in the County, and created a record still unbeaten in Down by refereeing 8 Down Senior football championship finals. One rule not written down in the referee’s rulebook that has become synonymous with Pat Rooney is ‘common sense’. Pat continued to referee games up until the 1990s
When his playing career was over, Pat like so many other Hall of Fame recipients, joined the Club committee and threw his body and soul into building and shaping the modern Club. Pat was one of the stalwarts involved in the new Social club, which opened in 1976, and the new Park, which opened a couple of years later in 1978. He immediately took on the many new duties that this new venture required, including the duties of doorman, during those very busy years when the St Malachy’s Club was the only GAA Club in Down and was the main Mecca of social entertainment for Gaels the length and breath of the County. Along with his club colleague and other great hall of fame recipient Johnny O’Neill, Pat commenced and run weekly bingo sessions in the new social club on Friday nights. This he did for almost twenty years, as well as being one of the callers at the Wednesday night parish bingo over the same period. During the successful club festivals of the 80s Pat and Johnny also organised and ran monster bingo sessions in the marquee, which proved very popular, raising much needed revenue for the Club at that time.
Pat was also at this time one of the Club bus drivers and as well as transporting teams and supporters to the various matches, the duties also included private hire, involving journeys throughout Ireland – all carried out on a voluntary basis by the small band of club drivers.
When the Club’s All-Ireland invitation sevens commenced in 1980, Pat was called upon every year to organise top class whistlers for this important competition, and was himself involved in referring games. On odd occasions down through the years Pat would be called upon to referee games involving his own side. This was something all Castlewellan players dreaded, as they knew his sense of fair play would always err on the side of the visitors. Always the voice of reason and fair play Pat has served on the committee for over 40 years. In addition, in the year 2000 Pat continues to represent Castlewellan on both the County and East Down Committee’s, and is responsible for co-ordinating referees in the county.
The Club committee recently honoured Pat for his 50 years loyal service to the Club, by making a special presentation in recognition, and in appreciation, of his lifetime contribution to the club. Then at the East Down Awards dinner on Friday 28th February 2002 the East Down Committee honoured Pat for his life time service to refereeing in the County and for his long service on the East Down Committee. In receiving this Award Pat became the fourth Townman to enter the East Down Hall of Fame following in the footsteps of John O'Hare (1986), Dan Rooney (1989), and Johnny OÂ’Neill (1991). Nobody deserves this honour more that Pat who has served the Gaels of Down with distinction for over half a Century. His outstanding contribution to Gaelic games in the County was also recognised by the Down County Committee in 2003 at the Centenary Presentation Dinner held on Friday 31st October 2003 in the Canal Court Hotel Newry when Pat was one of only 4 recipients of a prestigious one-off “Spirit of Down Award” The Spirit of Down awards were presented in "recognition of outstanding personal commitment to the Gaelic Athletic Association in Down over a lasting period, and reflecting the faithful contribution of those whose dedication has fostered and enriched the Spirit of Down".
The awards were presented to;
Hurling David Bel, RIP received by George Bell,
Football; Sean ONeill,
Refereeing; Pat Rooney,
Administration; T P Murphy RIP, received by Mrs Josephine Murphy.
Pat’s son Patrick Og (former Castlewellan player), continues to carry on his fathers commitment to Gaelic games, but on the other side of the atlantic ocean where he immigrated to in the mid eighties.
Since then an American born Rooney – Patrick Rooney iii has arrived and will hopefully continue the proud Rooney tradition of promoting Gaelic sport, remembering of course that he is a Rooney from ‘the cut’.
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