1998 Teddy Rice
Teddy Rice, a popular and sometimes controversial character, a taker and giver of much stick and banter has and continues to be a figure closely associated with the modern Town Club since the early seventies. A Castlewellan man born and bred, Teddy strangely enough commenced his Gaelic career with our foot of the hill neighbours Annsborough. When his playing days were over he served on their committee and was also elected as their club chairman.
He joined the Castlewellan committee in the early 70’s and represented the club as one of its official’s whistlers for more than ten years. Club development work was now in its infancy and Teddy devoted many hours’ service to the construction of our first social club, which was officially opened in 1976. He became one of the Clubs’s first regular doormen often manning the door 3 and 4 nights a week. When not on door duty, Teddy would be organising entertainment, pool and darts, as well as doing his stint behind the bar (voluntary in those days). Teddy was also a bar team captain organising staff to cover the busy Sunday shifts.
During this period also the club retained its own bus and Teddy along with others laboured hard not only with the services provided but also the mechanical maintenance required. As well as the social club duties, and bus maintenance Teddy also made time to involve himself in the many other duties required to the pitch and new Park, including grass cutting, pitch marking and what ever else he was called upon to do. His workload was recognised during this period when he was awarded the coveted ‘Clubman of theYear’ award in 1978. In 1980 the Club received an Allied Irish Bank ‘Club of the Year’ award (category B), and Teddy’s contribution was recognised by the committee when he was nominated along with other key figures in the Club, to attend the prestigious black tie award ceremony in Dublin’s Burlington hotel.
Since his retirement from the Club committee in the late 80s Teddy Rice has continued to contribute to Castlewellan club in numerous ways. From assisting the bar steward in organising ice for the bar or distributing entertainment posters, to selling tickets in the weekly lotto and annual ‘500 Club’ draw (see Club Funding). Teddy remains the most consistent and highest seller of both these important fund raising draws.
Teddy continues to be a popular fixture about the Club and in recent years Teddy formed and continues to run the Club summer skittles team, which has become very popular with both young and not so young members. In a summers evening you will be sure to find Teddy in the skittles alley outside the social club with a crowd around as he continues to stir and create controversy whenever an opportunity presents itself.
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