1980 Tommy Steele
Down the years various families have played a major role in the development of the club and none more so than the Steele family of Castlewellan. Farmers and Butchers to trade, the Steele family had a butcher’s shop in the town’s Upper Square up until the 1970’s.
Tommy was the eldest of four brothers who all wore the ‘Town’ jersey with great pride and distinction. Many will remember Tommy as the friendly butcher delivering meat in his mobile shop around Castlewellan, Newcastle and the rural hinterland for the ‘Home Produce’ of Newcastle until his retirement in 1977. Always time for a chat and a friendly yarn, Tommy liked nothing better than discussing the fortunes or otherwise of his beloved town club. In 2001 the Steele tradition of Gaelic football continues to be carried on by members of the Castlewellan Steele clan, not only for the town but other local clubs as well. The butchers tradition is kept alive too by grandsons of the Steele brothers.
Tommy was just a youngster when Castlewellan won their first SFC title in 1924. As with previous teams, for some reason, the successful team dropped out of the GAA scene a few years later. When Fr. McAlea formed the current St. Malachy’s Club in 1932 Tommy along with brother Paddy were up and coming young players and helped form the nucleus of the new Club. Tommy’s football skills had already come to the attention of the County Down GAA Board and a few years earlier in 1928 he was selected to play for the County in a challenge match against the famous Breffini Blues Cavan team who were the reigning All-Ireland champions. The occasion was a fundraising game for the new St. Patrick’s memorial at Saul and the game was played in Smyth’s field in the townland of Moneybot. Frank Lennon (Hall of Fame) from Auglisnafin (a few miles from Castlewellan) was another Down player on the team that day as was Johnny Doherty from Ballykinlar (father of Paddy Doherty of 60’s Down fame). As was expected Cavan won easily fielding all their famous players of that era such as "Gunner" Brady, Tom O’Reilly, and Jim Smith. Tommy remained a regular in the in the Down team for a number of years in the late twenties and early thirties.
The new St Malachy’s team of 1932 included the member’s of the ‘finn team (Hugh McLean, John O’Hare, Seamus Leneghan, Frank Lennon, and Mick McDonald) who had been persuaded by Fr. McAlea to throw their lot in with the town in the formation of the new parish team. Within a few years the team became a force to be reckoned with and went on to win two SFC titles in 1934 and again in 1936. The team panel in 1934/36 contained other great Gaelic footballers, many becoming loyal servants to the club down through the following 50 years, and none more so than Tommy Steele. The 1934/36 panel was Hugh Kelly – Hugh McNabb (Capt) – Seamus Leneghan – John King – Paddy Steele (Hall of Fame) – Hugh McLean – Hugh McMullan – John O’Hare (Hall of Fame) – Tommy Hannity – Mick Lamb – Pat O’Boyle – Mousey Hanna – Tommy Steele (Hall of Fame) – Frank Lennon (Hall of Fame) – Peter Hawkins – Mick McDonald – James Maginn (Hall of Fame) – Fr. P. J. O’Hare – Liam Ferguson – Tom McCann (Hall of Fame).
Just as the new Club was getting established not only winning SFCs but Feis Sevens as well, a disagreement in 1938 saw the Club fold. Tommy along with numerous other Castlewellan players, frustrated at not having a team of their own, joined neighbouring club Bryansford and helped them win 4 S.F.C. titles in a row 1939 – 42. In eight years Tommy was the proud holder of a record 6 Down Senior Football Championship medals, 2 with the town and 4 with Bryansford.
When the town club reformed in 1940 Tommy returned a few years later to his town club were he eventually ended his playing career. Although a member of the town team that reached two SFC finals in 1945 and 1946, Tommy and the men of his generation had hung up their boots before the town won their fourth SFC title in 1950.
But that did not end Tommy’s association with the club. Like other great ‘Hall of Fame’ recipients, he joined the club committee. There he helped to develop and strengthen its foundations to ensure that future generations of players would not see their club fold as he had seen twice in his lifetime. As Club Chairman in 1946 and 1947, Tommy was one of the stalwarts who helped to increase the club’s playing activities and indeed expand into other areas such as camogie and juvenile hurling.
One of the major problems the club had to overcome then was the cost of transporting teams to various matches, and as few if any club members owned a car, it meant hiring taxis for all away matches. This was a huge drain on the sparse club finances and in 1954 under the Chairmanship of Hugh McKelvey the committee made the all important historic decision to purchase a club bus (first club in Ireland to own their own bus). When the bus arrived in Castlewellan Tommy was one of the first bus drivers ferrying not only teams but also all other parish groups the length and breadth of Ireland. This took into the club much needed revenue, and also saved a colossal amount of funds that would otherwise have been paid out on taxis. Tommy continued in this voluntary role into the 1960s when a younger generation of club drivers took on this important task.
Tommy eventually retired from the committee but retained a keen interest in all aspects of club affairs, particularly the fortunes of the senior team. Tommy never missed a match until his health began to fail in the last year or so of his life. Perhaps one of Tommy’s proudest memories in his later years was seeing his two grandsons play for the senior team (Brian and Colm Dougherty). In 1994 and 1995 his grandsons were members of the 1994 and 1995 back to back SFC winning panels, and treasured in the Dougherty home is a ‘Mourne Observer’ picture of Tommy with grandsons Brian and Colm, and son in law Gerry, all holders of SFC medals for the town.
In 1985 the club committee took the important decision to move away from the historic practise of nominating the current parish priest in the parish as Honorary President of the club. Instead it was decided that a person associated with the club, and one who had contributed to its development, would in future be nominated for this honorary position. Tommy was the unanimous choice of the club committee and held the position for 15 years, until his death at age 87 in July 2000. At his funeral the club as a tribute, draped Tommy’s coffin in the club colours with a special guard of honour alongside – this was the clubs way of honouring Tommy’s 70 years service to Castlewellan G.A.C.
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