O'Leary, Rena
May 06, 2010St Catherines Camogie Club is in mourning this week following the death of club president, Rena O'Leary, RIP. Rena was involved with St Catherines Camogie Club since it first affiliated with the Cork County Camogie Board in 1980 and filled many roles for the club over the years, culminating in her election to the position of club president in recent years.
Rena was an accomplished camogie player in her earlier years winning a county junior medal with Old Als in 1956 and three county senior medals in 1959, 1960 and 1961. She began playing senior with Cork in 1960 and was captain of the Munster championship winning team in 1962. She was also a Gael Linn medal winner in 1963 and 1964. Her playing career continued on into the 1980's and indeed she was a valuable member of the St. Catherine's team that won the junior B County in 1984.
When Rena retired from playing her enthusiasm for the game continued and she was deeply involved in coaching and training underage teams for many years as well as doing a large amount of administrative work for the club in her capacity as secretary, a position she held until 2008. Her hard work and commitment bore fruit in recent years as the St Catherine's Club has gone from strength to strength winning counties at adult level in junior B, junior A, senior B and the ultimate achievement in winning the county senior A championship last October.
Interspersed with these successes were victories at underage where a number of county titles were won most notably U18 A titles in 2005 and 2006. The common denominator for all these teams would have been Rena, for almost every player involved in these teams would have been introduced to the game by her. She had an enthusiasm about her that was infectious and her encouragement and commitment ensured that young player's above all enjoyed themselves and kept coming back. Never downhearted she took defeat in her stride and her immediate concern was always the next training session or the next match. She was so proud on that Sunday last October when Faith Noonan lifted the Punch Cup. The ultimate success had efforts at underage level had come to fruition and sad though her passing may be, she had the joy and the pleasure of seeing her club in its finest hour. She was described by one of the player's after the county finals as "the mammy of us all" and these words truly capture the genuine warmth and affection that was felt for Rena. While the purple and gold of St Catherine's will be worn on the camogie field Rena will never be forgotten. She left an indelible mark and indeed everyone in the club and beyond were the better for knowing her.
To her husband Dermot, her children Shelia, Ted, Paddy, Derry, Brid, her brothers, sister and all her family we extend our deepest sympathies.
Rena, you will always be remembered by all of us who were fortunate enough to be involved with you in St Catherine's Camogie Club for you were in truth "the mammy of us all".
Courtesy of the Avondhu
6h May, 2010 Tweet
