By Randal Scally

It was a night of celebration, glitz and glamour in the Tullamore Court Hotel last Saturday when Offaly’s all-conquering camogie heroines were presented with their National League Division 2A and All-Ireland Intermediate Championship medals.

The Jack McGrath Cup and National League Division 2A trophy took pride of place on the stage as the Faithful County girls were feted for their incredible achievements in 2025. The All-Ireland champions were joined by their families, partners and friends for the special occasion where the guests included Camogie Association president Brian Molloy, Offaly hurling legend and former All-Ireland Intermediate and Junior Camogie Championship winning manager Joachim Kelly, and Offaly GAA chairperson Tom Parlon.

The presentation of medals by Brian Molloy and Joachim Kelly was preceded by a wonderful meal provided by the staff of the Tullamore Court Hotel, and followed by music and dancing late into the night. Each player was also presented with a beautiful framed photo of the squad on All-Ireland day as well as an action shot from both the National League and All-Ireland finals. The souvenir was put together by players Ciara Maher and Mairead Teehan.

Special presentations were also made to manager David Sullivan, who stepped down after the All-Ireland final, and to the members of his backroom team, including new manager Jack Maher, JP Houlihan, Ronan Moran, David Broderick, Declan Murray, Michelle Davis, Trish Nugent, Barney Loughnane, Louise O’Brien, John Harten and the outgoing manager’s wife and kit person Ciara Sullivan. David Broderick and Michelle Davis were unable to attend on the night.

In addition, presentations were made to Brian Molloy, Joachim Kelly and MC John Leahy, whose daughter Clodagh received a Soaring Star award at the 2025 PwC Camogie All-Stars in Croke Park the previous Saturday. Offaly’s other Soaring Stars were Sharon Shanahon, Amy Byrne, Orlagh Phelan, Mairead Teehan and Grace Teehan, who was also named Intermediate Player of the Year. In a lovely touch, Grace received a congratulatory video message from Footballer of the Year David Clifford, who noted how Offaly had beaten his beloved Kerry in the All-Ireland final, but that he wouldn’t hold it against them!

Before the medals were presented, John Leahy – who carried out his MC duties in a professional and efficient manner – said of the players: “Through hard work, commitment and unbreakable bond, they have climbed to the very top and brought home the All-Ireland glory to the Faithful County.

“We are here not just to present medals, but to acknowledge the countless hours of training, the sacrifices that were made; the support from the management, coaches, and families that are here to tonight; and the unwavering belief that carried them to victory.

“This achievement is one that will be remembered and celebrated for many years to come.”

Captain fantastic Orlagh Phelan welcomed everyone and also thanked the organising committee for making the players’ night ‘so special’.

“It’s great to see everywhere here tonight and obviously in a different attire to the jerseys and shorts,” the Naomh Bríd player said in a reference to the style and glamour that was on show.

“Looking back on the year, it was one that we’ll all remember for the rest of our lives. We set out with one goal in our minds and one goal only. We braved through the winter, we trained hard and we focused on our League campaign which ended in a great success. The management and players had confidence in this team, but winning the League started us off on the right foot.

“Losing the first round of the championship (to Antrim) was the equivalent to losing an All-Ireland final, but my God, did we pick ourselves up for further preparation. Once again, we trained hard and with great support from our management team, we landed ourselves in an All-Ireland final. There are no words to describe this day, but what an experience it was.

“Seeing the joy and tears in everyone’s faces reflected how hard we had worked for this moment and how much it meant to every single player, and member of the management. We had highs that were celebrated with pride, lows that we learned from and moments where we remembered why we love this game,” Orlagh added, before signing off with a few words as Gaeilge.

Next to take the stage was David Sullivan who recalled how Offaly had just been relegated from the senior ranks when he took charge two years ago, but got back to winning ways thanks to hard work and determination.

“This has been two years in the making. We started out on a journey in November 2023,” the Lorrha man pointed out.

“I will never forget the first journey down to Banagher. We didn’t know what was ahead of us, but it’s been an absolute rollercoaster. We had the big disappointment of ’24, losing to Cork in a game we should have won in Thurles in the All-Ireland semi-final. But with a bit of reshaping, rejigging, girls coming back hungrier and new faces coming in for 2025, we really attacked the year and this is something we really went after.

“In fairness to everyone involved, a mountain of work has gone into it. You see us on match days playing and warming up, but the countless hours everyone put into this was savage. We had 115 collective training sessions and God knows how many sessions players did separate from that.”

David continued: “This is just rewards for two years of solid work. That day in Croke Park will live long in the memories of everyone who was attached to it. It was a special, special day and memories we will have forever. I would just like to wish the girls the very best of luck moving forward and I will be keeping an eye out for you. Thanks for everything.”

Revealing that getting married in Kinnitty was his only connection with Offaly, Camogie Association president Brian Molloy paid tribute to the people who had moulded the players into All-Ireland winners.

“I’m honoured and privileged to be here with you and I really appreciated the invitation when it came from the county board to be here with you on this occasion,” he started off by saying.

“None of these girls turned into the superstars, the elite athletes that they are, overnight. When you all lifted a hurl for the first time, you were coached by your teachers, coaches in your clubs, parents, encouraged by your friends. You came through a journey which brought you to this point in time. I always think it’s important that all of us remember that now, the people who worked with these girls when they were younger and who contributed a huge amount to what has made them All-Ireland winners.

“We should always reflect on that in terms of going forward because operating in senior is fantastic until you’re operating in senior and you realise how hard it is. It’s going to be a challenge – a brilliant challenge, a fantastic opportunity to pit yourselves against the very best in the country.

“But don’t forget you’ll need players who are currently 12, 14, 16 and 18 to feed into your team as you move forward from here.”

The Longford native also singled out Orlagh Phelan for special praise, noting how she had always been a pleasure to deal with in a year when the skorts controversy dominated the headlines for several weeks.

“I get exposed to individual players over the course of the year at launches of competitions etc. This year there was a lot going on at different times for me and I have to say your captain always had a smile on her face, always had a happy greeting for me no matter what was going on in the media, no matter what noises were going on out there.

“She was always very focused, very friendly and a huge credit to her club, family and her county. Very well done to all of you and thank you for having me.”

Joachim Kelly also congratulated the team on their success and challenged them to raise the bar even higher by winning a senior All-Ireland before 2030. He said they didn’t have to look any further than the trailblazing Offaly hurling team he was a part of in the 1980s for inspiration.

“I’m delighted to be here today. I love the camogie and was involved 15 years ago when we had great days as well,” the Lusmagh legend told the packed gathering.

“I went in there for eight months and stayed for four fantastic years. We played in three All-Irelands in Croke Park, winning both junior and intermediate. We got up to senior and got as far as an All-Ireland semi-final. I felt like I was Daithí Ó Sé walking in here tonight because I was met with 30 beautiful-looking women. I thought I was going to be the judge!

“Girls, tonight is your night and you deserve it. It’s not easy training for eight or nine months in the year and I want to congratulate everyone from number 1 up to 30 plus the 12-strong management team. It’s a big business now; there’s statisticians, trainers and dieticians. It’s gone fierce professional compared to 15 years ago when we had three selectors and myself, and we did the whole lot ourselves.”

After congratulating Offaly’s six Soaring Stars, including his own niece Amy Byrne, Joachim added: “I’m going to ask you a question: who’s going to win the All-Ireland next year? This story applies to you. When I was playing in 1979 with Offaly, we had got Diarmuid Healy in from Kilkenny as our trainer and manager. He met us in Dooley’s Hotel in Birr. The first thing he asked us was: ‘who’s going to win the All-Ireland next year?’ I, like an eejit, put my hand up and said Galway because they were the team at the time, and someone else said Kilkenny or Cork.

“He said 'hold it lads. What about Offaly?' We had won nothing at that stage. All that we had was a Division 2 medal. But eight months later, we were Leinster champions for the first time ever. We beat Kilkenny for the first time ever before losing the All-Ireland semi-final to Galway.

“Roll on another 12 months and we won the second Leinster. And we won the All-Ireland that year as well. We had great years in the 1980s – we were in 11 Leinster finals, won seven and won two All-Irelands out of three – Cork hammered us in Thurles in 1984. So this story applies to you girls.

“You’re going to be at the top table with Cork, Galway, Kilkenny, Tipperary and Waterford. I bet you if I asked you who will win the All-Ireland, you would probably say Cork or Galway in your own mind, but as Diarmuid Healy said that day, 'what about Offaly?'

“You’re going to win an All-Ireland before 2030. You have a good manager in Jack Maher. There is no reason why you can’t do it. Is it achievable? Of course it is. We won nothing before 1980 and then we went on and won four All-Irelands (between 1981 and ‘98). I wish you the very best of luck next year. It’s going to be a long road. You have a development going on in Crinkill and that will be ready next year.

“I have a match programme in my pocket and there are nine or 10 teachers that played in Croke Park this year. My message to them is to get back into the schools in Offaly, get young girls through to this panel and win an All-Ireland before 2030. It can be done and it will be done. Just believe in yourselves. Give the kids two choices when they come into school – camogie or hurling!” he jokingly remarked, much to the amusement of everyone in attendance.

Offaly Camogie chairperson Donal Rigney was the last speaker of the night. He too appealed to the players to go on to bigger and better things, while also thanking his fellow county board officers Aoife Buggy, Barry Kinsella and Helen Coyne for organising the event, along with Glenisk and Condron Concrete for their sponsorship and support for Offaly Camogie. He also thanked the parents, stressing how the “support comes from home”, and congratulated the six Soaring Stars and Grace Teehan on her Player of the Year accolade.

“These are joyous occasions. People will tell you they don’t come around too often, but if you go back through the last five years, Offaly have managed to tip away and have a presentation every year. It doesn’t matter what we’re winning, but we’re doing okay. As Joachim says, let’s get into the schools and keep working at it,” Donal commented.

“David Sullivan and his management team took on this task two years ago to win an All-Ireland. David did say from the get-go that Offaly would win an All-Ireland and he stuck to his word. Well done to the management team. We’re grateful for everything they’ve done for Offaly camogie over the last two years.”

Addressing the players directly, he concluded by saying: “With the right attitude, you will get there. Put one foot in front of the other. Let’s start in the next couple of weeks and see how it goes. You don’t worry about the opposition – let them worry about you. We’ve good players coming through so we’ll be around for a while.” 

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