2000 to 2005

In last week's article, the report was about “What is Scór”, this week I look at the success of Scór in Westmeath over the years and in this article specifically the first decade of the current century.

Scór was healthy in the county as the new Millennium commenced and the first decade of the 21st century was one of sustained achievement. Scór 2000 started in the autumn of 1999 with the Scór na nÓg final in Ballymore on Saturday 20th November where 14 clubs searched for titles with seven clubs winning on the night and the late Billy Martin (Ballymore) doing Fear an Tí.

Four clubs reached the Leinster final in Ballinakill Co laois on 23rd January but no success in the first provincial final of the 2000’s. Scór Sinsir culminated in Ballymore on Saturday 26th February which saw Bunbrosna win three county titles along with a brace for Mullingar Shamrocks and Ballymore. Bunbrosna went on a epic trip that year reaching the All Ireland final in The Ulster Hall Belfast and winning a first ever Set Dancing Crown for the Lake County. Not to be forgotten were the performances of Edel Martin(Ballymore) & Christy Duffy(RIP) in Solo Singing & Recitation with both narrowly missing out on All Ireland titles.

The successful Bunbrosna octet was Susan Eades,Kenny Murphy,Antoinette Connell,Martin Mc Cabe,Eoin Clarke,Sandra Eades,Deirdre Mc Cabe & Colin Burke. They performed the “Cavan Reel” set to take the first All Ireland of the millennium for Westmeath. Moving into 2001, the highlight were the Leinster title wins for Rosemount & St Pauls in the Recitation and Figure Dancing competitions respectively. Neither act managed to take All Ireland honours in the final held at the John Mc Cormack Hall in Athlone IT on Saturday 10th February which was successfully hosted by Westmeath.

The Downs GAA centre hosted the Scór Sinsir finals for the first time on Sunday 25th February with St Marys Rochfortbridge winning the club of the year crown after a gap of 22 years out of Scór. Mullingar Shamrocks,St Josephs,Delvin,The Downs & St Marys split the eight titles. County,Leinster & All Ireland set dancing champions Bunbrosna fell to their great rivals The Downs in the county final and a special presentation was made to outgoing county secretary Rose Longworth(RIP) who had stood down after 13 years in the post.  Into 2002 and Scór na nÓg competitions culminated in Ballymore at the end of November 2001 where 17 clubs vied for the eight titles. Cullion won the club of the year title.

Seven of the Eight county champions progressed to the Leinster final with Avril Whitney(Bunbrosna) taking the only provincial title in Ballinakill. Athlone IT was again the venue for the All Ireland on Saturday 16th February and it proved a fruitful outing for Avril as she took the All Ireland with a fine rendition of her pieces called “Poor Barney”  Scór Sinsir was held in The Downs on Saturday 23rd February with Mullingar Shamrocks winning three titles on the night. The All Ireland finals were in Killarney in 2002 but there was no luck for Westmeath on the day. Scór na nÓg 2003 saw 24 clubs participate with 16 clubs reaching the county final in early December. Shandonagh took the club of the year crown and six of the eight acts contested the Leinster finals with Mullingar Shamrocks(Music) and The Downs(Set) claiming provincial crowns. Neither club managed to claim All Ireland crowns at the All Ireland but it was yet another successful year for clubs in the county. At Senior level, it was a historic year for St Josephs as their Question Time team of Dick Stokes,Johnny Hannify & Aidan Walsh took the All Ireland in the final held in castlebar on Saturday 26th April.

The Streamstown based club had been second the previous year and after a tie break won against Millstreet from Cork. Westmeath’s only other representative in the final was Mary Dempsey representing Shandonagh in the recitation event. The county final was held some weeks previously on 1st March in The Downs with 13 clubs participating in the final. Special mention to Laura Reilly who won the solo singing title for Garrycastle, a first Scór title for the club. Leinster final that season was held in Taghmon Co Wexford.  2004 which was a historic season on the playing fields for Westmeath was as competitive as ever in Scor circles but no All Irelands were achieved though five clubs did win Provincial titles. Ballymore was the venue on the last Saturday in November 2004 for the Scór na nÓg 2005 county final. 15 clubs reached the county final and eight different clubs won the titles on offer.

Three groups reached the Leinster final and The Downs reached the All Ireland final in Set dancing narrowly missing out by one mark to Cappamore of Limerick in Athlone in February. Four Westmeath clubs won provincial titles in Taghmon Co Wexford on 20th March with Mullingar Shamrocks winning in Figure Dancing & Novelty Act, St Josephs in Question Time and Niamh O Shea for Shandonagh in Solo Singing. In 2005. Leinster & All Ireland titles proved elusive in Scór na nÓg though standards at local level were extremely high. Of the eight acts in Scór na nÓg, seven qualified for the Leinster final but for the first time in many years, no act was successful in reaching the All Ireland. Castledaly won their first ever title with success in the Instrumental Music being represented by Stephen & Patrick Heffernan and Michael John Kelly. Over 400 participants took part in Scór na nÓg in 2005 which was a record at the time. 

Two clubs reached the All Ireland final on 17th April in Killarney with Bunbrosna(Instrumental Music) and The Downs(Set Dancing) doing the county proud. The Leinster final in 2005 was held in nearby Clara Co Offaly where six acts competed. The 2005 county final had one unique winner where Jimmy Fagan(RIP) representing St Pauls won the Recitation. Jimmy who was 83 years young at the time is by all accounts our oldest ever winner of a county title.

Next week I look at the period from 2006 to 2010.

Aidan Walsh

Offigeach Cultuir Iarmhi

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