Presidents Award for Peter Heaney

21 March 2012

(Our thanks to Michael McGee Handball Correspondent Hoganstand for the attached article and to Sportsfile for use of the photograph.)

Fenaghs favourite handball son Peter Heaney was presented with the “Gradaim an Uachatarain” Presidents Award by Uachtaran Chumann Luthchleas Gael Criostoir O Cuana at a special Croke Park banquet on Friday 16th March last, writes Michael McGee.

In total seventeen winners were presented with the 2012 Presidents Award. The Award winners came from all strands of the Association representing all codes and disciplines from the wider G.A.A family. The annual winners are honoured as long standing GAA volunteers. Christy Cooney congratulated all the award winners. “We are extremely fortunate as an organisation to be able to call on the voluntary effort of so many, so frequently and this event aims to acknowledge a chosen few on behalf of the wider membership,” said Cooney.

Peter Heaneys involvement in handball began in 1974 where he was elected Secretary of the Fenagh club. The club went through many lean years and interest subsequently waned. However in 1989 an resurgence began. In July of that year Heaney together with Sean McKeon from Drumshanbo set about repairing the floor in the alley. Soon after the Leitrim Handball Board was set up and Heaney immersed himself on the Board both as Treasurer, Secretary and serving as Chairman from 2009-2012. In 1991 Heaney became Chairman of the Fenagh Handball Club a position he held for over 20 years. The Fenagh man was Leitrims delegate on the Connacht Handball Council for 10 years before being elected Connacht Handball Council President on 1st March last.

The dedicated official has work tirelessly for handball in Leitrim. A visionary before his time he set up clubs in Carrigallen, Manorhamilton,Cloone, Gortletteragh but unfortunately these clubs did not last long. Heaneys best efforts to have handball in the sports complex in Ballinamore fell through due to lack of interest. The same fate happened with the proposed alley in the Bee Park in Manorhamilton. Undeterred the resilient Heaney carried on and began coaching in the Fenagh Club.

Heaneys endeavour in Fenagh is exceptional. A decade long fundraising project was put in place for the development of the Fenagh Handball Club. His resoluteness, dynamism, energy & can do attitude is incomparable. With Heaneys hallmark the Fenagh court will be officially opened on the 6th May next. The completion of the Fenagh 60 x 30 Court is testament to Heaneys unrelenting drive and determination to achieve what looked like an impossible dream.

Coaching is his passion and has coached many Provincial, All-Ireland winners and a World Champion in Donal Wrynn. Heaney has high hopes that Wrynn will again become a World champion in October when Ireland hosts the World Championships.

In an outstanding career in handball administration the role that gave the celebrated official most satisfaction is “coaching children and watch them grow into wonderful adults.” And the newly elected Connacht Handball Council President Heaney wants to see the implementation of the (GAA Handball Strategic plan 2011- 2016) for the future fulfilled and to bring the game into more schools. “Handball has to be in at least 50% of GAA clubs with better promotion of the game on television and in the papers to glamorise our top players.”

Known as Mr. Handball in Leitrim the GAA Handball fraternity are now calling him St. Peter for all the miracles he has worked for handball in his beloved Leitrim. Heaneys lasting legacy in Leitrim is assured. The affable Fenagh club man will go down in the annals of Leitrim G.A.A Handball as one the Countys finest ever administrators.

http://hoganstand.com/handball/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=164747

21-Mar-12 by Colette Fox – PRO

History beckons for Donal  Wrynn & Leitrim by Michael McGee

Thanks to Michael McGhee, Handball Correspondent, Hogan Stand for allowing us to reproduce this article from the Hogan Stand  http://hoganstand.com/Leitrim/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=164361

Leitrim handballer Donal Wrynn is on the verge of making G.A.A. Handball history as he attempts to bring the All-Ireland handball Minor Singles 40 x 20 title to Leitrim for the very first time. Not in its thirty-seven year history has a Leitrim player taken home the Minor singles 40 x 20 championship. Three years ago the Fenagh club man took the World by storm winning the Boys 15 & under World one-wall title in Portland Oregon.  Wrynn’s meteoric rise to World champion was astounding. The Irish & World handball fraternity stood up to take notice of Letrim’s rising young star.  In the intervening years Wrynn has won a Connacht U-15 40 x 20 title and both 40 x 20 & 60 x 30 at U-16 level.

Wrynn’s season began last November when he reached the final of the Boys 17 & under National 40 x 20 final only to lose narrowly to Clare’s Colin Corbett, who went on to win the U.S. Nationals in December with relative ease.  Despite that setback Wrynn worked hard on his game and was rewarded as a member of the successful Fenagh Junior B team that accounted for Garryhill Carlow in the All-Ireland club final. Wrynn has prepared meticulously over the past few months â€Å“I have worked hard onÓgetting into physically the right condition for the championship and have spent many hours in the court working on my various shots.â€Â

In the Connacht championships Wrynn breezed past opponents effortlessly.  His All-Ireland semi-final opponent was Monaghan’s Darren Doherty an Irish, U.S. & World champion. Wrynn suffered a heart breaking 1 point defeat at the hands of Doherty in the 2010 All-Ireland U-16 singles 60 x 30 final in Abbeylara that went to a tie breaker.  St. Coman’s Roscommon was the venue for this latest instalment and this time Wyrnn was ready for the battle.  It took three intensive games to dislodge Doherty & Wrynn showed his mettle to finally beat his great rival.
In recent weeks Wrynn has played Aengus Cunningham (Roscommon), Niall O’Connor (Kildare), Terry McElvaney (Monaghan) and this has helped to give him a ruthless & steely edge to his game.

â€Å“I’m hitting the ball much stronger than I have been doing before and my shot selection has improved. At the moment I am playing with a bit more confidence, having racked up a few important wins lately.â€Â

Wrynn has also represented Leitrim G.A.A at underage level and freely admits football has helped his handball game.  â€Å“Gaelic is a great help to me as it helps me to build up my fitness levels, and is also  great help in making me more aggressive in the handball courts. â€Å“ Wrynn, a 1st year student in DCU studying Accounting & Finance helped the DCU team to the Freshers A football league title recently.

Despite all his successes Wrynn has taken it all in his stride.  The gentle giant standing at 6’3â€Â is unfazed at the thought of winning Leitrim’s first Minor singles 40 x 20 title â€Å“Obviously I’m looking forward to the occasion. I think it is important that I don’t let it get to me. Galen Riordan will be a very tough opponent but hopefully I will just be able to edge it. This week I won’t train that much as I want to be as fresh and relaxed as possible going into the game.  I always find when I am more relaxed I play much better.â€Â

A natural born & skilful athlete Wrynn is blessed with great handball hands explosive speed and devastating firepower combined with great self inner belief. It is expected that there will be huge support from Leitrim travelling to the Roscommon venue.

In an enticing 3 match programme in St. Coman’s Roscommon Cavan’s Paul Brady Irish & World champion will be attempting to win the Men’s singles title for an unprecedented 8th successive year and 9th overall.  Brady’s opponent is Westmeath’s Robbie McCarthy. McCarthy had a sensational 2011 winning the Men’s Hardball, Softball, Irish Nationals & U.S. Open. A mouth watering spectacle is in prospect with Brady wholly determined to re write the history books. The ladies final is a repeat of last year’s finale with reigning champions in Kerry’s Maria Daly & Ashley Prendiville facing the experienced Fiona Shannon & Sibeal Gallagher.  The TG4 cameras will be covering the finals which will be televised later in the season.

Path to the final:

Connacht semi-final Donal Wrynn bt Cathal Connelly Ros 21-6, 21-7
Connacht final: Donal bt Michael Lalor Galway  21-6, 21-2
All-Ireland semi-final Donal bt Darren Doherty Monaghan  12-21, 21-13, 21-11

The 2012 GAA Handball ONeills All Ireland Senior 40×20 Singles Final Saturday 24th March 2012, in St. Coman’s, Roscommon

12.00pm: Minor Singles â€â€œ Letrim (Donal Wyrnn) v Wexford (Galen Riordan)
1.15pm: Ladies Senior Doubles Final – Kerry (Maria Daly/Ashley Prendiville) v Antrim (Fiona Shannon/Sibeal Gallagher)
3.00pm: Mens Senior Singles Final – Westmeath (Robbie McCarthy) v Cavan (Paul Brady)

Michael McGee
Handball Correspondent
Hoganstand

16-Mar-12 by Colette Fox – PRO

No Success For Leitrim

Last week-end proved to be unsuccessful for Leitrims handballers with Shane Doonan and Donal Wrynn defeated in The All-Ireland 40×20 Minor Doubles Semi-Final and U14s Alan Wrynn and U14 Doubles Alan Doonan and Jarlath Scollan were defeated in their respective Connacht Finals.

In the Minor Semi-Final Doonan and Wrynn were up against Tyrones Paul Clarke and Gavan McCrystal and took the first match 21-18. In the second match the Leitrim pair raced into an 11-2 lead but in front of a home crowd the Tyrone lads turned the game around and won the match 21-15. This now took the game to a tie-breaker and with the Leitrim men under pressure the Tyrone pairing took the match 21-14 ending Leitrim hopes of an All-Ireland Minor double as Donal Wrynn has already qualified for The 40×20 Minor All-Ireland Final.

In The Connacht 40×20 Juvenile Finals played in Charlestown and Castlebar U14 Doubles Alan Doonan and Jarlath Scollan were defeated by Mayos M Mulhern and D Cosgrave on a score line of 15-10 15-10. In the U14 Singles Alan Wrynn was defeated by Galways Cian OConaighle.

GAA Presidents Award 

Congratulations to Fenaghs Peter Heaney who will be presented with a Presidents Award on Friday night in Croke Park. TG4 are providing live coverage of the awards starting at 7.30.

National Congress

GAA Handball National Congress takes place on Sunday March 18th in The Landmark Hotel, the first time Leitrim has hosted this event.

Connacht 40×20 Juvenile B Championships  

The Connacht B Championships Semi-Finals are fixed for the week-end of March 31st/April 1st and the Finals fixed for Easter Monday April 9th.

13-Mar-12 by Niall Scollan – Handball PRO