Shane Ferguson
I am the webmaster. Yes, the webmaster. That’s a great title isn’t it. Sort of implies that I’m good at something. Like a Jedi Master or a Chess Master or even a some sorta’ master of ceremonies. However, a Webmaster is simply the chap or chapine that gets dumped with all the computer jargon and rubbish like that.
I’m not a master of anything. I’m a normal enough person, with a normal enough job, that just happens to dabble in the world of HTML, SQL & PHP (For the uninitiated; that’s jargon), I’m approaching thirty at a ridiculously stupid rate and pretty soon I will have to amend this page to say I am approaching thirty-one. (To which I am doing now. Damn my third decade – Shane)
Nonetheless, I struggle on. And that is why we are here. Because the effort and hardship to find out any news whatsoever about GAA in Wicklow became far too much for Alan (See below) and myself. So what did we do? We came up with this site, Wicklow GAA Online. Little did we know it would consume our lives getting it up, getting the information, getting it online. But then, little did we care. Because it was for something we feel passionate about.
GAA in Wicklow.
You see, fair enough. We don’t have Kerry’s record in football, Kilkenny’s record in hurling, or thankfully, Cork’s record in throwing an annual hissy fit in January, but what we do have in Wicklow is incredible support.
Passionate support. Eternal optimism. I could go on.
So i will. As a county, we are liked more often than not. Probably because we are not deemed as a threat to anybody, but liked none the less.
I remember after our first Championship win in Croke Park last year, myself and my brother Tony jumped like lunatics there.
People said congratulations.
We walked out of the ground.
People said congratulations.
We strolled up to Hill16 pub.
People said congratulations.
They didn’t know us, from Adam or anyone else. But they did know this; Wicklow had won and by jaysus they deserved it. Because we went out there on that day and played our hearts out and won on merit.
And while we are on the subject of being deserving of something, hear this: That wasn’t the only time we went out there and played our hearts out. Oh no. And that is another reason this website is here.
To promote the game, the team. The players. The players! The sacrifices they make throughout the year, the training they put in, the commitment they show. We, you, I, your feckin’ narky poodle should be following them around the beautiful landscapes of this country and shouting our hearts out and showing support.
Because at the end of the day, forget about your Manchester United’s, your Liverpool’s, your Arsenal’s, forget about them. This is where we are from.
Wicklow. This is where the passion lies. This is our home and those men and women are going out there and representing us. And doing us proud.
So why are we here? We want to give a little back, to help the County Fans know the little bits of information that is lacking online. To try and spread the word, the gospel that is the Wicklow GAA Scene. I should know. After all I am a master. Albeit just one of the web.
Enjoy The Website!
Shane: Twitter:
Boo
Alan O’Brien
Wow here we are…amazing how a pipe dream came be to realised with hard work and the right ingredients. I have a couple of years on Shane at 24 but it feels like I am catching him as I approach 25!! I hatched and grew up in Wicklow Town and thats where I caught the bug…..
Bugs are a funny thing….kids catch them in school and adults tend to catch them in the office. I caught my bug however on a cold day in Wexford…I didn’t get any days off school or work for it . The bug I caught that day was different. I had followed Wicklow through championship and qualifiers for a few years, nothing major…..it was something to do on a Sunday! At the time my passion was soccer, I travelled over to watch Manchester United 5 or 6 times a season. This day though, the day I caught the bug was different. The buzz started with my ascent to Wexford Park, in the rain. Words cant describe it….I was not among thousands heading to the Stretford End. Yet I felt a purpose, a buzz. You see when you are going to see guys that you grew up with, that you were schooled with, that you work with…well…its just that little bit special. The bug I caught that day in Wexford park can only be described as pride & passion. Not words you often associate with a 4-9 to 0-12 loss to your neighbours, in this case Carlow. But I was bitten, it may have been followed by a humiliating defeat to Monaghan in Clones and a last gasp loss to Carlow in the Tommy Murphy Cup but I had decided long before the final whistle in Dr Cullen Park that I was in for the long haul.
Bugs are funny things…one minute you are going to Wexford Park to watch Wicklow playing because “Super Sunday” is showing a poor game. The next thing you know you are dreaming of Casement Park…buoyed by the fact that “the lads” are back. The Sunday game has long replaced Super Sunday….and then before you know it, a website as been born.
As Shane said above..its about passion, its about pride and its about faith. My eternal thanks to Shane who’s imagination and web design ability has given me a platform to write about my passion. The GAA is special…we all know that, Eamon Dunphy did not need to patronise us on the Late Late Show for us to realise we had the greatest sporting and social spectacle on earth. What makes it special though?? That would be the men, woman & children in every Parish and every County that strive to ensure the success of their local Gaa club. Lets be part of it together. Welcome and enjoy!!
I hope you enjoy the site and please contact me if you want to comment on a review, if there is anything you would like us to cover or even if you just want to say HI!!
Cill Mhantáin Abú.
Alan:
Michael Kelly
I take the pictures and Alan and Shane stroke my ego by telling me I am the best photographer there is, and who am I to argue with them.
I just love taking pictues but my introduction to GAA was somthing of a surprise . The first match I attended was in Baltinglass on a wet windy summers day in July 1973 and what a shock I got as only months before I was attending the Baseball Ground home of the then league champions Derby County and was among a crowd of 38 thousand every second saturday .
I can still remember the day as a nine year old , waiting at the house in Crossnacole for Fr.Eddie Ryan to pick myself and my Father up , being in a car was a novelty then , going to a match in Ireland what would it be like how many police would be there ,what way would the away supporters come from, the hotdog stands the rosette and scarf sellers , watching out for the flood lights as we got near the ground .
Fr.Ryan arrived and off we go the excitment of it all as we passed through Kiltegan ,something not right here one car outside of McCullough’s and it big matchday no sign of any fans ,maybe they all went on buses . I ask but all I hear is laughter and on we go a few minutes later Fr.Ryan says were nearly there now Michael ,popping between the front seats and asking any sign of the lights (We must be miles away if you can’t see the lights ) again laughter , then he slows down puts on the indicator and turns left into a field .
Fr.Ryan turns smiles and says here we are , What’s going on a field with rugby goals are they having a laugh ,I hate rugby , he lets me out of the car and opens the boot takes out a bag ,I ask him whats in the bag he says my gear and shows me his boots (Jesus it’s his kit and he is playing) bet Kevin Hector or Roy McFarland did’nt drive the fans around with their kit in the boot of a car .
After about 15 minutes Kiltegan came running out and they were all catching the ball as they kicked around then lads in blue came out doing the same thing . The rain teeming down I was told to go and stand on the line beside the manager I went over and stood in the rain , tried to work out what was going on as a man walked up and down the line with a pen and book is he the manager ,well he is shouting the most ,so he must be . Cloughie and Peter Taylor never went on the pitch . Just what was going on no throw ins ,no offside and the ref never even booked anyone for boxing they were catching the ball everyone was allowed hit the goalie .
And why the hell was everyone saying “Good Bye” they wern’t even going anywhere ,turns out the were saying “Good boy” this Irish accent would take a while for me to work out .
As it goes Kiltegan won and they were all delighted they went back to “Talk of the town” with the exception of myself and Fr.Ryan who brought me home to Crossnacole . As I walked down the lane to the house now soaked to the skin opened the door ” My mother asked ,Well did you like it ” I just stared and said ” I want to go home “. So that was my introduction to GAA …
Well I never went home and Wicklow became home I ended up playing for Kiltegan in both codes and as it turned out that man walking up and down the line on the wet day was our manager John Timmons along with Peter Keogh. Although I was used to Derby County being a winning team ,I became part of a great winning team as well for the three years I played we seldom lost and John and Peter were our Cloughie and Taylor in my eyes .
Then it was on to Knockananna where I would pick up two championship medals even being captain of the junior side on our second championship win but only played ten minutes of the final not because I was injured but because I was having a bad game .Where ? Baltinglass .
So now with the playing days over what better than to take pictures ,sure anyway the Baseball Ground is gone ,what else would you be doing .
&
Kevin Stapleton
I am the newest member of Wicklowgaaonline and the baby of the bunch. A fresh faced 22 year old with an addiction to the drug that is GAA.
To use an Irish term, I was reared in the village of Annacurra in South Wicklow to Wicklow and Dublin parents. My first memory of this drug was as a 3 year old seeing my local club win the Intermediate hurling championship of 1991. Two years later, I had my own boots and off I went to sign up for the local under 10′s and my first outing was as a 5 year old sub getting 5 minutes against Laragh on a fine Summer’s evening. Currently, I am the PRO of the club.
My first Wicklow game (that I can remember) was against Offaly in 1993. My father and sister went to most matches and I was allowed off with them this time. My father bought me one of those old peak hats with the GAA crest on top of them. (I think it is still floating around somewhere at home.) The game was a draw 1-8 to 0-11 with Wicklow losing the replay. This was to be my first of many visits to Aughrim. Living only two miles away from the pitch meant that I could easily pick up a lift off neighbours who were going down to Aughrim for shopping or to the match itself.
I was not allowed walk down the main road but there was a walkway through the forest that links Annacurra to Aughrim. I was allowed the odd time to walk this. What my parents did not know was that I made an excuse of going to Annacurra to play football and off I would walk on my own to Aughrim to catch any match that was on from Junior B hurling to Senior football finals.
My role here with the lads can vary from anything at all. Last year, I was involved with Garden GAA magazine writing a player diary with Mervyn Travers and also writing reviews of the football club championships. I am broadening my horizons here with some match reports and the likes. If our photographer rings, I hit the road to his location or head off with him. If you have any news that you feel might be of interest, feel free to contact me @
