Crossakiel handball Club honour Hughie Reilly
The
Crossakiel handball club with the cooperation of the Communications Workers
Union An Post, and the Jim Connell Committee delivered a fitting memorial
tribute to former club chairman Hughie Reilly, writes Michael McGee
On Sunday evening last the Parish of Crossakiel
turned out to witness the unveiling of a memorial plaque/scroll in memory of
the late Hughie Reilly, former Chairman of the Crossakiel handball Club who
passed away on 9th August 2016.
With the Co-operation from the Crossakiel handball club, Jim Connell Committee and the Communications Workers Union Kells Branch an Post, it was decided to erect
a memorial plaque in honour of the former
Chairman, the driving force in getting
the then open 60 x 30 covered in and which was officially opened in 1986.
Local craftsman man Louis Leavy was given the
task of constructing the stone memorial plaque while Mark Bennett of Bennetts
Monumental Stoneworks Kells , carried out the inscriptions.
Steven Quinn Chairman of the welcome everyone
to the unveiling and said “it was just brilliant for the club this year to have
the memorial stone plaque in Hughie’s honour.” The Chairman thanked the
Communications Workers Union for donating the initial stone to the Reilly family. He also thanked James Quail from the
Communications Workers Union for their massive input into the project and also
Meath County Council for permission. Craftsman and Sculptor Louis Leavy was
warmly thanked for his magnificent work as was Mark Bennett of Bennetts
Monumental Stoneworks for all the inscription work. Others who were thanked were Peadar Byrne
from the Jim Connell Committee, the handball committee and Jim Curry Hillside
Stores Drumbaragh who kindly donated all the flowers for the occasion.
James Quail the Communications Workers Union
representative then spoke and said he was “very honoured and privileged to be
at the unveiling”. He praised the late Chairman describing him “as playing a
pivotal role in An Post for over 40 years and for his work on the Jim Connell
Committee.
Christina McEachen mother of the late Paul
McEachen was also remembered. He was a trainee on the building project and who was
subsequently killed in a tragic motorbike accident in 2005. She
thanked everyone for remembering her son on the plaque.
Rosaleen McDonnell sister of the late Chairman
then spoke on behalf of the family and said the Reilly family were honoured and
grateful to receive such an amazing scroll from the Kells Communications
Workers Union in recognition of Hughie’s 42 years of hard work in An Post. She also thanked James Quail the Communication
Workers Union representative for doing the honours at the unveiling. “It was a
place close to Hughie’s heart and he would be more than happy to see where the
scroll is”. He would often say “It will be
on your scroll.” She also thanked Louis Leavy for his “ very skilful stonework”
and the Crossakiel handball club for arranging to erect the scroll in her late
brother’s memory.
Speaking at the historic unveiling is Rosaleen McDonnell
John Smith, Mary McIloney,, Flora McDonald & Christina McEachen
Never fail to deliver : Eamon Yore, Cyril Convey, Jane Duffy & James Quail former Colleagues of Hughie & members of the Communications Workers Union An Post Kells
Eamon Yore, James Quail, Cyril Convey, Jane Duffy, Rosaleen McDonell & Kevin Reilly
Historic Proud Moment for the Reilly Family: Kevin Reilly, Rosaleen McDonnell, Matt Reilly, Paddy Reilly & Pauline Farrelly
Crossakiel handball club committee - Jacquie Farrell, Mark Farrell, Steven Quinn, Kit Farrell, Susan Farrell, John Farrell & Vinny Farrell.
Brendan & Nicholas Smith ( Ballinlough Plastering) Main Sponsors of Crossakiel handball Club alongside Jacquie Farrell, Mark Farrell, Steven Quinn, Kit Farrell, Susan Farrell, John Farrell & Vinny Farrell
"It will be on your scroll" - It is now Hughie
Fitting memorial to Hughie Reilly
Dedicated club Officials and workers for the club Susan & Vinny Farrell
John Farrell, Sean Quinn, Peadar Byrne, Steven Quinn, Susan, Vinny, Jacquie & Kit Farrell, Louis Leavy Craftsman and Kevin Reilly
Brendan Smith, Nicholas Smith & son, Jacquie Farrell, Mark Farrell, Louis Leavy Steven Quinn, Michael McGee, Kit Farrell, Susan, John & Vinny Farrell & Sean Quinn,
The next generation of handball stars
The Hughie Reilly Stone Memorial Plaque a fitting memory to an outstanding clubman
John Smith, Flora McDonald, Mary McIloney, Christina McEachen, Matt Reilly, Pauline Farrelly, Paddy Reilly, Rosaleen McDonnell & Kevin Reilly
Former player and worker on the project Paul McEachen sadly missed but never forgotten
