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Guest of Honour, Jim McKeever, is presented with a book written by Paddy Diamond,
who was a College student in the 1960s.
St Mary’s celebrated seventy years of Gaelic football at the College by way of a special event on Saturday, 9th September, attended by over 200 "Ranchers". Liam Campbell from Dungannon was the "elder statesman" of the gathering, as he had attended the College between 1947 and 1950.
The special event started with a Mass of Thanksgiving co-celebrated by Rev. Dr Paul Fleming and Rev. Fr Feidhlimidh Magennis.
The guests then enjoyed a lunch that was provided by Loaf Catering, a social enterprise in the local area favoured by St Mary’s.
The College Principal, Professor Peter Finn, afterwards, opened an exhibition of Ranch memorabilia to which hundreds of people had contributed. He congratulated Niamh Blake, daughter of former Club Chairman Pat Blake from Enniskillen, for preparing the exhibition.
Jimmy Smyth from Lurgan, who played for Armagh in the 1977 All-Ireland Final against Dublin, was compère for a most enjoyable "Talking Heads" oral history presentation, which lasted for more than two-and-a-half hours. Some of the greatest coaches and players in the history of Ulster football took part.
The Ulster Council CLG was represented by its President, Michael Hasson.
Pride of place went to legendary player, coach and manager, Jim McKeever, who received a book on life at Trench House in the 1960s written by Paddy Diamond.
Jimmy Smyth's text for the "Talking Heads" is available here as the Ranch Story.
Club Chairman in 1989, Eamon Shannon from Lisnaskea, was the first Rancher to contact the College after the event, and he passed on his thanks to all those who had a role in organising it. He described it as a fantastic event and a fitting tribute to Jim McKeever. He commented on the huge influence the Ranch has had on the schools, clubs and counties of Ulster. He thought that Derryman Peter Stevenson was most entertaining and that the photograph of Peter McGinnity on display was "like something straight from Saturday Night Fever" – a classic!
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