Orla McGarry

Family ties:

“I grew up immersed in the club – both my mummy and my daddy’s side of the families are members. My mummy’s mummy and daddy moved- originally to Finaghy Rd and then Hannahstown from Derry. I’m obviously marrying into another great club family and Declan [Straney] and I know that our kids will have the experience that we were lucky enough to have when we were growing up to”.

“Growing up – Hannahstown is a special place, it’s unique and the club is like a focal point of the family. Every single McGarry who lives in Ireland; we all live within half a mile of the pitch and we’re all kind of tied to it. Everything goes back to Granda Sam and the legacy that he left us all. We’re all really proud as his grandchildren to be a part of the club and continue the family name as players, mentors and members of the club”.

“Recently the club posted a picture on Facebook for International woman’s day and there was a picture of my granny and Declan’s granny up when they were members of the darts team. There’s a saying ‘behind every good man is a great woman’. My granny Agnes carried out so much work behind the scenes in the club on her day and as member of the darts team. She’s an example to follow for the girls of the family”.

“My mummy’s mummy has ties to Bellaghy- and my granny Kitty on that side, she has an All-Ireland Camogie medal for Derry. My Daddy [Eamon] would claim that any talent would come from the McGarry’s – but I’d say my granny Kitty has a good claim to some of it as well. My Granda Jimmy [Diamond] was drawn up the hill to club- I think by Jim Agnew. Although he was a Derry man, he became a stalwart of the club as well and he’s a quiet man but we’re all really proud of his dedication too”.

Ladies Football at the club:

“I was never really a natural footballer because I started later- I think I was 14 whenever the club started a team. Our Eimear was always way better than I was, it’s nice being able to play with my sister and daddy managed us for two years. He gave me joint player of the year one year along with Una-Meabh Herron. I was scundered because I was getting the award with my daddy as the manager. There was slegging going about but we were just actually talking about it today. He said he gave it to me because I had heart- not because I was a great footballer and it was my only chance of ever getting player of the year. We were laughing because young Terry McCrudden got an award that night too – he said if Da Terry can do it, why can’t I ? so there’s always a bit of banter going on”.

“The underage and Senior Ladies team when we were playing- we went out every Sunday and we got slaughtered. It took us three years to win a game – but the girls from the start who have stayed at it – Caoimhe and Orla [Megraw], Celine [Daly], Aisling [McConville], Grainne [Herron] and Caoimhe [Whinnery]. They’ve all been there from the start and it’s a testament to Kieran Megraw – because his commitment in those early days- that’s why the ladies are where they are in the club now. I’ve missed the rise of the girls because I lived away, but the standard is fantastic and I’m looking forward to getting back next year or this year- if we get any football at all”.

Friendships:

“Where we live in Hannahstown- there was not much of a social life growing up. When Eamon McGarry is your daddy- there was no running down the road or anything. The club was our social life outside of school whenever we were younger. It’s funny now, the majority of the McGarry’s are going out with club members like Ciara and Terry [McCrudden]”.

“The club is our friend base and unless you have the connection to a football club its hard understand the bond that comes with that. I remember when we were a point up in the Ulster Minor Final and I looked round in the crowd and there about 30 of us- all linked arms without realising and we were all just willing the final whistle to blow. You could imagine the celebrations when the final whistle went. Our best nights have been in the club room and the memories are great- even though Cocko thinks we’re all melters- we have him tortured. It’s a different kind of relationship than anything else- than school friends or uni friends. It’s a lifelong friendship”.

“Whenever we won the Ulster Minor Final, I think we went to the club afterwards at 3 in the afternoon and didn’t leave until 6 in the morning. We missed the 2017 Championship win but I’m sure it was the same then”.

Cul Camps and Sceim Samhraidh:

“The Cul Camps were really starting to take off whenever our Niall, Conal and Finn [Mervyn] were starting off. I can see how it’s given them a solid foundation in their careers. I coached at the Cul Camp for a good few summers and the skills and confidence it gave me at that time really stood to me whenever I started teaching. I think it’s brilliant that the club allows the older underage members to take those coaching positions and gain those same skills and confidence. I think one of my first times coaching at Cul Camp- I was paired up with Mick McGurn. I was like – how the hell am I meant to coach with someone of the knowledge and experience that he had’”.

“Niall has asked me to mention him in this a few times – I think he’s going to give me a £10r afterwards if he sees his name in print. Coaching my brothers and cousins at the Cul Camp is the same as teaching someone you know. It’s obviously a different dynamic – but everybody in the club is like family. We’re really lucky that our underage kids are so respectful and coachable and well mannered. Even across the GAA family- it’s something that comes hand in hand with being a member of a club. You have that tolerance and respect for other people which does stand to you in later life. You can’t be in Lámh Dhearg without meeting a McGarry or a member of the family”.

“The Sceim Samhraidh was Orla Fitzsimons idea and it went from being an extension of the Cul Camp to its own weeklong camp. I think people forget- we were the first club in Antrim to organise something like that and having an Irish language camp. Campa Chromaic was already there but we were the first club to do our own one. It was really good in exposing people to the Irish language that maybe wouldn’t have had any opportunity to be involved with something like before. You can see that there are more kids in the club now that are speaking Irish and coming from Irish language back grounds – which is great”.

Irish language and Culture:

“As I was never a good footballer- it gave me another aspect of the club to contribute to. My role in teaching the Irish class is easy- it’s the people who turn up every week and make the commitment to learn who deserve the credit for their dedication. The best thing is seeing someone who has no Irish in September – at this stage of the year they’re starting to string sentences together and gain fluency. Our club has always promoted Irish culture and language but Orla and Fionnuala Fitzsimons and Silo [Ronan McHugh] really helped to revive the cultural aspect. I just happened to be studying Irish at the time and could help out”.

“I ended up getting more from it than I ever gave, without experience of organising events and promoting language within the club I wouldn’t be in the job that I’m in today and working for Comhairle na Ghaelscolaichta. We hosted the first ever score competition that took place in the club and that was big highlight. Scor na og is something that we can build on. I would urge anyone who has an interest in helping out- to put themselves forward because you’re doing something really good for your club but you’re also doing something for your own personal development”.

“Méabh McNeill had come into the club when we were working with Scor na og and we’ve seen her grow from a wee girl into this real accomplished singer and she’s such a credit to us all. She’s given the club an added dimension with her singing and she’s always willing to sing at events. It’s been amazing to watch her grow over the years too”.

“It’s maybe not necessarily culture but Fr Kevin from Hannahstown has really strengthened the link between the club and the parish. Even if you’re not someone that’s religious- I’d say people still appreciate the events like the blessing at the beginning of the season, masses for our deceased members. That’s a good way of bringing everybody closer as well”.

“There are other things as well that people aren’t aware of that happen in the club and are keeping Irish traditions going. My Daddy, Shanty and Joe Finnegan all play 25 [Irish national card game] in the club. That’s a part of our culture and they’re keeping that alive too and teaching us how to play the game as well. They’re maybe things that aren’t as noticeable but that are a big part of the Irish culture and tradition”.

Irish classes continuing amid crisis:

“We’re continuing the classes on-line on Zoom, sometimes it’s a wee bit dodgy in terms of the technology. We’ve had a few technical difficulties but we’re just doing what we can. Again, it’s down to the dedication of the people who are attending the classes. That they’re willing to check in and sit through the class on a Monday night still. Even though times are hard at the time and it’s probably the furthest things from their minds but it’s working so far and long may it continue. We just really didn’t want to stop- if you stop it’s really hard to pick it up again. I just wanted to make sure we continued, and they still had the opportunity to keep on learning. Thank god it’s worked out so far”.

American experience:

“I missed home and aspects and so did Declan. It was really hard for him – football is such a big thing in both our lives but it’s massive for him. When we moved away to San Francisco Declan joined the Young Irelander’s and it automatically gave us a social circle and allayed some of the home sickness. It shows the power of the GAA around the world, we were able to walk into a foreign football club and automatically have a connection with people. We’ve maintained that connection even since we’ve moved home”.

“We lived in the Sunset in San Francisco and the local coffee shop was called ‘The Andytown Coffee’ – a man from West Belfast had opened it and it was just madness that you’re on the other side of the world and Andytown is around the corner from you”.

“We were gone for the 2017 final and we watched it through Facebook- my mummy facetimed us at the final whistle and it was really bittersweet watching the celebrations. We were absolutely delighted for the team, the club and for everybody involved. But missing out on being there was awful. Declan was checking the price of flights up until the last minute, but it just wasn’t an option to come home”.

“It was great to be back last year – it was obviously a rollercoaster of a year. We had people messaging us from America telling us that they were following our run in the Championship from America because it was so exciting. Obviously 2020 is unprecedented and my own Daddy hasn’t set foot in the club in a month. I’d say everybody has the same longing for Football and Hurling and how to spend the summer nights. We’ll have a new appreciation of them when we’re back”.

“Anybody that knows Declan knows how much football means to him. I wouldn’t say I’d it’s more important than me but it’s up there. Whenever he got injured- Declan and Ryan didn’t have the opportunity to play on the same thing because of the age difference. He got injured in his last year of U-21. Being his Fiancée – I know it’s a dream to be back playing together this year and hopefully getting a Championship win together”.