PAST PUPILS TAKE CENTRE STAGE IN 2010

©Abbey Grammar School, Newry

The Abbey past Pupils’ Sports Association held a gala night in February to honour past pupils who have achieved legendary status in the field of sport. Hundreds packed the Canal Court Hotel to greet the stars, past and present, and acknowledge the contribution that Abbey students have made to the world of sport. Special Awards were also made to past pupils who went on to gain international acclaim in their chosen sports.

In 1957 Peter scored five times in cup matches bringing Villa to the FA Cup final. In the final Peter scored the two goals that won the cup for Villa against ‘the Busby babes’. Peter also has a League Cup medal where he scored a goal in the final and a second division winners medal.

Peter also played thirty four times for Northern Ireland; he scored twice on his debut against Wales. The highlight of his International career was playing for Northern Ireland in the 1958 World Cup. Northern Ireland reached the quarter finals of the competition, thanks to Peter’s five goals in the previous rounds, the highlight being the two goals he scored against West Germany in a 2-2 draw. Peter ended up being one of the top scorers in the World Cup playing in the outside left position. At the end of the World Cup Peter was picked as one of the best eleven players in the world.

Pat Jennings

At seventeen Pat was signed for Watford from Newry Town and within a year he was signed for Tottenham Hotspur. Pat played 673 times for Spurs from 1964 – 1978. During his time with Spurs he won the FA cup in 1967 and was a League Cup winner in 1971 and 1973. In 1972 he was on the Spurs team that won the U.E.F.A. Cup. While still with Spurs Pat was voted ‘Player of the Year’ in 1973. He was also ‘Football Writers Player of the Year’ in 1972, and was the PFA ‘Players’ Player of the Year’ in 1976. In 1973 Sir Alf Ramsey picked Pat for a British select eleven to play against a European selection ahead of Peter Shilton and Ray Clements. At Spurs Pat was also their Player of the Year in 1971/72, 1972/73, 1974/75, 1975/76.

Pat then spent eight years at Arsenal and during his time there he played in three cup finals, winning one against Manchester United for his second F.A. cup medal in 1980. Pat played one hundred and nineteen times at international level for Northern Ireland. He made it to two World Cup finals, Spain in 1982 and Mexico in 1986. Pat’s last international was in the World Cup in Mexico against Brazil, - on his 41st birthday. At the end of the World Cup Pat was not only picked on the world eleven but was made captain of this team.

Danny McAlinden

Danny, like all professional boxers, learned his trade in the amateur ranks. He first came to prominence in 1966 when he won a heavyweight bronze medal for Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games in Jamaica.

Danny turned professional in 1969 and in his second fight he halted future British champion Richard Dunn who would later go on and fight Mohammed Ali for the world title. The highlight of Danny’s career came in June 1972 when he met Jack Bodell at Villa Park Birmingham for the British heavyweight title and the Commonwealth Heavyweight title. Danny crushed Jack in two rounds to win the titles.

©Abbey Grammar School, Newry

Cathal McGovern

Cathal’s great love for horses and horse racing was inherited from his father Michael. Michael himself was an owner, trainer and breeder.

Cathal left school and got himself a day job but his love for horses never left him. He got involved in ownership, dealing and training horses. He bought and trained many horses and always dreaming of getting the ‘great one’. He thinks he may now have got the horse he always dreamed of. The horse is called Ballyholland. Cathal called the horse after the gaelic football club where he has been a member since boyhood. This horse has been Cathal’s best buy and Ballyholland recently won the prestigious (Galway Plate) leading to a great night of festivities in Ballyholland G.F.C.

Barney Carr

Barney played all his football for Warrenpoint and in 1943 he got on the county team and he played there for the next ten years. In 1944 Barney played at centre half forward on a Down Team which won its first senior trophy in their history. The McKenna Cup of 1944. The McKenna Cup in those days was a very prestigious title. Barney playing at centre half forward scored two goals against Donegal in the semi final and another two goals against Tyrone in the final. It is amazing to think that there were seven Warrenpoint players on the Down panel on that day.

Brendan Mathews

Brendan is known the length and breadth of Ireland for his services to the Greyhound Racing Industry. He is a well known breeder and trainer. He has won five Clonmel Derbies, eight Champion Stakes and six Irish Cups. During his career Brendan has won one hundred trial stakes and two hundred All Age Stakes.

©Abbey Grammar School, Newry

1970 CORN NA NOG In 1970 Abbey CBS won the Corn na nÓg for the first time in ten years. The final was played in Newcastle against St Mary’s C.B.S. Belfast with the Abbey winning the cup with a score line of 3-3 to 1-4. On the day every Abbey man was a star. Team: - P.Lochrie, B O Hare, D Trainor, W Guiney, K Haughey, D McCormack, T Farrell, M Slevin (capt) J Cahill, D McGovern, B Curtis, B McParland, P McCartney. Subs: G Doherty, D Doran, D McCoy, M Keenan, K O Hare, C Quinn, P Trainor, L Gawley and D. Millar.

In the year 2000 the Abbey ‘Team of the Millennium’ was chosen by the committee of the Abbey Past Pupils’ Sports Association based solely on their performance for school teams. This year the ‘Abbey Team of the Century’ was chosen based on the Abbey students who excelled after they left the school.

©Abbey Grammar School, Newry

Those honoured on the night were: Patsy McAlinden, Enda McNulty, Tony McEntee, Kevin O’Neill, Aidan O’Rourke, Kieran McGeeney, D.J. Kane, Liam Austin, Malachy McEvoy, John McEntee, Joe Kernan, Val Kane, Tony Hadden, Sean O’Neill and Oisín Mc Conville.

© Abbey Grammar School