Davy Fitz' the bill for Drumraney camogie function

Last Saturday night, January 6 was a red letter night for Drumraney Camogie Club, with its celebration dinner and medal presentation in Cooney’s Hotel, Ballymahon.

The club was honouring the achievements of its adult teams in 2023, the seniors winning the Westmeath Senior League and the juniors winning the Westmeath Junior B championship.

These were historic wins for the club in its 42-year history and Drumraney, along with Clonkill, was one of only two clubs to field two adult teams in Westmeath camogie competitions in 2023. Is shows how far the club has progressed in recent years.

Davy Fitzgerald of Ireland's Fittest Family fame and, of course an All-Ireland winning goalkeeper with Clare and currently Waterford senior hurling manager, was the very special guest on the night. As well as doing the honours of presenting the players with their medals, Davy gave an inspiring talk.

He emphasised the importance of comradeship when playing a sport like camogie. Davy said players should be there for one and other and feel comfortable in airing their vulnerabilities at team meetings, as a way of helping to deal with issues and giving support to each other.

Even though winning is the goal in sport, Davy maintained that full commitment and giving it your all are more important. And if you still lose, you get up and go again and again. He said it took him and the Clare team many years to win an All-Ireland title, and stressed that playing a team sport like camogie should be enjoyable.

Davy also warned against judging people before you get to genuinely know them. People judge him from what they see of him in the media and he said he was very different to that portrayal. It’s fair to say Davy left a very positive impression on those who were present.

Drumraney Camogie Club extends a big thank you to Mags D’Arcy who was instrumental in getting Davy to come to the presentation function. Mags a former All-Ireland winner and All-Star camogie goalkeeper with Wexford, was part of Davy’s backroom team when Davy was Wexford senior hurling team manager just a few years ago.

Mags now lives in the Glasson area and is currently goalkeeper on the Drumraney senior camogie team – so Davy had the honour of presenting Mags with her Westmeath Senior League medal, one All-Star to another.

*See more photos from the Drumraney Camogie Club function in this week's Westmeath Independent.