‘Golden Anniversary for Bree AC’ 1970 - 2020
‘Great athletes are not born, they are made. They are a complex mix of genetics, environment, an indomitable will to win, a healthy lifestyle, good training and if they are to be long lasting, an obsession with consistency.’ Seb Coe (1500m Olympic Champion 1984)
Athletics has been a way of life in Bree Parish for many years. From as far back as the 1930's, stories are still told of Jimmy Carton, Gerald Clancy and Paddy Broaders performing notable feats in 100yd and 220yd events throughout Co Wexford. In the mid 1950s, Fr. Michael O'Regan C.C. formed an athletic club with members taking part in a number of Cross Country Championships. Its most notable success was John Curtis winning the Co Novice title in 1955. However, this club’s existence was short lived, due to the fact that most of the athletes involved were also leading members of the Ballyhogue Football Teams (Ballyhogue were Co. Junior Football Champions in 1955).
The present Bree Athletic Club was founded by Tony Greene and Dan Walsh in May 1970. From a humble beginning, nursed along by Tony as Chairman, Dan as Secretary and Treasurer Frank Dunne, Bree Athletic Club had an early taste of success and has been a formidable force in Wexford athletics for the past five decades.
Early days in Bree Athletic Club
The very first medal won by a Bree AC registered athlete was in August 1970 when Bridie Dempsey won the 100yd event at the Oylegate Open Sports. But the club was more noted for its success in cross country events in its early years of existence. In the autumn of its first year, juvenile cross country runners Paul Barden (U12) and Jimmy Broaders (U15) won the club’s first County Championship medals. In 1971, Patty Keeley (U11) was the first girl to win a Co Cross Country medal and her sister Esther won a Co Cross Country medal the following year. Also in ‘71, brothers Pat and Michael O’Leary, Dessie Nolan and Peter Kehoe won the Wexford Novice CC Team Championship with Michael coming home in first place, Peter was second and Pat was third. This trio, in exactly the same finishing positions, won the individual medals at Intermediate level with the same team taking the runner-up team medals. (Michael had also won silver at Junior level that same year).
Pat O’Leary won the Co Intermediate CC title in 1972 and John Roche won the Co Junior CC title. Also in that year, Pat was the first Wexford man home on a Wexford Novice team in the Leinster Cross Country Championships which finished in second place. (Pat claims that Wexford could have won the team event only for the fact that two Wexford runners missed the start of the race. 200 yards were completed by the field of runners when these two lads started their race and shortly afterwards sprinted past everyone. Needless to say, this spoiled the race as runners were soon divided, some running after the two ‘hares’ and others keeping a steady pace. Many athletes eventually dropped out of the race, due to the pace, including the two latecomers.).
Other local athletes involved in Cross Country around this time were Seamus Denton, Tommy Kehoe, Willie Greene, Jimmy Kennedy and John Denton. In 1973, Peter Kehoe was the first Bree AC athlete to win gold medals in Senior Co T&F when he won both the Long Jump and Shot Put. With the formation of new clubs and the re-organisation of others, many of these successful senior athletes left Bree AC and went their separate ways. For many years, Pat O’Leary is known to all athletes at Wexford and at Leinster level as the ‘man with the gun’ as he is an official starter at many Track & Field Championships.
Many Bree AC juvenile athletes also made their mark at BLOE (Bord Luthcleas Oganach na hEireann) Track and Field at county level and beyond in the early years. On the track, Bridie and Mary Dempsey, Stella and Eileen Byrne, Maura Byrne, Mary Greene, Peter and Mary Shannon were amongst the county medal winners for many years. Assumpta Crean and Bridin O’Rourke performed well in High Jump. In fact, Bridin won County Gold in the High Jump from U14 to Senior level from 1973 - ’86 with the exception of 1984.
Mary Shannon was the first Bree AC athlete to win an individual medal at National level, when, she won silver in the U12 80m in 1975. Such was Mary’s sprinting dominance that she was County Champion from 1973 - ’80. By the end of the 1970s and well into the 1980’s, young athletes such as Brendan Byrne, Jim Byrne, Catherine and Martin Byrne, Ann Marie, Peter and Nuala Byrne, Margaret Cloke, Syl Doyle, Patsy Greene, Bridie Kelly, Dolores Kavanagh, Ciaran Sheridan, Barbara Sinnott and Antoinette Walsh were all winning medals at county and Leinster level.
By the end of Bree AC’s first decade in existence, its most successful athletes at National level were Peter Shannon, Malachy Sheridan and Paul Nolan. Peter won three National silver sprint medals from 1978 to ’80. Malachy became Bree AC’s first individual National gold medal winner in 1980 when he won the U14 Pole Vault with a National Record of 3.50m. He won gold again the following year with another National Record of 3.58m. (Both of these records still stand as the pole event is no longer an event at these age groups). Malachy had won a National bronze medal in U13 80mHurdles in 1979. Paul Nolan also made history in Bree AC as he was the club’s first double National gold medal winner when he won both the U11 80m and Long Jump in 1980. He completed a National double again the following year with gold in the Long Jump and silver in the 80m Hurdles. (Most people would be familiar with Paul Nolan today as one of Ireland’s most popular National Hunt Trainers).
Under the guidance of coaches and officials Peter Shannon snr, Peter Byrne snr, Tony Greene, Aidan Moore, Paul Kinsella and Paddy Sheridan, Bree AC had become one of Wexford’s top juvenile clubs in its first decade. The Club’s Secretary Report of 1979 shows that the club had won a total of seventy-eight Co Championship medals, six Leinster medals and two National medals that year.
1980s
1981 saw the introduction of the Co Wexford ‘B’ Championships which became a stepping stone for young participants into athletics. Down through the years, many of these participants have gone on to become very successful athletes in Co Wexford and beyond. (These championships, to this day, are one of the most popular and enjoyable events in Wexford’s athletic calendar and long may they continue).
In the early 1980’s athletes such as Laurence, Marie and David Byrne, Bobby and Pat Carty, Joseph Carley, Thomas Cloke, Donal Donovan, Helena and Eamonn Fortune, Emer Finn, Dessie Kinsella, Liam Kehoe, Larry Kehoe, Larry Murphy, Mairead Nolan, James O’Connor, Bernard Redmond, Robert and David Reck, Laurence Wickham and Brendan Winters were performing well at Co and Leinster level. The only athlete to win National medals at this time was Aidan Cox in the 100m and Long Jump in 1984.
The latter half of that decade produced some of the finest field event athletes in the history of the club. Hugh Kinsella, John Culloton, Tom Culloton, Donagh Sheridan, Siobhan Moran, Siobhan Moloney and Angela Cloney all featured strongly at National level. Between them, they won thirteen National medals in events such as Hammer, Pole Vault, Discus, Long Jump, Javelin and Shot Put. Siobhan Moloney won the club’s first National gold medal in Javelin in 1987. Angela Cloney was the club’s first National medal winner in an Indoor Championships, when she won a bronze medal in the Shot Put in 1989. Other successful athletes at Leinster level in this era were Ciara Browne, Martin, Laurence and Marie Byrne, Nuala Byrne, Declan Cloney, Fiona Cowman, Margaret Hartigan, Peter Kavanagh, Catriona Leacy and Brenda Thompson.
After 20 years of involvement, coaches Tony Greene, Aidan Moore, Peter Byrne and Paddy Sheridan stepped back from their coaching duties. The talented throws coach, Paul Kinsella was joined by former athletes Stella Crean (nee Byrne), Mary Murphy (nee Shannon) and Pat O’Leary with assistance from Nicky Cowman, Helen Nolan and Clare Doyle.
1990s
Athletics in general became a very popular sport nationwide in the 1990s. Numbers attending for training with Bree AC doubled and this brought further successes at all levels of competition. Bree AC had entered a new era and enjoyed many victories in both National Track and Field and Cross Country during this decade.
Special mention must be made of one athlete in particular who dominated National Discus, Shot Put and Hammer competitions. Clara Thompson won her first gold medal in Discus in 1992. When she finished with juvenile athletics with Bree AC at eighteen years of age, she had won seventeen National individual medals, nine gold, three silver and five bronze as well as breaking four National records along the way. Such was her talent that in 1996, Clara smashed the record for the hammer (3.25kg) by a staggering 18m. In 1997, at the National Senior T&F Championships in Santry, Clara was competing in the Junior competition and she broke the record by 6m with a throw of 48.86m, which was good enough to win her the Senior Title. At 17 years of age, she is the youngest thrower ever to do so. Clara’s sister Brenda also won many National Hammer Senior titles with Slaney Olympic after having Leinster success with Shot and Discus in juvenile athletics. (During this period, at eighteen years of age all juvenile Bree AC athletes graduated along with athletes from Enniscorthy AC, Adamstown AC, Horetown AC, Taghmon AC and St Anne’s AC into their senior club Slaney Olympic which was formed in the early 1990s).
Other athletes who won National medals in throwing events at this time were Siobhan Moran, Martha Halpin, Regina Thompson, James Rossiter, Sinéad Goggin and David Kehoe. Race Walkers, Paul Kinsella Jnr, John Egan and Brendan Byrne were also successful at National level. Long Distance runners were experiencing National success at Cross Country and some of these athletes made the transition to the National Track scene with considerable ease. Anne O’Leary won four National medals over 1500m and 3000m. Elizabeth Egan, Niall Sheil, Teresa O’Hanlon and Susan Cloney were also successful in the 1500m at National level. In addition, Elizabeth had National success in Middle Distance as did Brendan Cox. Such was the athletic talent of Elizabeth that she also won National Gold in Combined Events in both 1996 and ’97.
Other successful athletes around this period at Leinster level were Padraig Brosnan, Ciara Browne, Justin Carroll, Declan, John and Geraldine Cloney, James Cullen, Sarah Culleton, Assumpta Cullen, Brendan Cox, Suzanne Doyle, Chris Deacon, Robert Healy, Peter Kavanagh, Jemma Kennedy, Elaine Kinsella, Ellen Laffan, Jason O’Brien, Brian O’Leary, Sinéad O’Leary, Mark O’Connor, Mary Redmond, Ann, Robert and Simon Ring, James Sinnott, Caroline Sheil, Brenda Thompson, Valerie Vaughan and Dawn Whelan.
From 1996 to ’98, Niamh Leacy dominated her age group in Sprints, Hurdles and Long Jump. She won a total of seven individual National medals and won another seven National medals in relays. Hurdling over short distances was popular, under the guidance of expert hurdles and jumps coach Nicky Cowman, (a long time contributor to farming programmes on South East Radio). In addition to Niamh, there were National successes for Michael Halpin, Fiona Cowman, Brian O’Leary, Adrian Sheil, Elizabeth Egan and Ann McNicholas over the Hurdles. Brian, Niamh and Elizabeth also won many sprint National medals. Justin Browne and Barry O’Connor also had success at Long Jump while Suzanne Doyle, Justin Browne and Elizabeth Egan had National Triple Jump successes. In 1998, Lorcan Crean was the club’s first athlete to win a National medal at High Jump.
During the 1990s, a total of sixty nine individual National Medals were won by Bree AC athletes - A glorious decade for the club. Other athletes who were successful at Leinster level were David Breen, Lucy Browne, Diarmuid Buttimer, Aoife Barron, Josepha Buttle, Seamus Byrne, Claire Culleton, Marcella Cullen, Walter Crean, Claire and Paul Crean, Nicola Cleere, Edel Dillon, Keith Devereux, Shirley Donoghue, Bernard Dundon, Catriona Dempsey, Michelle Doyle, Patrick Egan, Sandra English, Anthony Ennis, Anna Frayne, David Farrell, Clara Gaule, Sinéad Griffin, Sinéad Goggin, Shane Grannell, Jean Hanrahan, Tara Heffernan, Nina Killeen, John Kearns, Ciaran Kinsella, Michael Kehoe, Stuart Kennedy, Teresa Long, Chris Levingstone, Aoife McNicholas, Dermot Murphy, Ciaran McCormack, Teresa O’Hanlon, Fionn O’Connor, Vincent O’Brien, Diarmuid O’Dowd, Seamus O’Leary, Dylan Redmond, Peter Roche, Ann Marie Russell, Liam Redmond, Christine and Jean Redmond, William Ring, Claire Sheehan, Ailish Shortle, Jim Turner, Eugene Waters, John Walsh, Orla Whelan, Kevin, Colm and Liam Whelan.
A New Millennium
The new millennium brought an end to BLE & BLOE age-distinction clubs as both organisations united to form Athletics Ireland. (This meant that athletes could continue to compete with their juvenile club should they so wish). On entering this new Millennium, another new chapter opened for Bree AC with the arrival of multitalented athletes such as Marcella Cullen, William Spratt Murphy, Brendan Culleton, Ben Hunt, Tony Stafford, John Egan and Paddy Devereux. Marcella Cullen won sixteen National individual medals in Hurdles, Jumps and Combined Events and a further eight National relay medals. William Spratt Murphy won ten individual National medals in Sprints, Hurdles and High Jump as well as nine National relay medals. Brendan Culleton had his first National individual medal success at the age of 15 and four years later, he had won fourteen individual, mostly in Sprints, Hurdles and Combined Events, as well as seven relay National medals. Ben Hunt entered athletics at 17 years of age and within two years, he had won six individual National medals, mostly in Hurdles, Jumps and Combined Events, as well as eleven National relays. Tony Stafford (grandson of founder member Tony Greene) won eleven National individual medals and three relay medals. John Egan was Bree AC’s first male National Senior medal winner with a bronze medal in the 10k Walk in 2005 just hours after he had transferred back to Bree AC from Slaney Olympic.
Since 1999, John won nine National individual medals in Race Walking, one National gold medal in U18 Combined event as well a silver medal in Triple Jump.
Paddy Devereux was another wonderful sprinter and hurdler, winning eight individual National medals as well as five medals in relays. Other National medal winning sprinters in the ‘00s were Christine Redmond, Jean Redmond, Claire Crean, Anna Nolan, Claire Culleton, Annie Stafford, Adrian Jackman, John Kearns and Ciaran Joyce. Other National Hurdle medal winners were Aine Doyle, Sinéad Moloney, Catriona Carroll, Fiona Furlong, Dylan Walsh, Tony Stafford, Adrian Jackman, Aoife Fanning, Ciaran Joyce and Paddy Devereux who recorded a National record of 9.72sec in 2008.
National Middle Distance medal winners were David Farrell and Peter Roche. Other High Jump medal winners in the ‘00s were Lorcan Crean, Amy Flanagan, Sinéad Doyle, Catherina Corcoran, Annie Stafford, Tony Stafford, Stephanie Nolan and Conor Shovlin. Other National Long Jump medal winners were John Walker, Anna Nolan, Conor Shovlin, Catherina Corcoran, Emma Roche, Ann Marie Kane, Josepha Buttle and Ciaran Joyce who incidentally recorded 4.84m, a National Record in 2008. Triple Jump National winners were John Walker and Catherina Corcoran. National throws medal winners were Michael Kehoe, Ann Marie Kane, Eleanor Nolan, Mary Tyrell and Paddy Devereux.
Adrian Jackman, Sinéad Moloney, Amy Flanagan, Tony Stafford and Aine Doyle were other exceptional all-round athletes and between them won many Combined Event National medals. In 2008, both Elizabeth Egan and Kieron McCabe won their first of many medals in the National Steeplechase. Shane Byrne won three National Gold medals in Race Walking in 2007 and ’09 and his brother Cormac also won a Gold medal at the same National Indoors Championship in 2009.
In 2005, AAI introduced a new format of National competition for the U9-10 and both Annie Stafford and Mary Tyrell were recipients of National Gold Star Awards for all-round athletic ability. The following year National individual competitions were held and in 2007, these were replaced by a National Pairs Competition for U9-11 age groups. Peter Kelly and Ronan Kirwan were the club’s first National Pair winners when they won bronze in Ball Throw.
Other athletes who won Leinster medals during this decade included William, Julie and Andrew Butler,
Ciara Breen, Brian, Gillian and Grainne Byrne, Conor and Darragh Byrne, Sean, Roisin and Tomas Cash,
Pamela Cullen, Lisa and Sean Crean, Liam Cummins, Rita Carroll, Tommy Coughlan, Mark Crosbie, Darragh Cooper, Mark Cassidy, Leah Curran, Alan Campion, Barry Coughlan, Marie and Bridget Carberry, Shannon Carr, Richard Dunne, Marie Doyle, Adrian and Ciara Daly, Kasey Doyle, Roisin and Thomas Doyle, Jennifer, Niall, Peter and Aine Dunne, Conor and Cathal Devereux, Oisin and Naoise Dunbar, Shane and Nick Doyle, Daniel English, Helen English, Claire and Eva Farrell, Ciara Flanagan, Andrew and Peter Furlong, Padraig and Oisin Foley, David Gormley, Maeve Horan, Ciara Howe, Suzanne Harding, Tara, Lisa, Jonathon and Andrea Jacob, David Jackman, Liam Kelly, Frank Kavanagh, Richard Kyriacou, Emma and Mark Kavanagh, David Kiely, Patrick and Shane Kehoe, Nicola, Jason and Adam Kearns, Patrick Kearns, William, Mary and Deirdre Kehoe, Shane Murphy, Aoife McDonald, Annette Moroney, Kate and Tom Murphy, Kieron McCabe, James Murphy, Darren, Chloe and Sean Morrissey, Enda Minogue, Stephanie Nolan, Peter Nolan, Kate O’Brien, Patrick and Eamonn O’Leary, Patrick O’Shea, Eoin, James and Emer O’Leary, Sean O’Neill, Brendan Perkins, Marie and Graham Parker, Sean and Elaine Parker, Conor Quinn, Cathy Quinlivan, Joseph Roche, Sarah Roche, Jonathon and Ivan Rothwell, Ronan Ryan, Sarah and Jane Shovlin, Megan and Katie Smith, Deirdre Swan, Grace Shanahan, Joanne Timmons, Robert Tierney, Mary Tyrell, Cormac Walsh, Michael Whelan, Kyle Walsh, Nicholas Whitty and Brian Windsor.
Some changes occurred in Bree AC at the end of 2006 due to the formation of a new athletic club within Bree AC’s traditional catchment area of Crossabeg parish. Special presentations were made to Paul Kinsella and to Nicky Cowman for their wonderful contribution to athletics in Bree AC. Paul had been Club secretary for twenty five years as well as throwing events and general fitness coach. Nicky had provided his expertise for over a decade in Hurdles and Jumping events. However, the club responded quickly to its own requirements, which were the areas of coaching and equipment. Fundraising and a Sports Council grant provided all equipment required and former athlete, Ml O’Leary (Ml O’Leary & Associates) kindly provided a storage container. Clare Doyle took over the role of Secretary and was involved in coaching with Mary Murphy, Una Doyle (nee McDonald), Pat O’Leary, Margaret Rochford (nee Cloke), Mary Stafford (nee Greene), Jim Corcoran and Peter Nolan.
2010 -2019
After 40 years in existence, Bree AC continued to turn out remarkable multi-talented athletes at National level. As part of these celebrations, the club hosted a very successful Leinster Road Race Championships in Galbally in March 2010. The development of a 2 lane 50m tartan track and a tartan run up to the long jump at a cost of €13,000 to the club and floodlights supplied by Ballyhogue GAA Club meant that athletes could now train all year round.
When Catherina Corcoran finished with juvenile athletics in 2012, she had won twenty-seven National individual medals which included four gold medals, six silver medals and seventeen bronze over eight years of competition. She excelled at Sprints, Hurdles, Long Jump, Triple Jump, High Jump and Combined Events. Ryan Murray was another Bree AC athlete was also making the headlines at this time. From 2009 to 2015, Ryan won fourteen gold, five silver and four bronze National medals. This is a remarkable tally of medals considering that he only participated in two events, sprints and hurdles. He recorded a National U13 Hurdles record of 8.78sec in 2010. Also at this time, Sophie McCabe excelled at Triple Jump which is a very technical event. Over a five year period, Sophie won three gold, six silver and four bronze National medals in Jumps, Hurdles and Sprints as well as three National relay medals. Aoife Cloke Rochford had her first success at National level in 2013 and she finished with competitive athletics in 2017 with a total of two gold, seven silver and four bronze individual National medals mostly in sprints and hurdles as well as three National relay medals. In 2019, Darra Casey won gold in the U17 100mH with a National Record of 14.1sec. This is the only Bree AC National Record still standing for a current competitive event.
Other National medal winners this decade in Hurdles were Paddy Devereux, Ronan Devereux, Aoife Fanning, Niamh Cloke Rochford, Aideen Kane, Abbie Doyle, Chloe Whelan and Sean Rowley who had an U13 Championship Record of 9.43sec. Other sprinters with National success were Tony Stafford, John Kehoe, Katie Whelan, Chloe Whelan, Sean Rowley and Abbie Doyle. Throwing event successful athletes at National level were Niamh Cloke Rochford and Kathlyn Furlong while Tony Stafford won National medals in Long Jump. Elaine McCabe won the U23 National Steeplechase in 2016 and Elizabeth Egan won an additional six National medals at Steeplechase as well as two National medals in Masters 3000m and 1500m which makes her and her brother John, the only Bree AC athletes to win National medals over three decades.
In National Pairs for U9-11 athletes, Bree AC’s recent National medal winners include Gracie Kehoe & Grace Donohoe in Turbo Javelin, Gracie Kehoe & Abbie Doyle in 60m, Sean Rowley & Shane Doran in 60m, Sean Rowley & Ryan Whelan in Long Jump, Joanne Chapman & Katie Doyle in Long Jump, Lea Bolger & Ava Doyle in 60m, Ciara Laffan & Kiera Wilson in Long Jump and Jayden Kenny & PJ Breen in Long Jump. Many of these young athletes are surely destined to win National individual medals in the near future.
Other Leinster medal winners during this decade include Fionn Andrews, Dylan Carr, Sophie Codd, Robbie and Sophie Chapman, Chloe Casey, Conor and Katie Doyle, Maura and Jack Doyle, Liam and Eamonn Doyle, Killian and Jim Doyle, Dean Doyle, Ava Dempsey, Cillian Dempsey, Billy Doyle, Donna Delahunty, Cian Donovan, Nicole Furlong, Amelia Furlong, Tom Finn, Siobhan Fanning, Lucas Fitzpatrick, Alisha Furlong, Marie, Nessa, Olwen, Una, Clare and Myriam Gately, Jay Hogan, Olivia and Nicholas Howe, Lucy Kehoe, Shane Laffan, Thomas Loonam, Dervla and Katie Mai McCabe, Enda Minogue, Chloe McMullen, Leah Nolan, Barry Nolan, Kaci O’Connor, Maedhbh O’Brien, Nadine Power, Tobias and Oscar Redmond, Daire and Oisin Rochford, Brandon, Leon and Leah Sinnott, Sophie Sinnott, Agata Vecchioli, Dylan Walsh, Ryan Whelan, Ava Wilson and James Wall.
Bree AC & Relays
The 4x100m relay always was, and still is, one of the exciting features for Bree AC. At training sessions in the past, relays always found favour with the athletes. In fact, in the early days most training in the club was done through the running of relays races. During the past fifty years, seventy four Bree AC relay teams won National medals, way too many to be mentioned herein. However, some teams are highlighted for various reasons.
In 1975, U12s Mary Shannon, Paula Kavanagh, Imelda Kavanagh and Eileen Byrne were the first Bree AC team to win National Gold. It was twenty years later, in 1995, that U12s Claire Crean, Niamh Leacy, Jean Hanrahan and Edel Dillon also won Gold. In 1997, U18s Elizabeth Egan, Suzanne Doyle, Valerie Vaughan, Michelle Doyle and Anne O'Leary won National medals in both the 4x100m & 4x400m. Earlier that year this team had won National Club Gold medals in Cross Country.
In 1998, U12s James Reck, Conor Quinn, Paul Crean, Dermot Murphy, Jason Darigan and Paul Murphy travelled to the Nationals with no idea that they would return with the gold medal. This team had been especially put together for the occasion after performances in Rural Primary School Sports. Also in 1998, U17s Sinéad Griffith, Ann McNicholas, Anna Frayne and Teresa O'Hanlon won the 4x100m. Combinations of this team and the 1995 winning team of Claire, Niamh, Jean and Edel, won a further ten National medals from 1996 to ’99.
In 1999, U14s Marcella Cullen, Claire Culleton, Jean Redmond and Christine Redmond won their first National gold. They repeated this feat in 2000, 2002 and again in 2003 and were placed in 2001 and 2004. Substitute athletes with these four ‘Golden Girls’ over the years were Aoife Barron, Deirdre Swan and Sandra English.
At the beginning of the new millennium relays were introduced from U9 and Bree AC had considerable success at this particular age group. In 2001, U9s Emma Kavanagh, Bridget Carberry, Sinéad Doyle, Ciara Flanagan, Áine Dunne and Marie Parker won National Gold. U9s Conor Shovlin, Dylan Walsh, Tony Stafford, Tommy Coughlan and Patrick O’Shea won gold in 2002. For a third year in succession, Bree AC’s U9s Padraig Foley, Peter Furlong, Paddy Devereux, Tom Murphy, Conor Byrne and Peter Dunne won gold in 2003. U17s David Farrell, Peter Roche, Patrick Kehoe, Ben Hunt and Adrian Jackman won also National gold in 2003 and repeated this feat in 2004. Combinations of this team with Alan Campion, John Kearns, Robert Tierney and William Kehoe won a further seven National medals from 2002 to ‘05. In 2007, U9s Dean Doyle, Barry Nolan, Nick Doyle, Enda Minogue, Ivan Rothwell, Darragh Cooper and Peter Kelly won National gold. Also in 2007, U17s Ronan Ryan, Shane Murphy, Oisin Dunbar, Darren Morrissey and Liam Kelly won gold in the National 4x400m. This team with William Spratt Murphy and Brian Byrne had won a bronze medal the previous year. In 2008, U15s Tony Stafford, Dylan Walsh, Joseph Roche and Brian Windsor won the National gold medal. The previous year this same team had won National silver. In 2013, U16s Aoife Cloke Rochford, Nicole Furlong, Sophie McCabe and Chloe Whelan won National gold and this team won silver and bronze medals in the following years.
Three further teams deserve a mention for just missing out on a National gold medal. In 1992, at the National Indoors, Brendan Cox, Mark O’Connor, Robert Ring and Jason O’Brien broke the National U15 Relay 4x200m record but had to be content with silver medals. From 2004 to ’07 Brendan Culleton, Richard Dunne, William Butler, William Spratt-Murphy, Shane Kehoe and David Jackman won seven National medals and in 2016 & ‘17 Robbie Chapman, Shane Doran, Oisin Rochford, Sean Rowley and Ryan Whelan won three National relay medals.
Cross Country Golden Years
Although Bree AC was founded in 1970, with some success in Cross Country running in its earliest years, the club had to wait twenty years before a National medal was won by a club athlete. In 1990, Assumpta Cullen won the club’s first National medal with a Leinster team. Assumpta and Mary Redmond repeated this fete in 1991. Bree AC had entered, what could only be described as its ‘golden era’ in Cross Country. In 1994, U12s Kevin Whelan, John Egan, Paddy Gill and Michael Kehoe became the first Bree AC team to qualify for a CC National Final.
From 1992 to ‘98, Susan Cloney, Elizabeth Egan, Valerie Vaughan, Teresa O’Hanlon and Anne O’Leary, each won numerous National medals with Leinster teams. In 1995, Ann, Elizabeth and Valerie were joined by Michelle Doyle and Suzanne Doyle. A club team was formed and this team won the U16 National club bronze medals. In 1996, after intense training and planning, Bree AC athletes achieved an unbelievable National Double. Ann, Elizabeth, Valerie, Michelle and Suzanne ran the races of their lives to claim the U17 National Club Gold medals. Two weeks later, the team of Ann, Valerie, Michelle and Suzanne were joined by newcomer Teresa O’Hanlon and again gave outstanding performances to claim the U16 National Club Gold medals. In 1997, these five young ladies returned from the Nationals with U17 Club silver medals. These ladies, along with Pauline Kavanagh also won National Junior Club medals the following year representing Slaney Olympic.
The 22nd Feb 1998 was a very significant day for Bree AC when the club, with the Co Committee, hosted the National Senior & Junior Club CC Championships. On home ground the fore-mentioned ladies delighted local spectators by winning the Junior bronze medals. This venue is still mentioned in athletics circles as being one of the best in the country. It was a lovely sunny spring day and conditions were perfect for both competitors and spectators.
From 2000 to the present day, juvenile athletes David Farrell, Helen English, Patrick O’Leary and Kieron McCabe have each won National medals with Leinster teams. In 2000, David Farrell, Peter Roche, Kyle Walsh, Patrick O’Leary, Ben Hunt and James Murphy won club gold in the National ‘B’ CC Final. In addition, Elizabeth Egan returned to competitive racing form in Cross Country to claim 6th place in the National Masters in 2015 and 9th place in National Seniors in 2016 as well as National success on the Track. In 2018 and 2019, young Bree AC athletes Ava Wilson, Shane Laffan, Billy Doyle, Lea Bolger, Jayden Kenny and Cian Donovan enjoyed individual success on the Leinster CC scene and are certainly names to look out for in the future.
Role of Honour – Club Awards
Over the past fifty years Bree AC has honoured its athletes at the annual ‘Presentation of Awards’. The ‘Club Athlete of the Year’ Award has been presented since the very foundation of the club. John Godkin (former Co Wexford BLOE Secretary) first presented his Award in 1982 for the Best U13 athlete and still presents that award each year. Bree ICA first presented an award in 1987. This award is presented to the best Bree Parish athlete. As the number of deserving athletes increased, additional awards were presented by Peter Byrne (Former Club Secretary and coach), Pat O’Leary (Former Club Chairman and athlete), Tony Greene (Founding Chairman and coach) and Paul Kehoe (Minister and former athlete). The Pat O’Leary Award is specifically presented to Long Distance athletes. A marking scheme was devised by Paul Kinsella in the early years and this has stood the test of time. In addition to this marking scheme, an athlete may only receive each award once with exception of the Cross Country Award which is for distances over 600m. Recipients over the past 50 years are as follows;
Bree AC ‘Athlete of the Year’
1970:Pat O’Leary 1971:Ml O’Leary 1972:Bridie Dempsey 1973:Stella Byrne 1974:Mary Shannon
1975:U12 Relay Team (Eileen Byrne, Imelda & Paula Kavanagh, Mary Shannon) 1976:Bridin O’Rourke 1977:Ann Marie Byrne 1978:Syl Doyle 1979:Peter Shannon 1980:Malachy Sheridan 1981:Dolores Kavanagh 1982:Peter Byrne 1983:Joseph Clooney 1984:Catherine Byrne 1985:Siobhan Moloney 1986:Ciaran Morrissey 1987:John Culloton 1988:Hugh Kinsella 1989:Siobhan Moran 1990:Peter Kavanagh 1991:Martha Halpin 1992:Susan Cloney 1993:Clara Thompson 1994:Elizabeth Egan 1995:Brian O’Leary 1996:Niamh Leacy 1997:Suzanne Doyle 1998:Justin Browne 1999:Marcella Cullen 2000:John Walker 2001:Claire Culleton 2002:Aine Doyle 2003:Brendan Culleton 2004:Ben Hunt 2005:William Spratt Murphy 2006:Catherina Corcoran 2007:Shane Byrne 2008:Ciaran Joyce 2009: Tony Stafford 2010:Paddy Devereux 2011:Ryan Murray 2012:Aideen Kane 2013:Niamh Cloke Rochford 2014:Chloe Whelan 2015:Sophie McCabe 2016:Aoife Cloke Rochford 2017:Sean Rowley 2018:Darra Casey 2019:Ciara Laffan 2020/21:Abbie Doyle
John Godkin U13 Award
1982:David Byrne 1983:Laurence Wickham 1984: Larry Murphy 1985:Bernard Redmond 1986:Martin Byrne 1987:Jason O’Brien 1988:Angela Cloney 1989:John Carty 1990:Robert Ring 1991:Suzanne Doyle 1992:Vincent O’Brien 1993:Claire Crean 1994:Michael Kehoe 1995:Colm Whelan 1996:Ailish Shorttle 1997:Jean Redmond 1998:David Farrell 1999:Kyle Walsh 2000:Nicola Kearns 2001:Aine Doyle 2002: William Spratt Murphy 2003:Sinéad Doyle 2004:Ciara Flanagan 2005:Catherina Corcoran 2006:Eleanor Nolan 2007:Niamh Cloke Rochford 2008:Paddy Devereux 2009:Aoife Fanning 2010:Ryan Murraym 2011:Aoife Cloke Rochford 2012:Brandon Sinnott 2013:John Kehoe 2014:Katie Whelan 2015:Darra Casey 2016:Sean Rowley 2017:Abbie Doyle 2018:Katie Doyle 2019:Jayden Kenny 2020/21: Ciara Laffan
Bree ICA Parish Award
1987:Catriona Leacy 1988:Aidan Conway 1989:Simon Ring 1990:Suzanne Doyle 1991:Robert Ring 1992:Seamus O’Leary 1993:Elizabeth Egan 1994:Claire Crean 1995:John Egan 1996:Ann O’Leary 1997: Patrick Egan 1998:Lorcan Crean 1999:Aine Doyle 2000:Helen English 2001:William Spratt Murphy 2002:Nicola Kearns 2003:Anna Nolan 2004:Richard Dunne 2005:Ciara Flanagan 2006:Amy Flanagan 2007:Tony Stafford 2008:Dylan Walsh 2009:Catriona Carroll 2010:Cormac Byrne 2011:Niamh Cloke Rochford 2012:John Kehoe 2013:Aoife Cloke Rochford 2014:Nicole Furlong 2015:Grace Donohoe 2016: Gracie Kehoe 2017:Oisin Rochford 2018:Sophie Codd 2019:PJ Breen 2020/21:Sam Deacon
Peter Byrne Metit Award
1993:Suzanne Doyle 1994:Clara Thompson 1995:Elizabeth Egan 1996:Brian O’Leary 1997:Adrian Sheil 1998:Niamh Leacy 1999:John Egan 2000:Marcella Cullen 2001:Jean Redmond 2002:Claire Culleton 2003: Ben Hunt 2004:William Spratt Murphy 2005:Brendan Culleton 2006:Aine Doyle 2007:Catherina Corcoran 2008:Tony Stafford 2009:Amy Flanagan 2010:Niamh Cloke Rochford 2011:Aoife Fanning 2012: Ryan Murray 2013:Sophie McCabe 2014:Aoife Cloke Rochford 2015:Gracie Kehoe 2016:Shane Doran 2017:Darra Casey 2018:Abbie Doyle 2019:Katie Doyle 2020/21 Jayden Kenny
Pat O’Leary Distance Award
2004:David Farrell 2005:Kieron McCabe 2006:John Egan 2007:Elaine McCabe 2008:Suzanne Harding 2009:Cormac Byrne 2010:Dervla McCabe 2011:Elizabeth Egan 2012:Katie Mai McCabe 2013 & 2015:Brandon Sinnott 2014:John Kehoe 2016:Elaine McCabe 2017:Katie Doyle 2018:Jayden Kenny 2019:Lea Bolger 2020/21:Cillian Dempsey
Tony Greene Merit Award
2007:Aine Doyle 2008:Catherina Corcoran 2009:Paddy Devereux 2010:Amy Flanagan 2011:Katie Mai McCabe 2012:Chloe Whelan 2013:Ryan Murray 2014:Elizabeth Egan 2015:Sean Rowley 2016:Sophie McCabe 2017:Gracie Kehoe 2018:Olivia Howe 2019:Abbie Doyle 2020/21:Katie Doyle
Paul Kehoe Merit Award
2011:Chloe Whelan 2012:Niamh Cloke Rochford 2013:Catherina Corcoran 2014:Ryan Murray 2015:Abbie Doyle 2016:Katie Whelan 2017:Aoife Cloke Rochford 2018:Lea Bolger 2019:Darra Casey 2020/21:Sarah O'Brien
Role of Honour – County Awards
Ann O’Keeffe Trophy – Co U17 T&F Athlete: John Egan (1998), Aine Doyle (2005), Anna Nolan (2006), Ciara Flanagan (2008), Catherina Corcoran (2009), Amy Flanagan (2010)
Harry Keyes Trophy – (Introduced in 1999) U17 Male T&F Athlete: Brendan Culleton (2005)
‘Kehoe Foods’ Appreciation Award: Peter Byrne (1998), Clare Doyle (2008), Pat O’Leary (2014)
Role of Honour – Leinster Awards
Hehir Trophy-Best Club in Relay: 1st 1982, 1997, 2003, 2004, 2005 & 2008; 2nd 2006 & 2009
Leinster Shield-Best 9-11yrs Club: 1st 1997, 2004, 2005, 2015; 2nd 2006; 3rd 2008
Quinn Cup-Best 12-15yrs Club: 1st 2005, 2008, 2009; 2nd 2006
Eurotab Cup-Best 16-19yrs Club: 1st 1997; 2nd 2006
Byrne Cup-Best Indoors 13-19yrs: 2nd 2009; 3rd 2006
Individual All Stars; Michael Halpin & Susan Cloney (1992); Clara Thompson (1995); Brian O’Leary (1996); Justin Browne (1997 & 1998); Suzanne Doyle (1998); Lorcan Crean (1999); Marcella Cullen (2000, 2002 & 2003); Ben Hunt (2003, 2004 & 2005); Aine Doyle (2006, 2007 & 2008); Brendan Culleton (2006, 2007 & 2008); Amy Flanagan (2009); Catherina Corcoran (2010, 2011, 2013 & 2014); Ryan Murray (2014); Sophie McCabe (2015 & 2016)
Outstanding Service; Pat O’Leary (2012); Clare Doyle (2018)
Role of Honour – National Awards
Individual All Stars: Malachy Sheridan (1985); Siobhan Moloney (1987); Clara Thompson (1997); John Walker (2000); Marcella Cullen (2003); Ben Hunt (2005); Ryan Murray (2012)
Role of Honour – Internationals
Over Bree AC’s 50th years in existence, twenty five athletes have worn an Irish vest at International Championships. Undoubtedly, the club’s highlight was representation in the 1992 Winter Olympics by Malachy Sheridan. Malachy competed for Ireland in the two man Bobsleigh. Other athletes to compete for Ireland in Celtic Games, Youth Olympics, Schools Internationals, CSIT Games, FISEC Games or Metro Games etc include Siobhan Moran, Brenda Thompson, Teresa O’Hanlon, Hugh Kinsella, Martha Halpin, Clara Thompson, Valerie Vaughan, Marcella Cullen, Elizabeth Egan, Brian O’Leary, John Egan, Donagh Sheridan, William Spratt Murphy, Brendan Culleton, Peter Roche, Tony Stafford, Chloe Whelan, Ryan Murray, Kieron McCabe, John Egan, Sophie McCabe, Aoife Cloke Rochford and Darra Casey.
Patrick (Paddy) O’Leary (son of Pat) has represented Ireland on Ultra Marathon Teams worldwide. Some of his recent placings was 26th in Spain, 6th in Italy and 10th in Hong Kong. In 2019, he set a National record for ‘The Wicklow Round’. Paddy has also competed in a number of marathons, his most notable one was finishing in 61st place in the Boston Marathon in 2017 where he was the first Irish man home.
Bree Athletic Club celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2020. As part of these celebrations, Bree AC was due to host the Leinster Relay Championships in Enniscorthy Hub at the end of May. However, all events for this season have been suspended due to Covid 19. When normal training sessions resume, Bree AC can cater for all track and field events such as sprints, hurdles, middle and long distance, throws, long jump, high jump and walks. Outdoor training takes place at Ballyhogue GAA Grounds in Bree and indoor training takes place from October to April in Bree Community Centre.
A wise old coach once said that there is no such thing as ‘luck’ in athletics but that there is “chance” when preparation meets opportunity. Long may this hold true for Bree Athletic Club.
Addition to History
2020-2021
Indoor Training was progressing well for January and February 2020 until the whole country went into lockdown for the first time due to Covid 19. On the competition side of things for 2020, 9 athletes had competed in the Leinster Indoors and 7 medals were won by Ciara Laffan 1st 60mH; Jayden Kenny, Abbie Doyle and Katie Doyle 2nd 60mH, Kiera Wilson 3rd 60mH, Abbie Doyle 3rd 60m and Jayden Kenny 3rd LJ. All other competitions were cancelled for the remainder of the year. 2020 was supposed to be a big year for Bree AC as celebrations were planned to mark our 50th year in existence. However, as we all know, nothing much happened outside of lockdowns. During two of the lockdowns, the more senior athletes were involved in and enjoyed some friendly virtual competition amongst themselves. Some outdoor training took place during the summer of 2020 and again in November and December 2020 within 'pods'.
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The following is an article about Bree Athletic Club which was included in the book "WEXFORD ATHLETICS" published in 1989 by Wexford County Boards of B.L.E. and B.L.O.E.
Athletics has been a way of life in Bree parish for a long number of years. From the 1930's many stories are told of men like Jimmy Carton, Gerald Clancy and Paddy Broaders performing notable feats in 100 and 220 yard events throughout the county. In the mid 1950s the then curate of Bree, Fr. Ml. O'Regan C.C. formed a club which took part in a number of Cross Country Championships. The only notable success was John Curtis winning the Co Novice title in 1955. The duration of the club was short however, perhaps the reason being that all athletes involved, were also leading members of the Ballyhogue Football Team -Co. Junior Champions of that year.
The present Bree Athletic Club was founded by Tony Green and Dan Walsh in May 1970. From a humble beginning, nursed along by Tony as Chairman, Dan as Secretary and Treasurer Frank Dunne, the club grew in strength and were soon a formidable force in Wexford athletics. The first success of a registered Bree athlete came in August 1970 when Bridie Dempsey won the 100 yards event at the Oylegate Open Sports.
Early years of Bree Athletic Club.
Although perhaps better known nowadays for its achievements in B.L.O.E. circles, Bree Athletic Club in its early years of existence had remarkable success in Track and Field and Cross Country events. In 1972, the Bree team of the Tomfarney brothers, Michael and Pat O'Leary, Dessie Nolan and Tommy Kehoe won the county novice Cross Country Championship with Michael O'Leary taking the individual award. Michael repeated this feat in the Intermediate event, with the team taking the runner up position. Other top class runners in the Bree colours in those years were Seamus Denton, Peter Kehoe, Willie Green, Jimmy Kennedy, Jimmy Broaders and Johnny Denton.
In Track and Field, Pat O'Leary had many brilliant wins in middle distance events. He was placed second in the 400m, 800m and 1500m of 1971. He followed this by winning the 800m and 1500m of 1972. Two other successful athletes with Bree Athletic Club at that time were Peadar Kehoe and John Roche who later made athletic headlines with Enniscorthy and S.B.R. clubs.
B.L.O.E.
With the formation of new clubs and the re-organisation of others in adjoining areas, a number of athletes went their separate ways but fortunately for the club, a number of young athletes were coming on the scene. Early successes by Stella Byrne in Rural Schools, Bridie Dempsey, Anne Dempsey and Eileen Byrne in Community Games in 1972 augured well for the future. In 1973, those four athletes along with Brideen O'Rourke, Assumpta Crean, Maura Byrne and Mary Shannon were to establish themselves as top class athletes at county level. Mary Shannon and Eileen Byrne were later to compete successfully at Provincial and National levels. Mary Shannon must rate as one of Wexford's best ever juvenile athletes. She is the proud holder of 29 Co. Championships, 12 Leinster and three All-Ireland medals under B.L.O.E. rules. Mary also has in her medal collection, ten county titles and two All-Ireland medals in Community Games. She was also a member of that brilliant relay team of Eileen Byrne, Imelda Kanvangh, Paula Kavangah and in later years Caroline Kelly, that were undefeated at county level from 1973 to 1979. This team won many Leinster events and the All Ireland U12 title in 1975. Brideen O'Rourke was the only athlete of that era to take part in B.L.E. Championship and won many competitions in the high jump event.
By 1979, under the guidance of Peter Byrne, Peter Shannon, Tony Green and Paddy Sheridan, Bree had become one of Wexford's top juvenile athletic clubs. Names such as Peter Shannon, Malachy Sheridan, Mary Green, Margaret Cloke, Peter Byrne, Jim Byrne, David Reck, Brendan Winters, Barbara Sinnott, Dolores Kavanagh, Patsy Green, Paul Nolan and Anne Marie Byrne had made athletic headlines in rural schools, Community Games and B.L.O.E. Championships. This was not alone in Co. Wexford but also at provincial level, with a number of them winning National honours. The Secretary's report of 1979 showed the club had a total of 95 registered athletes and their achievements included a staggering total of eighteen Co. Community Games, 78 Co. Championships, six Leinster and two All-Ireland medals. The two National medal winners were Peter Shannon and Malachy Sheridan.
The 1980s
The 4x100 relay was, and in fact still is one of the great features of Bree Athletic Club. At training sessions relays always found favour with the athletes and most training in the club was done through the running of relay races. In 1981, seven relay teams travelled to the Leinster Club Championships in Tullamore and they recorded three firsts, three seconds and one third. The U14 girls team of Mary Green, Margaret Cloke, Dolores Kavanagh and Barbara Sinnott went on to take third place in the All-Ireland of that year. Other National relay medal winners were the boys team of Peter Shannon, Peter Byrne, David Reck and Jim Byrne third place in Mosney in 1983. Peter Shannon, Peter Byrne, Bobby Carthy and Donal Donovan were U17 silver medal winners in Limerick in 1984. Also in 1984, with Malachy Sheridan replacing Donal Donovan they gained third place in the Junior B.L.E. final in Cork.
Some top class athletes
Apart from relays, there were many top class performers in the club. By the time he had reached the age of fourteen years, Malachy Sheridan had established himself as one of the country's leading athletes. A brilliant all rounder, he won Lenister medals in sprinting, hurdles, long jump and shot putt. It was in the pole vault event that he really excelled and through the coaching of Fr. Ml. Lavelle while a student in Rockwell College, he broke many records in College and B.L.O.E. Championships. He also competed at International level.
Peter Shannon was another who was capable of competing at all levels of athletics. He is Mary's brother and a son of Peter Snr. (well known to athletic followers). His brilliant sprinting ability gained him numerous medals and trophies. Peter represented Wexford in Mosney on eight separate occasions. winning three bronze medals. He also holds two National B.L.O.E. runner up medals for the 80m event.
A young star to arrive on the scene in the early 80s was Paul Nolan, another allrounder with talent in abundance. He won All Ireland gold medals in the 80m and Long Jump in 1980. He repeated his Long Jump success in 1981 also taking the runner up medal in the 70m Hurdles. He also holds silver National Community Games medals for the sprint in 1978 and 1980.
Joseph Carley first came to prominence in 1982 with a fourth place in the Long Jump in Mosney. The following year this talented athlete had a magnificent season winning nine County and three Leinster titles. He was also placed third in the All Ireland Long Jump competition.
Form 1980 to 1984 Bree club members won a total of eighteen All-Ireland, twelve National Community Games, 145 Leinster and 498 Co. Championship medals. This was a remarkable achievement for a club which competes in Track and Field competitions only. Athletes who contributed in no small way to that collection at Leinster and All-Ireland level apart form those already mentioned were Peter Byrne, Mary Green, Margaret Cloke, Barbara Sinnott, Dolores Kavanagh, Catherine Byrne, David Reck, Jim Byrne, Patsy Green, David Byrne, Laurence Byrne, Lorcan Wickham and that fine relay team of Marie Byrne, Nuala Byrne, Mairead Nolan and Margaret Hartigan.
1984-1989
The middle years of the decade also witnessed some great sprinting and jumping performances from athletes such as Siobhan Moloney, Catherine Byrne, Maria Byrne, Aidan Cox, Robert Reck and Kieran Morrissey. Siobhan Moloney first came to notice in 1984 by winning the U14 Long Jump in Mosney. She capped a great juvenile career with a silver medal win in the All-Ireland Long Jump in 1986. Siobhan repeated that feat in 1987, a year in which she also took the gold medal in the National Javelin Championship. Those performances gained for Siobhan Moloney the prestigious Bank Of Ireland Athlete of the Year Award. Aidan Cox won a silver and bronze medal in the All-Ireland U13 80m and Long Jump respectively.
Success in throwing events became very prominent in 1985 with Hughie Kinsella winning a National bronze in the U13 Discus. He followed this with a third place in the Hammer. An all rounder, he qulaified for successive All-Irelands in Shot Putt, Discus, Javelin and Hammer events. He won bronze medals in the Shot Putt in 1988 and 1989. John Colloton following in his fathers, (Mayler) footsteps has won All-Ireland silvers in the National Discus competition in 1987 and 1988. He also won numerous Leinster and Co. titles in Javelin and Shot Putt. His brother Tom also won an All-Ireland bronze in the Discus in 1989. Not to be outdone by his older brother Malachy, Donagh Sheridan, won All-Ireland titles in the Pole Vault as well as coming second in the British A.A.A. Indoor Championship. Other promising young throwers coming up through the ranks at that stage were Angela Cloney and Brenda Thompson.
Pride of place for 1989 must be given to Soibhan Moran, winner of the gold medal for the U15 Javelin, with a great throw of 33.06m. She was also selected for the Irish team to compete at the Celtic International Games in Wales. Although operating for many years as a juvenile club, Bree at that time had athletes competing at Junior and Senior level. Although still competing as juveniles, a number of those athletes received high rankings at National level at Junior & Senior level. The future of Bree Athletic Club is assured by the steady stream of young athletes joining the club. Names such as Simon Ring and Declan Cloney, bronze medal winners in Mosney 1989, Peter Kavanagh, dual gold medal winner in Leinster 1989 Championships. Fiona Cowman, Jason O'Brien, Sinead O'Leary, Suzanne Doyle, Aine Moriarty, Lucy Browne, Mary Redmond, Justin Browne, Robert Ring, Ciara Browne, Elaine Kinsella, Valerie Vaughan, Breda Keane, Liam Redmond, Catriona Leacy, Colm Moriarty, Tomas Moriarty, John Carty, Lorraine Leacy and many others will carry the Bree colours well into the 1990s.
These athletes, coupled with officers such as Paddy Sheridan, Paul Kinsella, Peter Shannon, Aidan Moore, Nicky Cowman, Peter Byrne and founder member Tony Green, with the co-operation of parents and supporters, guarantee that Bree Athletic Club will be there for many, many years to come. It is not an easy to cover adequately nineteen years of Bree Athletic Club in this short article. It is not easy to pay full tribute to the many athletes who wore the Bree AC blue and white singlet with pride and distinction. We hope this publication will revive happy memories for athletes and parents alike who found many new friends on the running fields of Wexford and beyond.
‘Great athletes are not born, they are made. They are a complex mix of genetics, environment, an indomitable will to win, a healthy lifestyle, good training and if they are to be long lasting, an obsession with consistency.’ Seb Coe (1500m Olympic Champion 1984)
Athletics has been a way of life in Bree Parish for many years. From as far back as the 1930's, stories are still told of Jimmy Carton, Gerald Clancy and Paddy Broaders performing notable feats in 100yd and 220yd events throughout Co Wexford. In the mid 1950s, Fr. Michael O'Regan C.C. formed an athletic club with members taking part in a number of Cross Country Championships. Its most notable success was John Curtis winning the Co Novice title in 1955. However, this club’s existence was short lived, due to the fact that most of the athletes involved were also leading members of the Ballyhogue Football Teams (Ballyhogue were Co. Junior Football Champions in 1955).
The present Bree Athletic Club was founded by Tony Greene and Dan Walsh in May 1970. From a humble beginning, nursed along by Tony as Chairman, Dan as Secretary and Treasurer Frank Dunne, Bree Athletic Club had an early taste of success and has been a formidable force in Wexford athletics for the past five decades.
Early days in Bree Athletic Club
The very first medal won by a Bree AC registered athlete was in August 1970 when Bridie Dempsey won the 100yd event at the Oylegate Open Sports. But the club was more noted for its success in cross country events in its early years of existence. In the autumn of its first year, juvenile cross country runners Paul Barden (U12) and Jimmy Broaders (U15) won the club’s first County Championship medals. In 1971, Patty Keeley (U11) was the first girl to win a Co Cross Country medal and her sister Esther won a Co Cross Country medal the following year. Also in ‘71, brothers Pat and Michael O’Leary, Dessie Nolan and Peter Kehoe won the Wexford Novice CC Team Championship with Michael coming home in first place, Peter was second and Pat was third. This trio, in exactly the same finishing positions, won the individual medals at Intermediate level with the same team taking the runner-up team medals. (Michael had also won silver at Junior level that same year).
Pat O’Leary won the Co Intermediate CC title in 1972 and John Roche won the Co Junior CC title. Also in that year, Pat was the first Wexford man home on a Wexford Novice team in the Leinster Cross Country Championships which finished in second place. (Pat claims that Wexford could have won the team event only for the fact that two Wexford runners missed the start of the race. 200 yards were completed by the field of runners when these two lads started their race and shortly afterwards sprinted past everyone. Needless to say, this spoiled the race as runners were soon divided, some running after the two ‘hares’ and others keeping a steady pace. Many athletes eventually dropped out of the race, due to the pace, including the two latecomers.).
Other local athletes involved in Cross Country around this time were Seamus Denton, Tommy Kehoe, Willie Greene, Jimmy Kennedy and John Denton. In 1973, Peter Kehoe was the first Bree AC athlete to win gold medals in Senior Co T&F when he won both the Long Jump and Shot Put. With the formation of new clubs and the re-organisation of others, many of these successful senior athletes left Bree AC and went their separate ways. For many years, Pat O’Leary is known to all athletes at Wexford and at Leinster level as the ‘man with the gun’ as he is an official starter at many Track & Field Championships.
Many Bree AC juvenile athletes also made their mark at BLOE (Bord Luthcleas Oganach na hEireann) Track and Field at county level and beyond in the early years. On the track, Bridie and Mary Dempsey, Stella and Eileen Byrne, Maura Byrne, Mary Greene, Peter and Mary Shannon were amongst the county medal winners for many years. Assumpta Crean and Bridin O’Rourke performed well in High Jump. In fact, Bridin won County Gold in the High Jump from U14 to Senior level from 1973 - ’86 with the exception of 1984.
Mary Shannon was the first Bree AC athlete to win an individual medal at National level, when, she won silver in the U12 80m in 1975. Such was Mary’s sprinting dominance that she was County Champion from 1973 - ’80. By the end of the 1970s and well into the 1980’s, young athletes such as Brendan Byrne, Jim Byrne, Catherine and Martin Byrne, Ann Marie, Peter and Nuala Byrne, Margaret Cloke, Syl Doyle, Patsy Greene, Bridie Kelly, Dolores Kavanagh, Ciaran Sheridan, Barbara Sinnott and Antoinette Walsh were all winning medals at county and Leinster level.
By the end of Bree AC’s first decade in existence, its most successful athletes at National level were Peter Shannon, Malachy Sheridan and Paul Nolan. Peter won three National silver sprint medals from 1978 to ’80. Malachy became Bree AC’s first individual National gold medal winner in 1980 when he won the U14 Pole Vault with a National Record of 3.50m. He won gold again the following year with another National Record of 3.58m. (Both of these records still stand as the pole event is no longer an event at these age groups). Malachy had won a National bronze medal in U13 80mHurdles in 1979. Paul Nolan also made history in Bree AC as he was the club’s first double National gold medal winner when he won both the U11 80m and Long Jump in 1980. He completed a National double again the following year with gold in the Long Jump and silver in the 80m Hurdles. (Most people would be familiar with Paul Nolan today as one of Ireland’s most popular National Hunt Trainers).
Under the guidance of coaches and officials Peter Shannon snr, Peter Byrne snr, Tony Greene, Aidan Moore, Paul Kinsella and Paddy Sheridan, Bree AC had become one of Wexford’s top juvenile clubs in its first decade. The Club’s Secretary Report of 1979 shows that the club had won a total of seventy-eight Co Championship medals, six Leinster medals and two National medals that year.
1980s
1981 saw the introduction of the Co Wexford ‘B’ Championships which became a stepping stone for young participants into athletics. Down through the years, many of these participants have gone on to become very successful athletes in Co Wexford and beyond. (These championships, to this day, are one of the most popular and enjoyable events in Wexford’s athletic calendar and long may they continue).
In the early 1980’s athletes such as Laurence, Marie and David Byrne, Bobby and Pat Carty, Joseph Carley, Thomas Cloke, Donal Donovan, Helena and Eamonn Fortune, Emer Finn, Dessie Kinsella, Liam Kehoe, Larry Kehoe, Larry Murphy, Mairead Nolan, James O’Connor, Bernard Redmond, Robert and David Reck, Laurence Wickham and Brendan Winters were performing well at Co and Leinster level. The only athlete to win National medals at this time was Aidan Cox in the 100m and Long Jump in 1984.
The latter half of that decade produced some of the finest field event athletes in the history of the club. Hugh Kinsella, John Culloton, Tom Culloton, Donagh Sheridan, Siobhan Moran, Siobhan Moloney and Angela Cloney all featured strongly at National level. Between them, they won thirteen National medals in events such as Hammer, Pole Vault, Discus, Long Jump, Javelin and Shot Put. Siobhan Moloney won the club’s first National gold medal in Javelin in 1987. Angela Cloney was the club’s first National medal winner in an Indoor Championships, when she won a bronze medal in the Shot Put in 1989. Other successful athletes at Leinster level in this era were Ciara Browne, Martin, Laurence and Marie Byrne, Nuala Byrne, Declan Cloney, Fiona Cowman, Margaret Hartigan, Peter Kavanagh, Catriona Leacy and Brenda Thompson.
After 20 years of involvement, coaches Tony Greene, Aidan Moore, Peter Byrne and Paddy Sheridan stepped back from their coaching duties. The talented throws coach, Paul Kinsella was joined by former athletes Stella Crean (nee Byrne), Mary Murphy (nee Shannon) and Pat O’Leary with assistance from Nicky Cowman, Helen Nolan and Clare Doyle.
1990s
Athletics in general became a very popular sport nationwide in the 1990s. Numbers attending for training with Bree AC doubled and this brought further successes at all levels of competition. Bree AC had entered a new era and enjoyed many victories in both National Track and Field and Cross Country during this decade.
Special mention must be made of one athlete in particular who dominated National Discus, Shot Put and Hammer competitions. Clara Thompson won her first gold medal in Discus in 1992. When she finished with juvenile athletics with Bree AC at eighteen years of age, she had won seventeen National individual medals, nine gold, three silver and five bronze as well as breaking four National records along the way. Such was her talent that in 1996, Clara smashed the record for the hammer (3.25kg) by a staggering 18m. In 1997, at the National Senior T&F Championships in Santry, Clara was competing in the Junior competition and she broke the record by 6m with a throw of 48.86m, which was good enough to win her the Senior Title. At 17 years of age, she is the youngest thrower ever to do so. Clara’s sister Brenda also won many National Hammer Senior titles with Slaney Olympic after having Leinster success with Shot and Discus in juvenile athletics. (During this period, at eighteen years of age all juvenile Bree AC athletes graduated along with athletes from Enniscorthy AC, Adamstown AC, Horetown AC, Taghmon AC and St Anne’s AC into their senior club Slaney Olympic which was formed in the early 1990s).
Other athletes who won National medals in throwing events at this time were Siobhan Moran, Martha Halpin, Regina Thompson, James Rossiter, Sinéad Goggin and David Kehoe. Race Walkers, Paul Kinsella Jnr, John Egan and Brendan Byrne were also successful at National level. Long Distance runners were experiencing National success at Cross Country and some of these athletes made the transition to the National Track scene with considerable ease. Anne O’Leary won four National medals over 1500m and 3000m. Elizabeth Egan, Niall Sheil, Teresa O’Hanlon and Susan Cloney were also successful in the 1500m at National level. In addition, Elizabeth had National success in Middle Distance as did Brendan Cox. Such was the athletic talent of Elizabeth that she also won National Gold in Combined Events in both 1996 and ’97.
Other successful athletes around this period at Leinster level were Padraig Brosnan, Ciara Browne, Justin Carroll, Declan, John and Geraldine Cloney, James Cullen, Sarah Culleton, Assumpta Cullen, Brendan Cox, Suzanne Doyle, Chris Deacon, Robert Healy, Peter Kavanagh, Jemma Kennedy, Elaine Kinsella, Ellen Laffan, Jason O’Brien, Brian O’Leary, Sinéad O’Leary, Mark O’Connor, Mary Redmond, Ann, Robert and Simon Ring, James Sinnott, Caroline Sheil, Brenda Thompson, Valerie Vaughan and Dawn Whelan.
From 1996 to ’98, Niamh Leacy dominated her age group in Sprints, Hurdles and Long Jump. She won a total of seven individual National medals and won another seven National medals in relays. Hurdling over short distances was popular, under the guidance of expert hurdles and jumps coach Nicky Cowman, (a long time contributor to farming programmes on South East Radio). In addition to Niamh, there were National successes for Michael Halpin, Fiona Cowman, Brian O’Leary, Adrian Sheil, Elizabeth Egan and Ann McNicholas over the Hurdles. Brian, Niamh and Elizabeth also won many sprint National medals. Justin Browne and Barry O’Connor also had success at Long Jump while Suzanne Doyle, Justin Browne and Elizabeth Egan had National Triple Jump successes. In 1998, Lorcan Crean was the club’s first athlete to win a National medal at High Jump.
During the 1990s, a total of sixty nine individual National Medals were won by Bree AC athletes - A glorious decade for the club. Other athletes who were successful at Leinster level were David Breen, Lucy Browne, Diarmuid Buttimer, Aoife Barron, Josepha Buttle, Seamus Byrne, Claire Culleton, Marcella Cullen, Walter Crean, Claire and Paul Crean, Nicola Cleere, Edel Dillon, Keith Devereux, Shirley Donoghue, Bernard Dundon, Catriona Dempsey, Michelle Doyle, Patrick Egan, Sandra English, Anthony Ennis, Anna Frayne, David Farrell, Clara Gaule, Sinéad Griffin, Sinéad Goggin, Shane Grannell, Jean Hanrahan, Tara Heffernan, Nina Killeen, John Kearns, Ciaran Kinsella, Michael Kehoe, Stuart Kennedy, Teresa Long, Chris Levingstone, Aoife McNicholas, Dermot Murphy, Ciaran McCormack, Teresa O’Hanlon, Fionn O’Connor, Vincent O’Brien, Diarmuid O’Dowd, Seamus O’Leary, Dylan Redmond, Peter Roche, Ann Marie Russell, Liam Redmond, Christine and Jean Redmond, William Ring, Claire Sheehan, Ailish Shortle, Jim Turner, Eugene Waters, John Walsh, Orla Whelan, Kevin, Colm and Liam Whelan.
A New Millennium
The new millennium brought an end to BLE & BLOE age-distinction clubs as both organisations united to form Athletics Ireland. (This meant that athletes could continue to compete with their juvenile club should they so wish). On entering this new Millennium, another new chapter opened for Bree AC with the arrival of multitalented athletes such as Marcella Cullen, William Spratt Murphy, Brendan Culleton, Ben Hunt, Tony Stafford, John Egan and Paddy Devereux. Marcella Cullen won sixteen National individual medals in Hurdles, Jumps and Combined Events and a further eight National relay medals. William Spratt Murphy won ten individual National medals in Sprints, Hurdles and High Jump as well as nine National relay medals. Brendan Culleton had his first National individual medal success at the age of 15 and four years later, he had won fourteen individual, mostly in Sprints, Hurdles and Combined Events, as well as seven relay National medals. Ben Hunt entered athletics at 17 years of age and within two years, he had won six individual National medals, mostly in Hurdles, Jumps and Combined Events, as well as eleven National relays. Tony Stafford (grandson of founder member Tony Greene) won eleven National individual medals and three relay medals. John Egan was Bree AC’s first male National Senior medal winner with a bronze medal in the 10k Walk in 2005 just hours after he had transferred back to Bree AC from Slaney Olympic.
Since 1999, John won nine National individual medals in Race Walking, one National gold medal in U18 Combined event as well a silver medal in Triple Jump.
Paddy Devereux was another wonderful sprinter and hurdler, winning eight individual National medals as well as five medals in relays. Other National medal winning sprinters in the ‘00s were Christine Redmond, Jean Redmond, Claire Crean, Anna Nolan, Claire Culleton, Annie Stafford, Adrian Jackman, John Kearns and Ciaran Joyce. Other National Hurdle medal winners were Aine Doyle, Sinéad Moloney, Catriona Carroll, Fiona Furlong, Dylan Walsh, Tony Stafford, Adrian Jackman, Aoife Fanning, Ciaran Joyce and Paddy Devereux who recorded a National record of 9.72sec in 2008.
National Middle Distance medal winners were David Farrell and Peter Roche. Other High Jump medal winners in the ‘00s were Lorcan Crean, Amy Flanagan, Sinéad Doyle, Catherina Corcoran, Annie Stafford, Tony Stafford, Stephanie Nolan and Conor Shovlin. Other National Long Jump medal winners were John Walker, Anna Nolan, Conor Shovlin, Catherina Corcoran, Emma Roche, Ann Marie Kane, Josepha Buttle and Ciaran Joyce who incidentally recorded 4.84m, a National Record in 2008. Triple Jump National winners were John Walker and Catherina Corcoran. National throws medal winners were Michael Kehoe, Ann Marie Kane, Eleanor Nolan, Mary Tyrell and Paddy Devereux.
Adrian Jackman, Sinéad Moloney, Amy Flanagan, Tony Stafford and Aine Doyle were other exceptional all-round athletes and between them won many Combined Event National medals. In 2008, both Elizabeth Egan and Kieron McCabe won their first of many medals in the National Steeplechase. Shane Byrne won three National Gold medals in Race Walking in 2007 and ’09 and his brother Cormac also won a Gold medal at the same National Indoors Championship in 2009.
In 2005, AAI introduced a new format of National competition for the U9-10 and both Annie Stafford and Mary Tyrell were recipients of National Gold Star Awards for all-round athletic ability. The following year National individual competitions were held and in 2007, these were replaced by a National Pairs Competition for U9-11 age groups. Peter Kelly and Ronan Kirwan were the club’s first National Pair winners when they won bronze in Ball Throw.
Other athletes who won Leinster medals during this decade included William, Julie and Andrew Butler,
Ciara Breen, Brian, Gillian and Grainne Byrne, Conor and Darragh Byrne, Sean, Roisin and Tomas Cash,
Pamela Cullen, Lisa and Sean Crean, Liam Cummins, Rita Carroll, Tommy Coughlan, Mark Crosbie, Darragh Cooper, Mark Cassidy, Leah Curran, Alan Campion, Barry Coughlan, Marie and Bridget Carberry, Shannon Carr, Richard Dunne, Marie Doyle, Adrian and Ciara Daly, Kasey Doyle, Roisin and Thomas Doyle, Jennifer, Niall, Peter and Aine Dunne, Conor and Cathal Devereux, Oisin and Naoise Dunbar, Shane and Nick Doyle, Daniel English, Helen English, Claire and Eva Farrell, Ciara Flanagan, Andrew and Peter Furlong, Padraig and Oisin Foley, David Gormley, Maeve Horan, Ciara Howe, Suzanne Harding, Tara, Lisa, Jonathon and Andrea Jacob, David Jackman, Liam Kelly, Frank Kavanagh, Richard Kyriacou, Emma and Mark Kavanagh, David Kiely, Patrick and Shane Kehoe, Nicola, Jason and Adam Kearns, Patrick Kearns, William, Mary and Deirdre Kehoe, Shane Murphy, Aoife McDonald, Annette Moroney, Kate and Tom Murphy, Kieron McCabe, James Murphy, Darren, Chloe and Sean Morrissey, Enda Minogue, Stephanie Nolan, Peter Nolan, Kate O’Brien, Patrick and Eamonn O’Leary, Patrick O’Shea, Eoin, James and Emer O’Leary, Sean O’Neill, Brendan Perkins, Marie and Graham Parker, Sean and Elaine Parker, Conor Quinn, Cathy Quinlivan, Joseph Roche, Sarah Roche, Jonathon and Ivan Rothwell, Ronan Ryan, Sarah and Jane Shovlin, Megan and Katie Smith, Deirdre Swan, Grace Shanahan, Joanne Timmons, Robert Tierney, Mary Tyrell, Cormac Walsh, Michael Whelan, Kyle Walsh, Nicholas Whitty and Brian Windsor.
Some changes occurred in Bree AC at the end of 2006 due to the formation of a new athletic club within Bree AC’s traditional catchment area of Crossabeg parish. Special presentations were made to Paul Kinsella and to Nicky Cowman for their wonderful contribution to athletics in Bree AC. Paul had been Club secretary for twenty five years as well as throwing events and general fitness coach. Nicky had provided his expertise for over a decade in Hurdles and Jumping events. However, the club responded quickly to its own requirements, which were the areas of coaching and equipment. Fundraising and a Sports Council grant provided all equipment required and former athlete, Ml O’Leary (Ml O’Leary & Associates) kindly provided a storage container. Clare Doyle took over the role of Secretary and was involved in coaching with Mary Murphy, Una Doyle (nee McDonald), Pat O’Leary, Margaret Rochford (nee Cloke), Mary Stafford (nee Greene), Jim Corcoran and Peter Nolan.
2010 -2019
After 40 years in existence, Bree AC continued to turn out remarkable multi-talented athletes at National level. As part of these celebrations, the club hosted a very successful Leinster Road Race Championships in Galbally in March 2010. The development of a 2 lane 50m tartan track and a tartan run up to the long jump at a cost of €13,000 to the club and floodlights supplied by Ballyhogue GAA Club meant that athletes could now train all year round.
When Catherina Corcoran finished with juvenile athletics in 2012, she had won twenty-seven National individual medals which included four gold medals, six silver medals and seventeen bronze over eight years of competition. She excelled at Sprints, Hurdles, Long Jump, Triple Jump, High Jump and Combined Events. Ryan Murray was another Bree AC athlete was also making the headlines at this time. From 2009 to 2015, Ryan won fourteen gold, five silver and four bronze National medals. This is a remarkable tally of medals considering that he only participated in two events, sprints and hurdles. He recorded a National U13 Hurdles record of 8.78sec in 2010. Also at this time, Sophie McCabe excelled at Triple Jump which is a very technical event. Over a five year period, Sophie won three gold, six silver and four bronze National medals in Jumps, Hurdles and Sprints as well as three National relay medals. Aoife Cloke Rochford had her first success at National level in 2013 and she finished with competitive athletics in 2017 with a total of two gold, seven silver and four bronze individual National medals mostly in sprints and hurdles as well as three National relay medals. In 2019, Darra Casey won gold in the U17 100mH with a National Record of 14.1sec. This is the only Bree AC National Record still standing for a current competitive event.
Other National medal winners this decade in Hurdles were Paddy Devereux, Ronan Devereux, Aoife Fanning, Niamh Cloke Rochford, Aideen Kane, Abbie Doyle, Chloe Whelan and Sean Rowley who had an U13 Championship Record of 9.43sec. Other sprinters with National success were Tony Stafford, John Kehoe, Katie Whelan, Chloe Whelan, Sean Rowley and Abbie Doyle. Throwing event successful athletes at National level were Niamh Cloke Rochford and Kathlyn Furlong while Tony Stafford won National medals in Long Jump. Elaine McCabe won the U23 National Steeplechase in 2016 and Elizabeth Egan won an additional six National medals at Steeplechase as well as two National medals in Masters 3000m and 1500m which makes her and her brother John, the only Bree AC athletes to win National medals over three decades.
In National Pairs for U9-11 athletes, Bree AC’s recent National medal winners include Gracie Kehoe & Grace Donohoe in Turbo Javelin, Gracie Kehoe & Abbie Doyle in 60m, Sean Rowley & Shane Doran in 60m, Sean Rowley & Ryan Whelan in Long Jump, Joanne Chapman & Katie Doyle in Long Jump, Lea Bolger & Ava Doyle in 60m, Ciara Laffan & Kiera Wilson in Long Jump and Jayden Kenny & PJ Breen in Long Jump. Many of these young athletes are surely destined to win National individual medals in the near future.
Other Leinster medal winners during this decade include Fionn Andrews, Dylan Carr, Sophie Codd, Robbie and Sophie Chapman, Chloe Casey, Conor and Katie Doyle, Maura and Jack Doyle, Liam and Eamonn Doyle, Killian and Jim Doyle, Dean Doyle, Ava Dempsey, Cillian Dempsey, Billy Doyle, Donna Delahunty, Cian Donovan, Nicole Furlong, Amelia Furlong, Tom Finn, Siobhan Fanning, Lucas Fitzpatrick, Alisha Furlong, Marie, Nessa, Olwen, Una, Clare and Myriam Gately, Jay Hogan, Olivia and Nicholas Howe, Lucy Kehoe, Shane Laffan, Thomas Loonam, Dervla and Katie Mai McCabe, Enda Minogue, Chloe McMullen, Leah Nolan, Barry Nolan, Kaci O’Connor, Maedhbh O’Brien, Nadine Power, Tobias and Oscar Redmond, Daire and Oisin Rochford, Brandon, Leon and Leah Sinnott, Sophie Sinnott, Agata Vecchioli, Dylan Walsh, Ryan Whelan, Ava Wilson and James Wall.
Bree AC & Relays
The 4x100m relay always was, and still is, one of the exciting features for Bree AC. At training sessions in the past, relays always found favour with the athletes. In fact, in the early days most training in the club was done through the running of relays races. During the past fifty years, seventy four Bree AC relay teams won National medals, way too many to be mentioned herein. However, some teams are highlighted for various reasons.
In 1975, U12s Mary Shannon, Paula Kavanagh, Imelda Kavanagh and Eileen Byrne were the first Bree AC team to win National Gold. It was twenty years later, in 1995, that U12s Claire Crean, Niamh Leacy, Jean Hanrahan and Edel Dillon also won Gold. In 1997, U18s Elizabeth Egan, Suzanne Doyle, Valerie Vaughan, Michelle Doyle and Anne O'Leary won National medals in both the 4x100m & 4x400m. Earlier that year this team had won National Club Gold medals in Cross Country.
In 1998, U12s James Reck, Conor Quinn, Paul Crean, Dermot Murphy, Jason Darigan and Paul Murphy travelled to the Nationals with no idea that they would return with the gold medal. This team had been especially put together for the occasion after performances in Rural Primary School Sports. Also in 1998, U17s Sinéad Griffith, Ann McNicholas, Anna Frayne and Teresa O'Hanlon won the 4x100m. Combinations of this team and the 1995 winning team of Claire, Niamh, Jean and Edel, won a further ten National medals from 1996 to ’99.
In 1999, U14s Marcella Cullen, Claire Culleton, Jean Redmond and Christine Redmond won their first National gold. They repeated this feat in 2000, 2002 and again in 2003 and were placed in 2001 and 2004. Substitute athletes with these four ‘Golden Girls’ over the years were Aoife Barron, Deirdre Swan and Sandra English.
At the beginning of the new millennium relays were introduced from U9 and Bree AC had considerable success at this particular age group. In 2001, U9s Emma Kavanagh, Bridget Carberry, Sinéad Doyle, Ciara Flanagan, Áine Dunne and Marie Parker won National Gold. U9s Conor Shovlin, Dylan Walsh, Tony Stafford, Tommy Coughlan and Patrick O’Shea won gold in 2002. For a third year in succession, Bree AC’s U9s Padraig Foley, Peter Furlong, Paddy Devereux, Tom Murphy, Conor Byrne and Peter Dunne won gold in 2003. U17s David Farrell, Peter Roche, Patrick Kehoe, Ben Hunt and Adrian Jackman won also National gold in 2003 and repeated this feat in 2004. Combinations of this team with Alan Campion, John Kearns, Robert Tierney and William Kehoe won a further seven National medals from 2002 to ‘05. In 2007, U9s Dean Doyle, Barry Nolan, Nick Doyle, Enda Minogue, Ivan Rothwell, Darragh Cooper and Peter Kelly won National gold. Also in 2007, U17s Ronan Ryan, Shane Murphy, Oisin Dunbar, Darren Morrissey and Liam Kelly won gold in the National 4x400m. This team with William Spratt Murphy and Brian Byrne had won a bronze medal the previous year. In 2008, U15s Tony Stafford, Dylan Walsh, Joseph Roche and Brian Windsor won the National gold medal. The previous year this same team had won National silver. In 2013, U16s Aoife Cloke Rochford, Nicole Furlong, Sophie McCabe and Chloe Whelan won National gold and this team won silver and bronze medals in the following years.
Three further teams deserve a mention for just missing out on a National gold medal. In 1992, at the National Indoors, Brendan Cox, Mark O’Connor, Robert Ring and Jason O’Brien broke the National U15 Relay 4x200m record but had to be content with silver medals. From 2004 to ’07 Brendan Culleton, Richard Dunne, William Butler, William Spratt-Murphy, Shane Kehoe and David Jackman won seven National medals and in 2016 & ‘17 Robbie Chapman, Shane Doran, Oisin Rochford, Sean Rowley and Ryan Whelan won three National relay medals.
Cross Country Golden Years
Although Bree AC was founded in 1970, with some success in Cross Country running in its earliest years, the club had to wait twenty years before a National medal was won by a club athlete. In 1990, Assumpta Cullen won the club’s first National medal with a Leinster team. Assumpta and Mary Redmond repeated this fete in 1991. Bree AC had entered, what could only be described as its ‘golden era’ in Cross Country. In 1994, U12s Kevin Whelan, John Egan, Paddy Gill and Michael Kehoe became the first Bree AC team to qualify for a CC National Final.
From 1992 to ‘98, Susan Cloney, Elizabeth Egan, Valerie Vaughan, Teresa O’Hanlon and Anne O’Leary, each won numerous National medals with Leinster teams. In 1995, Ann, Elizabeth and Valerie were joined by Michelle Doyle and Suzanne Doyle. A club team was formed and this team won the U16 National club bronze medals. In 1996, after intense training and planning, Bree AC athletes achieved an unbelievable National Double. Ann, Elizabeth, Valerie, Michelle and Suzanne ran the races of their lives to claim the U17 National Club Gold medals. Two weeks later, the team of Ann, Valerie, Michelle and Suzanne were joined by newcomer Teresa O’Hanlon and again gave outstanding performances to claim the U16 National Club Gold medals. In 1997, these five young ladies returned from the Nationals with U17 Club silver medals. These ladies, along with Pauline Kavanagh also won National Junior Club medals the following year representing Slaney Olympic.
The 22nd Feb 1998 was a very significant day for Bree AC when the club, with the Co Committee, hosted the National Senior & Junior Club CC Championships. On home ground the fore-mentioned ladies delighted local spectators by winning the Junior bronze medals. This venue is still mentioned in athletics circles as being one of the best in the country. It was a lovely sunny spring day and conditions were perfect for both competitors and spectators.
From 2000 to the present day, juvenile athletes David Farrell, Helen English, Patrick O’Leary and Kieron McCabe have each won National medals with Leinster teams. In 2000, David Farrell, Peter Roche, Kyle Walsh, Patrick O’Leary, Ben Hunt and James Murphy won club gold in the National ‘B’ CC Final. In addition, Elizabeth Egan returned to competitive racing form in Cross Country to claim 6th place in the National Masters in 2015 and 9th place in National Seniors in 2016 as well as National success on the Track. In 2018 and 2019, young Bree AC athletes Ava Wilson, Shane Laffan, Billy Doyle, Lea Bolger, Jayden Kenny and Cian Donovan enjoyed individual success on the Leinster CC scene and are certainly names to look out for in the future.
Role of Honour – Club Awards
Over the past fifty years Bree AC has honoured its athletes at the annual ‘Presentation of Awards’. The ‘Club Athlete of the Year’ Award has been presented since the very foundation of the club. John Godkin (former Co Wexford BLOE Secretary) first presented his Award in 1982 for the Best U13 athlete and still presents that award each year. Bree ICA first presented an award in 1987. This award is presented to the best Bree Parish athlete. As the number of deserving athletes increased, additional awards were presented by Peter Byrne (Former Club Secretary and coach), Pat O’Leary (Former Club Chairman and athlete), Tony Greene (Founding Chairman and coach) and Paul Kehoe (Minister and former athlete). The Pat O’Leary Award is specifically presented to Long Distance athletes. A marking scheme was devised by Paul Kinsella in the early years and this has stood the test of time. In addition to this marking scheme, an athlete may only receive each award once with exception of the Cross Country Award which is for distances over 600m. Recipients over the past 50 years are as follows;
Bree AC ‘Athlete of the Year’
1970:Pat O’Leary 1971:Ml O’Leary 1972:Bridie Dempsey 1973:Stella Byrne 1974:Mary Shannon
1975:U12 Relay Team (Eileen Byrne, Imelda & Paula Kavanagh, Mary Shannon) 1976:Bridin O’Rourke 1977:Ann Marie Byrne 1978:Syl Doyle 1979:Peter Shannon 1980:Malachy Sheridan 1981:Dolores Kavanagh 1982:Peter Byrne 1983:Joseph Clooney 1984:Catherine Byrne 1985:Siobhan Moloney 1986:Ciaran Morrissey 1987:John Culloton 1988:Hugh Kinsella 1989:Siobhan Moran 1990:Peter Kavanagh 1991:Martha Halpin 1992:Susan Cloney 1993:Clara Thompson 1994:Elizabeth Egan 1995:Brian O’Leary 1996:Niamh Leacy 1997:Suzanne Doyle 1998:Justin Browne 1999:Marcella Cullen 2000:John Walker 2001:Claire Culleton 2002:Aine Doyle 2003:Brendan Culleton 2004:Ben Hunt 2005:William Spratt Murphy 2006:Catherina Corcoran 2007:Shane Byrne 2008:Ciaran Joyce 2009: Tony Stafford 2010:Paddy Devereux 2011:Ryan Murray 2012:Aideen Kane 2013:Niamh Cloke Rochford 2014:Chloe Whelan 2015:Sophie McCabe 2016:Aoife Cloke Rochford 2017:Sean Rowley 2018:Darra Casey 2019:Ciara Laffan 2020/21:Abbie Doyle
John Godkin U13 Award
1982:David Byrne 1983:Laurence Wickham 1984: Larry Murphy 1985:Bernard Redmond 1986:Martin Byrne 1987:Jason O’Brien 1988:Angela Cloney 1989:John Carty 1990:Robert Ring 1991:Suzanne Doyle 1992:Vincent O’Brien 1993:Claire Crean 1994:Michael Kehoe 1995:Colm Whelan 1996:Ailish Shorttle 1997:Jean Redmond 1998:David Farrell 1999:Kyle Walsh 2000:Nicola Kearns 2001:Aine Doyle 2002: William Spratt Murphy 2003:Sinéad Doyle 2004:Ciara Flanagan 2005:Catherina Corcoran 2006:Eleanor Nolan 2007:Niamh Cloke Rochford 2008:Paddy Devereux 2009:Aoife Fanning 2010:Ryan Murraym 2011:Aoife Cloke Rochford 2012:Brandon Sinnott 2013:John Kehoe 2014:Katie Whelan 2015:Darra Casey 2016:Sean Rowley 2017:Abbie Doyle 2018:Katie Doyle 2019:Jayden Kenny 2020/21: Ciara Laffan
Bree ICA Parish Award
1987:Catriona Leacy 1988:Aidan Conway 1989:Simon Ring 1990:Suzanne Doyle 1991:Robert Ring 1992:Seamus O’Leary 1993:Elizabeth Egan 1994:Claire Crean 1995:John Egan 1996:Ann O’Leary 1997: Patrick Egan 1998:Lorcan Crean 1999:Aine Doyle 2000:Helen English 2001:William Spratt Murphy 2002:Nicola Kearns 2003:Anna Nolan 2004:Richard Dunne 2005:Ciara Flanagan 2006:Amy Flanagan 2007:Tony Stafford 2008:Dylan Walsh 2009:Catriona Carroll 2010:Cormac Byrne 2011:Niamh Cloke Rochford 2012:John Kehoe 2013:Aoife Cloke Rochford 2014:Nicole Furlong 2015:Grace Donohoe 2016: Gracie Kehoe 2017:Oisin Rochford 2018:Sophie Codd 2019:PJ Breen 2020/21:Sam Deacon
Peter Byrne Metit Award
1993:Suzanne Doyle 1994:Clara Thompson 1995:Elizabeth Egan 1996:Brian O’Leary 1997:Adrian Sheil 1998:Niamh Leacy 1999:John Egan 2000:Marcella Cullen 2001:Jean Redmond 2002:Claire Culleton 2003: Ben Hunt 2004:William Spratt Murphy 2005:Brendan Culleton 2006:Aine Doyle 2007:Catherina Corcoran 2008:Tony Stafford 2009:Amy Flanagan 2010:Niamh Cloke Rochford 2011:Aoife Fanning 2012: Ryan Murray 2013:Sophie McCabe 2014:Aoife Cloke Rochford 2015:Gracie Kehoe 2016:Shane Doran 2017:Darra Casey 2018:Abbie Doyle 2019:Katie Doyle 2020/21 Jayden Kenny
Pat O’Leary Distance Award
2004:David Farrell 2005:Kieron McCabe 2006:John Egan 2007:Elaine McCabe 2008:Suzanne Harding 2009:Cormac Byrne 2010:Dervla McCabe 2011:Elizabeth Egan 2012:Katie Mai McCabe 2013 & 2015:Brandon Sinnott 2014:John Kehoe 2016:Elaine McCabe 2017:Katie Doyle 2018:Jayden Kenny 2019:Lea Bolger 2020/21:Cillian Dempsey
Tony Greene Merit Award
2007:Aine Doyle 2008:Catherina Corcoran 2009:Paddy Devereux 2010:Amy Flanagan 2011:Katie Mai McCabe 2012:Chloe Whelan 2013:Ryan Murray 2014:Elizabeth Egan 2015:Sean Rowley 2016:Sophie McCabe 2017:Gracie Kehoe 2018:Olivia Howe 2019:Abbie Doyle 2020/21:Katie Doyle
Paul Kehoe Merit Award
2011:Chloe Whelan 2012:Niamh Cloke Rochford 2013:Catherina Corcoran 2014:Ryan Murray 2015:Abbie Doyle 2016:Katie Whelan 2017:Aoife Cloke Rochford 2018:Lea Bolger 2019:Darra Casey 2020/21:Sarah O'Brien
Role of Honour – County Awards
Ann O’Keeffe Trophy – Co U17 T&F Athlete: John Egan (1998), Aine Doyle (2005), Anna Nolan (2006), Ciara Flanagan (2008), Catherina Corcoran (2009), Amy Flanagan (2010)
Harry Keyes Trophy – (Introduced in 1999) U17 Male T&F Athlete: Brendan Culleton (2005)
‘Kehoe Foods’ Appreciation Award: Peter Byrne (1998), Clare Doyle (2008), Pat O’Leary (2014)
Role of Honour – Leinster Awards
Hehir Trophy-Best Club in Relay: 1st 1982, 1997, 2003, 2004, 2005 & 2008; 2nd 2006 & 2009
Leinster Shield-Best 9-11yrs Club: 1st 1997, 2004, 2005, 2015; 2nd 2006; 3rd 2008
Quinn Cup-Best 12-15yrs Club: 1st 2005, 2008, 2009; 2nd 2006
Eurotab Cup-Best 16-19yrs Club: 1st 1997; 2nd 2006
Byrne Cup-Best Indoors 13-19yrs: 2nd 2009; 3rd 2006
Individual All Stars; Michael Halpin & Susan Cloney (1992); Clara Thompson (1995); Brian O’Leary (1996); Justin Browne (1997 & 1998); Suzanne Doyle (1998); Lorcan Crean (1999); Marcella Cullen (2000, 2002 & 2003); Ben Hunt (2003, 2004 & 2005); Aine Doyle (2006, 2007 & 2008); Brendan Culleton (2006, 2007 & 2008); Amy Flanagan (2009); Catherina Corcoran (2010, 2011, 2013 & 2014); Ryan Murray (2014); Sophie McCabe (2015 & 2016)
Outstanding Service; Pat O’Leary (2012); Clare Doyle (2018)
Role of Honour – National Awards
Individual All Stars: Malachy Sheridan (1985); Siobhan Moloney (1987); Clara Thompson (1997); John Walker (2000); Marcella Cullen (2003); Ben Hunt (2005); Ryan Murray (2012)
Role of Honour – Internationals
Over Bree AC’s 50th years in existence, twenty five athletes have worn an Irish vest at International Championships. Undoubtedly, the club’s highlight was representation in the 1992 Winter Olympics by Malachy Sheridan. Malachy competed for Ireland in the two man Bobsleigh. Other athletes to compete for Ireland in Celtic Games, Youth Olympics, Schools Internationals, CSIT Games, FISEC Games or Metro Games etc include Siobhan Moran, Brenda Thompson, Teresa O’Hanlon, Hugh Kinsella, Martha Halpin, Clara Thompson, Valerie Vaughan, Marcella Cullen, Elizabeth Egan, Brian O’Leary, John Egan, Donagh Sheridan, William Spratt Murphy, Brendan Culleton, Peter Roche, Tony Stafford, Chloe Whelan, Ryan Murray, Kieron McCabe, John Egan, Sophie McCabe, Aoife Cloke Rochford and Darra Casey.
Patrick (Paddy) O’Leary (son of Pat) has represented Ireland on Ultra Marathon Teams worldwide. Some of his recent placings was 26th in Spain, 6th in Italy and 10th in Hong Kong. In 2019, he set a National record for ‘The Wicklow Round’. Paddy has also competed in a number of marathons, his most notable one was finishing in 61st place in the Boston Marathon in 2017 where he was the first Irish man home.
Bree Athletic Club celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2020. As part of these celebrations, Bree AC was due to host the Leinster Relay Championships in Enniscorthy Hub at the end of May. However, all events for this season have been suspended due to Covid 19. When normal training sessions resume, Bree AC can cater for all track and field events such as sprints, hurdles, middle and long distance, throws, long jump, high jump and walks. Outdoor training takes place at Ballyhogue GAA Grounds in Bree and indoor training takes place from October to April in Bree Community Centre.
A wise old coach once said that there is no such thing as ‘luck’ in athletics but that there is “chance” when preparation meets opportunity. Long may this hold true for Bree Athletic Club.
Addition to History
2020-2021
Indoor Training was progressing well for January and February 2020 until the whole country went into lockdown for the first time due to Covid 19. On the competition side of things for 2020, 9 athletes had competed in the Leinster Indoors and 7 medals were won by Ciara Laffan 1st 60mH; Jayden Kenny, Abbie Doyle and Katie Doyle 2nd 60mH, Kiera Wilson 3rd 60mH, Abbie Doyle 3rd 60m and Jayden Kenny 3rd LJ. All other competitions were cancelled for the remainder of the year. 2020 was supposed to be a big year for Bree AC as celebrations were planned to mark our 50th year in existence. However, as we all know, nothing much happened outside of lockdowns. During two of the lockdowns, the more senior athletes were involved in and enjoyed some friendly virtual competition amongst themselves. Some outdoor training took place during the summer of 2020 and again in November and December 2020 within 'pods'.
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The following is an article about Bree Athletic Club which was included in the book "WEXFORD ATHLETICS" published in 1989 by Wexford County Boards of B.L.E. and B.L.O.E.
Athletics has been a way of life in Bree parish for a long number of years. From the 1930's many stories are told of men like Jimmy Carton, Gerald Clancy and Paddy Broaders performing notable feats in 100 and 220 yard events throughout the county. In the mid 1950s the then curate of Bree, Fr. Ml. O'Regan C.C. formed a club which took part in a number of Cross Country Championships. The only notable success was John Curtis winning the Co Novice title in 1955. The duration of the club was short however, perhaps the reason being that all athletes involved, were also leading members of the Ballyhogue Football Team -Co. Junior Champions of that year.
The present Bree Athletic Club was founded by Tony Green and Dan Walsh in May 1970. From a humble beginning, nursed along by Tony as Chairman, Dan as Secretary and Treasurer Frank Dunne, the club grew in strength and were soon a formidable force in Wexford athletics. The first success of a registered Bree athlete came in August 1970 when Bridie Dempsey won the 100 yards event at the Oylegate Open Sports.
Early years of Bree Athletic Club.
Although perhaps better known nowadays for its achievements in B.L.O.E. circles, Bree Athletic Club in its early years of existence had remarkable success in Track and Field and Cross Country events. In 1972, the Bree team of the Tomfarney brothers, Michael and Pat O'Leary, Dessie Nolan and Tommy Kehoe won the county novice Cross Country Championship with Michael O'Leary taking the individual award. Michael repeated this feat in the Intermediate event, with the team taking the runner up position. Other top class runners in the Bree colours in those years were Seamus Denton, Peter Kehoe, Willie Green, Jimmy Kennedy, Jimmy Broaders and Johnny Denton.
In Track and Field, Pat O'Leary had many brilliant wins in middle distance events. He was placed second in the 400m, 800m and 1500m of 1971. He followed this by winning the 800m and 1500m of 1972. Two other successful athletes with Bree Athletic Club at that time were Peadar Kehoe and John Roche who later made athletic headlines with Enniscorthy and S.B.R. clubs.
B.L.O.E.
With the formation of new clubs and the re-organisation of others in adjoining areas, a number of athletes went their separate ways but fortunately for the club, a number of young athletes were coming on the scene. Early successes by Stella Byrne in Rural Schools, Bridie Dempsey, Anne Dempsey and Eileen Byrne in Community Games in 1972 augured well for the future. In 1973, those four athletes along with Brideen O'Rourke, Assumpta Crean, Maura Byrne and Mary Shannon were to establish themselves as top class athletes at county level. Mary Shannon and Eileen Byrne were later to compete successfully at Provincial and National levels. Mary Shannon must rate as one of Wexford's best ever juvenile athletes. She is the proud holder of 29 Co. Championships, 12 Leinster and three All-Ireland medals under B.L.O.E. rules. Mary also has in her medal collection, ten county titles and two All-Ireland medals in Community Games. She was also a member of that brilliant relay team of Eileen Byrne, Imelda Kanvangh, Paula Kavangah and in later years Caroline Kelly, that were undefeated at county level from 1973 to 1979. This team won many Leinster events and the All Ireland U12 title in 1975. Brideen O'Rourke was the only athlete of that era to take part in B.L.E. Championship and won many competitions in the high jump event.
By 1979, under the guidance of Peter Byrne, Peter Shannon, Tony Green and Paddy Sheridan, Bree had become one of Wexford's top juvenile athletic clubs. Names such as Peter Shannon, Malachy Sheridan, Mary Green, Margaret Cloke, Peter Byrne, Jim Byrne, David Reck, Brendan Winters, Barbara Sinnott, Dolores Kavanagh, Patsy Green, Paul Nolan and Anne Marie Byrne had made athletic headlines in rural schools, Community Games and B.L.O.E. Championships. This was not alone in Co. Wexford but also at provincial level, with a number of them winning National honours. The Secretary's report of 1979 showed the club had a total of 95 registered athletes and their achievements included a staggering total of eighteen Co. Community Games, 78 Co. Championships, six Leinster and two All-Ireland medals. The two National medal winners were Peter Shannon and Malachy Sheridan.
The 1980s
The 4x100 relay was, and in fact still is one of the great features of Bree Athletic Club. At training sessions relays always found favour with the athletes and most training in the club was done through the running of relay races. In 1981, seven relay teams travelled to the Leinster Club Championships in Tullamore and they recorded three firsts, three seconds and one third. The U14 girls team of Mary Green, Margaret Cloke, Dolores Kavanagh and Barbara Sinnott went on to take third place in the All-Ireland of that year. Other National relay medal winners were the boys team of Peter Shannon, Peter Byrne, David Reck and Jim Byrne third place in Mosney in 1983. Peter Shannon, Peter Byrne, Bobby Carthy and Donal Donovan were U17 silver medal winners in Limerick in 1984. Also in 1984, with Malachy Sheridan replacing Donal Donovan they gained third place in the Junior B.L.E. final in Cork.
Some top class athletes
Apart from relays, there were many top class performers in the club. By the time he had reached the age of fourteen years, Malachy Sheridan had established himself as one of the country's leading athletes. A brilliant all rounder, he won Lenister medals in sprinting, hurdles, long jump and shot putt. It was in the pole vault event that he really excelled and through the coaching of Fr. Ml. Lavelle while a student in Rockwell College, he broke many records in College and B.L.O.E. Championships. He also competed at International level.
Peter Shannon was another who was capable of competing at all levels of athletics. He is Mary's brother and a son of Peter Snr. (well known to athletic followers). His brilliant sprinting ability gained him numerous medals and trophies. Peter represented Wexford in Mosney on eight separate occasions. winning three bronze medals. He also holds two National B.L.O.E. runner up medals for the 80m event.
A young star to arrive on the scene in the early 80s was Paul Nolan, another allrounder with talent in abundance. He won All Ireland gold medals in the 80m and Long Jump in 1980. He repeated his Long Jump success in 1981 also taking the runner up medal in the 70m Hurdles. He also holds silver National Community Games medals for the sprint in 1978 and 1980.
Joseph Carley first came to prominence in 1982 with a fourth place in the Long Jump in Mosney. The following year this talented athlete had a magnificent season winning nine County and three Leinster titles. He was also placed third in the All Ireland Long Jump competition.
Form 1980 to 1984 Bree club members won a total of eighteen All-Ireland, twelve National Community Games, 145 Leinster and 498 Co. Championship medals. This was a remarkable achievement for a club which competes in Track and Field competitions only. Athletes who contributed in no small way to that collection at Leinster and All-Ireland level apart form those already mentioned were Peter Byrne, Mary Green, Margaret Cloke, Barbara Sinnott, Dolores Kavanagh, Catherine Byrne, David Reck, Jim Byrne, Patsy Green, David Byrne, Laurence Byrne, Lorcan Wickham and that fine relay team of Marie Byrne, Nuala Byrne, Mairead Nolan and Margaret Hartigan.
1984-1989
The middle years of the decade also witnessed some great sprinting and jumping performances from athletes such as Siobhan Moloney, Catherine Byrne, Maria Byrne, Aidan Cox, Robert Reck and Kieran Morrissey. Siobhan Moloney first came to notice in 1984 by winning the U14 Long Jump in Mosney. She capped a great juvenile career with a silver medal win in the All-Ireland Long Jump in 1986. Siobhan repeated that feat in 1987, a year in which she also took the gold medal in the National Javelin Championship. Those performances gained for Siobhan Moloney the prestigious Bank Of Ireland Athlete of the Year Award. Aidan Cox won a silver and bronze medal in the All-Ireland U13 80m and Long Jump respectively.
Success in throwing events became very prominent in 1985 with Hughie Kinsella winning a National bronze in the U13 Discus. He followed this with a third place in the Hammer. An all rounder, he qulaified for successive All-Irelands in Shot Putt, Discus, Javelin and Hammer events. He won bronze medals in the Shot Putt in 1988 and 1989. John Colloton following in his fathers, (Mayler) footsteps has won All-Ireland silvers in the National Discus competition in 1987 and 1988. He also won numerous Leinster and Co. titles in Javelin and Shot Putt. His brother Tom also won an All-Ireland bronze in the Discus in 1989. Not to be outdone by his older brother Malachy, Donagh Sheridan, won All-Ireland titles in the Pole Vault as well as coming second in the British A.A.A. Indoor Championship. Other promising young throwers coming up through the ranks at that stage were Angela Cloney and Brenda Thompson.
Pride of place for 1989 must be given to Soibhan Moran, winner of the gold medal for the U15 Javelin, with a great throw of 33.06m. She was also selected for the Irish team to compete at the Celtic International Games in Wales. Although operating for many years as a juvenile club, Bree at that time had athletes competing at Junior and Senior level. Although still competing as juveniles, a number of those athletes received high rankings at National level at Junior & Senior level. The future of Bree Athletic Club is assured by the steady stream of young athletes joining the club. Names such as Simon Ring and Declan Cloney, bronze medal winners in Mosney 1989, Peter Kavanagh, dual gold medal winner in Leinster 1989 Championships. Fiona Cowman, Jason O'Brien, Sinead O'Leary, Suzanne Doyle, Aine Moriarty, Lucy Browne, Mary Redmond, Justin Browne, Robert Ring, Ciara Browne, Elaine Kinsella, Valerie Vaughan, Breda Keane, Liam Redmond, Catriona Leacy, Colm Moriarty, Tomas Moriarty, John Carty, Lorraine Leacy and many others will carry the Bree colours well into the 1990s.
These athletes, coupled with officers such as Paddy Sheridan, Paul Kinsella, Peter Shannon, Aidan Moore, Nicky Cowman, Peter Byrne and founder member Tony Green, with the co-operation of parents and supporters, guarantee that Bree Athletic Club will be there for many, many years to come. It is not an easy to cover adequately nineteen years of Bree Athletic Club in this short article. It is not easy to pay full tribute to the many athletes who wore the Bree AC blue and white singlet with pride and distinction. We hope this publication will revive happy memories for athletes and parents alike who found many new friends on the running fields of Wexford and beyond.
