25 YEARS CELEBRATING THE SPORTING LIFE OF PÁIDÍ Ó SÉ

Over 1,300 Gaelic football players from Ireland, Europe and
the USA will compete in the 25th anniversary year of the PhoneWatch Comórtas
Peile Páidí Ó Sé 2014, with over 40 adult men’s and ladies club teams
descending on the rugged Dingle Peninsula from 21st-23rd February.

Supported by PhoneWatch, Opel Ireland, Lee Strand Milk,
Fáilte Ireland, Kerry County Council, and Newstalk 106-108FM, the ‘Comórtas’
was officially launched by An Taoiseach Enda Kenny T.D. in Dublin today (11th
February). The football festival has attracted almost 10,000 club players over
25 years and has grown into a major international GAA event with senior,
intermediate and junior clubs travelling from over ten counties as well as
Boston, London, Manchester and Brussels this year.

To mark the 25th anniversary, the four original senior men’s
club teams from the first tournament back in 1989 will once again compete, West
Kerry’s An Gaeltacht and Dingle clubs, Cork’s Ballincollig and Galway’s An
Cheathrú Rua

Pádraig Óg. Ó Sé said, ‘The Comórtas has grown beyond our
Dad’s wildest dreams. We are delighted it continues to attract clubs from all
over the world. It sends a positive message to young people about the benefits
of an active and healthy lifestyle.  This
event, along with Fundúireacht Páidí Ó Sé, a charitable foundation that we set
up after his passing to help provide Cardiac related services in Kerry and
nationally, are positive legacies he would have been proud of. We are also also
flattered that a local committee has been set up to perpetuate his memory in
the form of a monument for his contribution to Irish life.”

Eoin Dunne, Managing Director of PhoneWatch said;
“PhoneWatch are delighted to be the title sponsor of this iconic sporting event
which is a fitting tribute to Páidí’s sporting life. We look forward to a
successful partnership and would like to wish all the participants of the
PhoneWatch Comórtas Peile Páidí Ó’Sé tournament the very best of luck. Go n-éirí
go geal libh! “.

The annual photography exhibition will this year feature the
work of Ireland’s leading photography agency Inpho Photography, who is also
celebrating 25 years in business. The exhibit, ‘Irish Sports Stars Through The
Years’ by  Billy Stickland and his team,
will belaunched by GAA legend Mick O’Dwyer at 5pm, Sun, 23rd Feb in Paidi’s pub
at Ard Bhothair and will remain on display in the pub for two months.

A committee has recently been formed to perpetuate the
memory of the late Páidí O Sé; footballer supreme, and a man who achieved
extraordinary things for his county, his parish and the country at large – both
on and off the football field – in a comparatively short life

Páidí will be remembered by the creation of a life-size
bronze monument which will be erected outside his home in Ard A Bhóthair as a
reminder of his contribution to Irish society. The aim is to officially unveil
the monument on 16th May, 2015, on what would have been Páidí’s 60th birthday,
The committee is working with friends of Páidí from the corporate sector to
contribute towards the cost of this undertaking.

 

 

SENIOR LADIES

Carnacon GAA, Mayo

Na Gaeil, Kerry

Foxrock–Cabinteely GAA, Dublin

Timahoe GAA, Laois

Southern Gaels, Kerry

Scartaglen, Kerry

INTERMEDIATE LADIES

Fr Murphy’s, London

Blessington Ladies GAA, Wicklow

St Josephs, Carrigallen, Leitrim

Erins Own Carrigtwohill, East Cork

Corca Dhuibhne, Kerry

Park Ratheniska, Laois

JUNIOR LADIES

Belgium GAA, Brussels, Belgium

St Anthony’s GAA, Reading UK

Finuge, Kerry

John Mitchels GAA, Kerry

 

 

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