Cavan look to the future while remembering the past

It’s a brave admission at the opening of a partly historical installation but George Cartwright of Cornafean and Cavan GAA’s historian emeritus says it anyway.

“Cavan is often accused of living in the past and reliving past glories and there’s an element of truth in that.”

Of course he has a plea of mitigation ready: “But surely we have to record and acknowledge the great achievements of our predecessors even though you can’t take your eye off the bigger picture – the development and progression of all current Cavan teams and club sides.

“We’ve great crowds at county championship matches and when the county plays it’s a great attraction in Cavan. That’s the present.”

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On Saturday evening in Kingspan Breffni Park, where so much of that present activity takes place, the Breffni Gallery will be opened. It’s more of an interpretive centre than a museum even though Cavan has such a remarkable history.

For 20 years between the early 1930s and 1950s, no county won more football All-Irelands. The titles included one of the most famous finals of all, the 1947 Polo Grounds All-Ireland in New York and all of the legends that went with this sustained success.

How then do you walk the line between celebrating your past but looking to the future?

Savina Donohoe, curator of the Gallery and recently retired from the same position with the county museum in Ballyjamesduff, explains.

“I’m from the county and really passionate about Cavan, its history and culture. The GAA is an organisation for so many people. I know its about sport and that’s important but it’s so much more – team work, commitment, mentoring, coaching and giving people confidence as they go through life, from the very young child to the very old person.

“All this memorabilia is a great resource. The present is important because it informs the future but we can’t forget the past and the people who dug the well because it informs the present and I think we’ve a nice blend of both.”

This is achieved in a room lined with exhibits and display material. Cartwright’s advice from the historical perspective was linked what he describes as other local expertise.

“Martin Gaffney from Killeshandra, who is a professional design consultant – also a great musician and with a deep interest in the GAA – came on board and virtually took over the presentation and design aspect. He guided us through it and Mel’s Signs here in Cavan did the production.”

The concept was envisaged by county chair Kieran Callaghan during the bleak days of Covid.

“It was his idea originally,” says county vice chair Mark O’Rourke. “This room was originally the players’ gym and when a new one was built, this was going to be a meeting room and Kieran came up with the idea of turning it into a cultural, historical space.

“It will be a multi-function room. We’ve had county board meetings. Last year we had a get-together for our jubilee team, Bailieboro Shamrocks, and we hope to use it for receptions. We’ve been able to make the best of the space by using QR codes around the gallery, which allow visitors to access much more information.”

All activities are featured, women’s sports, handball, rounders and Scór, and a striking map of the county with the locations of its 42 clubs.

There is an emphasis on the contemporary with Cavan’s three All Stars from 2022 displayed but also plenty of memorabilia, including a striking array of items related to PJ Duke, the great wing back who died at 25 when a dentistry student in UCD.

A postcard announcing his selection for a match – the conventional way of informing players in those days – and his college scarf are to be seen beneath the famous photograph of his cortege turning onto St Stephen’s Green from Leeson Street.

Anne Fortune is the county board’s Children’s Officer and also a member of the fund raising sub-committee. She says that assumptions about the county’s history don’t always tally with reality.

“For many people the great footballers of the past and their legacies are well known but young people haven’t always heard of them and this is an opportunity to connect with that fantastic history and inspire enthusiasm and belief in the future.

“We’ve had substantial support from Cavan Leader and County Council. It will be used for work shops for the community and as an added tourism destination.

“I brought my mother in just last week and into the home dressing room where she saw the lists of Ulster winning players and the names she picked out wouldn’t be as familiar to me. She’s 85 and was delighted going around identifying people she recognised.

“That shows the potential for older people to come in and look around and chat and reminisce over a cup of tea.”

The space, which has a drop-down screen, will be used for meetings, talks and presentations but the wider stadium is also part of the experience. The Cavan dressing room has 15 displays, each numbered, listing everyone who wore the jersey in all of the Ulster championship winning teams.

Anne Fortune also explains that there is a broader community involvement. “At the moment we’re completing a sensory wall for children with special needs. We’ve a 10-week programme running at the moment in conjunction with a local sports partnership for children with special needs.

“We’re already working to ensure that the programme is extended. There are six hubs and over 80 children involved and more than 100 volunteers, some of whom haven’t had any involvement with the GAA previously.

“Everyone has seen the slogan: ‘GAA – where we all belong’ and this is the living of it.”