Columba Cryan RIP
Columba holds the unique distinction as the holder of two Railway Cup Medals, 1957 and 1958
Four Leitrim players were selected for The 1957 railway cup squad. The first two Leitrim players to win Railway cups on the field of play were Packie McGarty and Noel Blessing, with Columba Cryan & Frank Quinn as substitutes. In the final Connacht beat Munster 2-9 to 1-6 before a crowd of 43,805
In 1958 – Packie and Columba were joined by a new Railway Cup Star corner forward Cathal Flynn. Connacht beat Munster on St Patricks Day 2-7 to 0-8 in the final in Croke Park before a crowd of 50,000
The Leitrim Supporters honoured our Railway Cup winners on their 50th Anniversary in 2018.
Historian and author Fr. Dan Gallogly writing in 1984 in the Ballinamore Sean O'Heslin's GAA Centenary Book stated
"It is true to say that from 1950 to 1960 Columba Cryan was the outstanding Ballinamore player. Few players in the county could match him. He gave dedicated and loyal service to both his club and his county and will always rank as one of Sean O'Heslin's best players".
Columba was a great football man and it was always a pleasure to meet him. On behalf of all Leitrim Supporters I would like to express our deepest sympathy to Columba’s family and friends. May he rest in peace.
Eamonn Duignan.
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A former Leitrim senior hurler who grew up playing football barefoot in a refugee camp in Iraq has spoken of the power of inclusivity that GAA has had in his journey, saying: “It has made me friends for life.”
Zak Moradi arrived in Carrick- on-Shannon at 11 years old along with his family. He knew nobody in the town, nothing about the culture and could not speak a word of English.
“It was a massive language barrier, but starting hurling and Gaelic in primary school and taking part in the Cúl Camps helped me to make some lifelong friends,” he said.
Now, 22 years later, life has come full circle for Zak, who is this year’s ambassador for Kellogg’s Cúl Camps, who are looking to promote the importance of diversity and inclusion.
Working in collaboration with the GAA and the Irish Refugee Council, spaces will be made available to migrant families who are looking to get their children involved, with transport to and from the camps to be provided.
“The GAA has become more diverse. The country is changing. I always thought I was one of the only foreign nationals playing when I was in Leitrim,” Zak said.
“Over the last 10 years I have seen massive change. There are more kids from diverse backgrounds playing now than ever before.”
📸: Frank McGrath
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