Over 500 participants took part in the Tayto Topaz Comórtas Peile Páidí Ó Sé which took place in pitches across West Kerry over the weekend including teams from the four provinces and the UK. The festival of football and culture is judged to be worth over 200,000 euros to the local economy. The dry mild spring weather ensured the spirits of all 16 teams were high throughout the tournament which took place in West Kerry over the weekend.
Dingle lived up to their favourites tag by beating Louth’s Cooley Kickhams by 2-10 to 1-8 despite the fact the local side were without their county stars Tommy Griffen and Paul and David Geaney. Dingle breezed past St Margaret’s of Swords, Dublin in the first round on a scoreline of 3-12 to 8 points before getting a much stiffer challenge from local rivals An Gaeltacht in the semi-final. The local teams offered up some great football in a well attended semi-final in Dingle. Ronan O’Flaherta was strongest for An Gaeltacht while Dingle Captain Brendan Kelliher was to the fore for Dingle with the town team winning in the end by a single point.
Dingle Captain Brendan Kelliher said after accepting the Lee Strand Cup from John O’Sullivan, Manageing Director of Lee Strand Co-Operative, “We got three tough matches over the weekend including a decent tussle with our neighbours. We enjoyed meeting the teams from around the country. In particular, Cooley Kickhams have been great sportsmen on and off the pitch over the weekend.”
The ladies final was a one-sided affair with Galway’s Kilkerrin-Clonberne, under management from former Galway All Star and All-Ireland winner John Divilly dominating Dublin’s Parnell’s, winning out by 5-10 to 2-5.
Following the successful introduction of an American Football exhibition match in 2009, this year again saw two of Ireland’s top Irish American Football teams lining out on the Corca Dhuibhne rugby grounds on Saturday. UL Vikings beat off a physical Cork Admirals (44-18) to retain what has been dubbed Gaeltacht Bowl by the Irish American Football League players.
Paidi O’Se commented, “The Gods were kind to us with the weather and all teams seemed to get a kick out of the weekend and no one got injured. We had over 500 players in West Kerry from as far away as London which is great for local businesses. In particular I’d like to thank Lee Strand Milk for helping to make the tournament a great success this year and our other associate sponsors Pat The Baker and Bord Na Mona”.
Irish Times Photographer Eric Luke had his exhibition of photography launched at Paidi O'Se's pub by Daragh O'Se on the Sunday and the Bor Na Mona sponsored exhibition will be on display for the next two months at the pub.