Legendary exploits of Wexford dual GAA club recalled at awards night in Johnstown Castle

By Simon Bourke, Wexford People

One of the finest achievements in the history of Co Wexford GAA was recalled at the annual Rosslare Municipal District (RMD) awards as St Anne’s class of 2000 was honoured at a special ceremony. The club was the recipient of the highest honour the district can confer on an individual or a group as cathaoirleach Ger Carthy presented its history-making teams with a civic award for their dual code success in 2000.

St Anne’s of Rathangan won both the senior county hurling and football championships in 2000, a feat that had not been achieved since 1960 and hasn’t been achieved since. What made the success all the more remarkable was that it was achieved with the same set of players for both teams, 13 of the 15 who won the football county final in New Ross lined out in Belfield for the hurling final with all six backs lining out in both. Charlie White lined out as a dual star at full-back and held the title of club chairperson that year.

The football final was won on a scoreline of seven points to four against the Starlights. In the hurling final St Annes defeated Oulart the Ballagh, coming from eight points behind to win 2-12 to 2-10.

The second award of the night was presented to legendary mountain runner and world champion, Ger Maloney.

A late bloomer, Ger only took up athletics 18 years ago when he was invited to join St Paul’s Athletics club by Peter Connick. When Ger started out, he was inspired by the great masters runners tJim Stafford, Martin McDonald, Tommy Payne and Bernard Fortune and, within a few months of taking up the sport, he was competing alongside those great names in county teams, Irish cross-country teams and European and world mountain running teams.

In 2015, Ger was on the first ever Masters Irish Mountain Running team to win a world Gold and won an individual world bronze. This was followed by individual European gold in Barcelona in 2017.

Still competing at the highest level, Ger won four international mountain running medals last year: a world team gold and individual silver, as well as European Team and individual bronze.

The awards were presented at Johnstown Castle where recipients were joined by family and friends for what was a joyous occasion for all concerned.