The first Galway team to lift the Liam McCarthy – and indeed for 58 years the only Tribesmen to do so – were remembered with love and pride a century on, as their descendants took pride of place at a function in their honour at the weekend.

Over 300 people gathered the Raheen Woods Hotel in Athenry to celebrate the centenary of Galway’s victory in the 1923 All Ireland Hurling Championship.

Organised by the former Galway hurlers network Baireoiri na Gaillimhe, family members of each member of the 1923 panel were presented with commemorative jerseys, photographs and books, marking Galway’s first ever All Ireland title at any grade.

Among the descendants to attend were Tim Tully from Kinvara, grandson of 1923 Galway captain Mick Kenny, who proudly brought his grandfather’s All-Ireland medal with him.

Even more poignantly, his mother Rose – representing her father – joined the only other men to ever lift the Liam McCarthy Cup, David Burke (2017), Joe Connolly (1980) and Conor Hayes (1987 and 1988) for a unique photograph with the famous trophy.

Eithne Dervan Donohue, daughter of Mick Dervan, was there, as were Eamon, Maria, Roisin and John Dervan, relatives of Ned Dervan from Tynagh at the Báireoirí na Gaillimhe centenary celebration dinner at the Raheen Woods Hotel Athenry.

So too were Mary and Ann O’Connell from Athenry, granddaughters of 1923 Galway All-Ireland winning centre-forward Dick Morrissey who scored 2-2 in the final against Limerick, and Patrick, Ciara and Lorraine Mahoney from Ardrahan, granddaughters of Junior Mahoney.

Caption: Galway all-Ireland winning Hurling captains David Burke (2017), Joe Connolly (1980) and Conor Hayes (1987) with Rose Tully, daughter of 1923 all-Ireland winning Galway captain Mick Kenny at the Báireoirí Na Gaillimhe centenary celebration dinner at the Raheen Woods Hotel Athenry. Photo: Brian Harding.

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