The Mayo Masters team have faced all types of adversity and struggles over the past 20 years to keep their beloved sport alive but on Saturday last at a Gala Function in Ennis John Pat Sheridan, chairperson of the Mayo and the National Gaelic Masters Association, and his teammates were justly rewarded for their dedication to the sport they love so dearly.
“I cannot believe it, I am lost for words,” Sheridan said as he accepted the special Pride of Place sports award from Minister for the Diaspora Jimmy Deenihan. “We came down here to represent Mayo but we never thought that we would be going home with a national award,” he said in a voice that was shaking with joy.
“This award is not just for the Mayo Masters but it is for the entire Gaelic Masters Association who have fought tooth and nail to keep the game alive against all the odds,” he said. “I am accepting this accolade of behalf of all the players, counties, families, and communities across Ireland that have believed in us over the past number of years. All we ever wanted to do was to play the sport we love so dearly despite our age,” he continued.
The judges commented that the Mayo Masters organisation was an excellent example of a health initiative that was ‘reaching out’, ‘inclusive’ and all about ‘companionship’. The winning citation read ‘we have no doubt as to its future viability. The positive healthy lifestyle that the association promotes has been well recognised by many local groups and organisations in the west of Ireland. Their motto has always been, "We don’t stop playing football because we grow old, quite the opposite, we grow old because we stop playing football."
PRO for the Gaelic Masters Association Sean McCaughey said the National Pride of Place award was vindication for those who had kept the Gaelic Masters dream alive. “I want to thank everyone who has supported us; the players, the clubs, the communities and especially our sponsors, in particular I want to thank Irish TV for giving us renewed vision and hope,” he said.
