Ciaran Shannon RIP

[Gabriel_Hurl]

Large crowd out for the event last Friday night - a nice sum was raised for the kids

[magpie seanie]

We were in Annacurra, Co. Wicklow last weekend for what was a brilliant series of events even if they were naturally tinged with sadness at times. It's just after Ciaran's anniversary and it was nice to be there for the weekend. A walkway in the woods near the village is being developed and dedicated to Ciaran and a plaque was unveiled to his memory at the pitch. Approx 70-80 lads togged out for the 7 a side tournament for the Ciaran Shannon Cup with over 20 of us from Coolera/Strandhill as well as lads from all arts and parts and several of our new friends from Toronto. I was playing on a team containing players from the local club and one lads from their local rivals who they play against in the championship next Friday. The slagging was fierce but it was just great. Sligo's win on Saturday evening was greeted with great joy by all and sundry. As always we were brilliantly looked after by Annacurra club and community. The man himself would have been very proud.

[paddypastit]

I'm not sure what happened in my life at the time that I didn't hear about this at the time last year but was told about it sometime a few months back by a Wicklow GAA man that knew Ciaran. I knew him in those days that he was playing for Sligo and God he leaves a long shadow. As the father of three young kids, it just doesn't bear thinking about.  As someone said earlier... it just isn't right but fabulous to hear of the weekend that Seanie describes - that is really what this whole thing should be about and great credit to the clubs involved.