Legacy of Matt Slevin honoured with memorable celebration

The annual U10 tournament, held in memory of the late Matt Slevin, once again brought together young talent and a strong sense of community at Moynihan Park, Ballynacargy on Saturday.

Matt Slevin, a well-known figure in the GAA community, was a driving force behind underage development in the club for many years. His contributions extended beyond the local scene, with service on both the Westmeath County Board and the Leinster Council, making this event not only a celebration of youth sport but also a tribute to a man who championed the growth of the game. He also played a leading role in acquiring Moynihan Park, the club’s impressive venue, in 1963.

This year’s tournament was particularly special with the arrival of the Sam Maguire Cup, an iconic symbol of GAA excellence. The presence of the trophy, which was made possible thanks to the efforts of Frank Mescall, added an extra layer of excitement and pride to the event. Mr Mescall, who reached out to GAA president Jarlath Burns, ensured that the famous cup could be part of the festivities. Kieran Martin and Tom Farrell made the journey to the grounds, offering the young players and supporters invaluable time with the cherished trophy.

“We are very grateful to Frank Mescall, who contacted the GAA president to ensure we had the famous trophy here,” said Jason Wallace, one of the main organisers of the event. “Kieran Martin and Tom Farrell made the journey over and gave us 45 minutes with the cup. We are thrilled with that. And we had a military piper, David Kelly, 6th Battalion, who led the parade at the start with all the players, and it added greatly to the occasion.”

The tournament continues to embody Slevin’s vision of promoting inclusion and fostering the development of young players. The presence of teams from across the county and the participation of all players in the grand parade, led by military piper David Kelly, highlighted the spirit of unity and celebration that Slevin so passionately advocated.

As the young players took to the pitch, the atmosphere was electric, reflecting the enduring legacy of Matt Slevin and the commitment of the club to nurturing the next generation of GAA stars. The tournament not only honours Slevin’s memory but also serves as a reminder of the importance of community, inclusion, and the joy of sport at its purest level.

The club thanked everyone involved, including Frances Lyons and Michelle Price Connolly and their young helpers in An Siopa; Paul Cahill, who provided the sound system; Eddie Maguire, Colm Fay, Derek Wallace, Eoin Finnerty and Ger Maher, who were on parking duty; John Lyons, who distributed the match programmes; club chairman Johnnie Penrose and his namesake, who were on lotto ticket duty; Westmeath inter county footballers Senan Baker, Tracey Dillon, Conor Dillon and Kelly Boyce Jordan for attending our tournament and taking the time to stand in for photographs with all the young players.

Special thanks and appreciation were reserved for the Slevin family for their ongoing sponsorship and support of this great tournament which will hopefully run for many years to come.

Leanne Slevin assisted with the medal presentation; the other two special guests, Robert Troy, TD, and County Committee chairman, Frank Mescall. Cathal Slevin’s words after the tournament were appreciated and Frankie Doran had the task of keeping order at the ice cream van.

Lead organiser behind this year’s tournament was the club’s hardworking underage chairman Jason Wallace, who put a huge amount of time, effort and thought into the planning of the event. He left no stone unturned and had everything planned out to the finest detail. Not surprisingly, the whole tournament ran with military precision.

Jason was ably assisted by Gerard Connolly and Paul Cahill and the three main men carried it off superbly. It was a fitting tribute to two great men, Matt Slevin and Fr Paschal Slevin.