MILLENNIUM  BANQUET

What an extraordinary night Saturday 28th 2001 turned out to be for camogie followers in Wicklow. Following months of hard work by the dedicated members of the Millennium Committee under the chairmanship of Victor O'Shaughnessy whose job it was to organise the Millennium Banquet, all present on the night agreed that it was one of the most memorable events that the Camogie Association in Wicklow had ever undertaken.
In all over 340 packed Lawlesses Hotel to capacity to witness the presentation of Millennium Awards to 32 clubs and 3 county teams. Also presented on the night was the first ever Camogie Hall of Fame Award. This was presented to May Byrne from Rathnew, an outstanding and deserving recipient who played most of her camogie with Glenealy and achieved the amazing record of winning 11 senior championships and 2 interprovinical medals during her playing career which spanned a total of 38 years. May was a born stylist of defence and forged for herself a lasting place among the camogie immortals of this county and province.
Apart from the historic occasion it turned out to be, it must be said that it was emotional for those recipients who had never before being recognised for the outstanding contribution they had made to the progress of camogie in Wicklow. Special guest Pat Rafferty , Uachtaran Camogiochta na nGael who presented the awards spoke of the importance of the occasion and congratulated all the recipients on their lifetime dedication to the game of camogie. It was with this love of camogie that some of the recipients brought their cherised medals won nearly seventy years ago to show to anyone interested. Elizabeth Parke of Strattord had a spectacular collection of the most beautiful solid silver medals together with a silver cup won back in the 1930's.
M.C. on the night Victor O'Shaughnessy, thanked everyone who had made the night a success. He paid a special tribute to the members of the Millennium Committee whose hard work and dedication ensured that the night would never be forgotten by those men and women being honoured.
Members of his committee included Patricia Whelan, Margaret O'Toole, Jimmy Dunne, Winnie O'Hanlon, Mary O'Loughlin, Charlotte Carolan and Kathleen Mc.Allister. He also thanked the sponsors who had so genrously supported this occasion. With Shering Plough being the main sponsors, generous contributions were gratefully received from Myles Carroll and Suzuki of Aughrim Motors; Coogan Farm Services Tinahely; F.B.D. Insurance Ltd., Moran's of Avoca, Wood Industries, Hazelwood Nurseries, Jacob's Well, Rathdrum, John & Kathleen McAllister.
Following the enormous good will that was generated as a result of this very successful event, it was hoped by the Millennium Committee that the County Board could build on these renewed friendships and the promotion of camogie in Wicklow would be made that much easier.