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Scór in Cornafean |
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History of Scór Picture Parade
The History of Scór in Cornafean - The early years
Scór, the GAA's annual talent competition was founded in 1969, and Cornafean took part when the first competitions in Co. Cavan were organised in the early 1970s
Since then, Scór has enjoyed huge and consistent popularity in Cornafean and participants from the area have achieved a number wonderful successes in the competition, at county, provincial and All-Ireland levels.
In the 1970's the Scór effort in Cornafean was organised principally by the local Macra na Tuaithe club. Cornafean's first major success came in 1974 when the local novelty act team of Geraldine Donohoe, Fergus Barry and Frank Donohoe won the Ulster final, before being narrowly beaten at the All Ireland final in Limerick. The group were coached by Sean Masterson, Arva Road, a man who has made a huge contribution to Scór in Cornafean ever since. Cornafean's other major achievements in Scór in the seventies were in Solo Singing. Lil Smith captured three Scór na nOg county titles in succession in this competitons betwwen 1974 and 1976 and that year she won the Ulster title and represented her province at the All Ireland Final in Clara, Co. Offaly. The following year, her sister Valerie retained the county Solo Singing title for Cornafean, and Cornafean continued to dominate this competition in 1978 and '79 when Siobhan Myles won two county titles in succession.
Paddy McDermott
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Paddy McDermott |
In 1979, Scór was revitalised in Cavan Paddy McDermott was elected Chairman of the County Scór committee. He has remained Chairman ever since and has been the driving force behind Scor in cornafean and in Cavan during this time. He has made an enormous contribution to Scór both in Cornafean and throughout the county. Over the years, Scór has continued to prosper under his direction in the county, and his positive influence has attracted many new clubs and participants to Scór.
The early 1980's brought a new enthusiasm for Scór in Cornafean, and Cornafean soon became the outstanding Scór club in the county, winning numerous county titles and many prestigious "Overall Best Club" awards.
Since the 1980's Cornafean have enjoyed particular success in both Scór na nOg and Senior Scór at Ulster and All-Ireland levels in the Instrumental Music, Question Time and Novelty Acts.
Instrumental Music
Cornafean has long been noted for the wonderful musicians the area has produced. The many achievements of the local Ceili Group and Youth Band in the 1970's and '80s were mirrored in Scór. In 1988, the Senior Scór team of Kathleen Masterson and Rita and Deirdre Martin reached the All Ireland Final in the National Stadium after impressive wins in Cavan and Ulster. The club has won numerous Instrumental Music county titles in both Scór na nOg and Senior Scór. Among the suucessful participants have been several members of the Martin family (Bruse), the Caffreys of Drumbess, Seamus Cullen, Siobhan Masterson and Paddy, Enda and Kevin McDermott.
Question Time
In 1981, the Cornafean Senior Scór quiz team of Bernard Martin, Michael Dinneny and Martin Maguire won the Ulster title before being narrowly defeated at the All Ireland Finals in Dublin's National Stadium. These three men, along with Joe McMahon (an exective with MacCormac Products, Killeshandra) and George Cartwright, helped to coach the Scór na nOg quiz teams, and their efforts bore fruit in 1984 when the team of Geraldine Martin, Tommy and Jimmy McGibney, and sub Margaret Young won the club's first All Ireland victory, when they captured the Centenary title in a dramatic final in the City Hall, Cork. Nine years later, the local Senior Scór quiz team of Michael Dinneny, Brian Doyle and Tommy McGibney emualted this achievement when they won the 1993 All Ireland, which was held in the famous Green Glens Arena in Millstreet, Co. Cork, which a week earlier had hosted the Eurovision Song Contest. In 1997, the same team repeated this achievement in the All ireland final in Threemilehouse, Co. Monaghan, and in 2008 the team won their third All Ireland title, at the INEC, Killarney.
The Novelty Acts
Another area of Scór that has always produced great performances from Cornafean has been the Novelty Act competitions. Over several decades, the Cornafean Novelty Acts have always been inventive, entertaining, well-acted and above all, humourous. The name of Sean Masterson is synonymous with Novelty Acts in Cornafean. Sean followed on his success with the 1974 Novelty Act team with a series of successes in the eighties, before Cornafean again tasted success in this competition at provincial level when the club won the 1990 Ulster Scór na nOg title, before failing narrowly at the All Ireland Final in the Gaiety Theatre. A year later, Sean and Cornafean were back in the Gaiety for the All Ireland Final and this turned out to be one of the highlights in Cornafean's history in Scór when the group of Brendan Geoghegan, Sean O'Reilly, Cait Masterson and Adrian Harrington took home the All Ireland title.
In subsequent years Sean, has continued to be heavily involved with the Scór Novelty Acts at adult and juvenile level, and has been ably assisted in recent years by Michael McGibney. Others who have made huge contributions down the years include Dessie Harrington, Joe McMahon and Kevin Geoghegan.
Dancing, Singing and Recitations.
Since the early 1980's Peadar McSeain, Mary Young, Eamon Gaffney and Geraldine Duggan have been among those involved in training the dancing teams, The local Ballad Groups and Solo Singers have been trained by Mary Harwood, Eloise Leddy and others. The club has also recorded a number of notable successes in Recitation, with Michael McGibney, Claire Barry, and the late Margaret Young all achieving notable successes.
In 2006 Michael McGibney won the Scor Sinsor All Ireland Recitation title, at the INEC, Killarney, in his third appearance at this level.
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The victorious Cornafean Question Time team pictured with mentors and supporters after receiving their trophies from GAA President Paddy Buggy in the City Hall, Cork on 24th March 1984. Back Row Willie McGibney, Martin Maguire, Paddy Buggy, George Cartwright, Joe McMahon. Front Row Tommy McGibney, Michael McGibney, Geraldine Martin, Jimmy McGibney, Margaret Young, Paddy McDermott.
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| Cornafean - All Ireland Winners in Scór na nOg Question Time 1984 (l-r) Jimmy McGibney, Geraldine Martin, Tommy McGibney, Margaret Young. |  |
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George Cartwright, Chairman Cavan County Board GAA presents Michael McGibney with the Scór na nOg Perpetual Shield for "Best Club Overall" at the 1999/2000 Scór na nOg finals. |
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Novelty Act in Scor na nOg 1983 - Michael McGibney (goldilocks), Michael Finnerty, Brian McGlade, and Rory McSeain. (Ned Kilkenny & Simon Flood are the two halves of the poor cow)
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Cornafean's Question Time team of Tommy McGibney, Brian Doyle Michael Dinneny, with GAA President Joe McDonagh and Fergal Dinneny after their win in the 1997 All Ireland Scor Sinsir Finals . |
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I remember it well.... RTE's Jimmy Magee meets the Cornafean supporters on the eve of the Scór 2002 All Ireland Finals in Killarney |
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