The PPU Committee is delighted to announce that Gerry Davey has been elected ROW Person of the Year 2023 and will be presented with the PV Doyle Trophy at our Annual Dinner at the Westbury on January 28th next. Gerry graduated from the ROW in 1962 and he becomes the third person from that class to receive this honour.
Gerry played football and hurling with Clanna Gael from the tender age of 6, winning the club championship in 1968. He continued to develop his football and hurling skills at the ROW and he credits the coaching provided by Brothers Hickey and Tracey with helping him along the way. He says that Bro. Hickey predicted in 1962 that he would play for Dublin and, in October of that year, he got his first game with the senior Dublin team. They famously won the All Ireland in 1963 when Gerry scored the winning goal in the final against Galway on a score of 1-9 to 0-10. They beat an up and coming Down team in the semi final by 2-11 to 0-7.
The writer remembers that campaign very well because I attended all Dublin’s matches. All their games were in Croke Park. Those were the days when you could just turn up, pay your shilling and get a good vantage point under the Cusack Stand.
The ROW was also represented on that 1963 team by another great ROW man, Christy Kane, who, unfortunately, passed away in early 2020. Below is a great photo of the 1963 winning team with both Gerry and Christy highlighted separately for good measure.
Dublin All Ireland Champions 1963 with two ROW Boys to the fore.
“IRISHTOWN HERO HELPED DUBS BACK TO THE TOP TABLE” was the title of a fascinating magazine article, setting the scene and giving an account of the match, with focus on Gerry, written by Finbarr Dolan after the match. I hope to publish that article in full is a separate News Blog in the near future.
Gerry was a regular on the Dublin team for nine more years and he won a National League medal in 1964.
in 1969 Gerry married Colleen Sweeney from County Fermanagh and they settled in Portmarnock. They have four daughters and one son.
Gerry was (maybe still is?) an accomplished Irish Dancer and and featured prominently with the Inis Ealga Dancers. The photo below shows Gerry stepping it out on the RTE programme Beo go Deo in 1966.
Maybe Gerry will show us a few steps at the Dinner??
Gerry had a 33 year career with Bord Na Mona managing sales and procurement. He also covered logistic management roles of Moss Peat in the European and Far Eastern markets.
Gerry has been busy with Naomh Marnog Gaelic Football Club over many years. He managed many teams and was involved with setting up the Nursery Academy to nurture football and hurling skills in the young boys and girls. he involved Transition Year students in coaching sessions.
Gerry was also involved in community development in the expanding area. He canvassed the community in a campaign to provide education facilities and this resulted in the opening of Portmarnock Community School in 1979.
Author’s Note: I would like to acknowledge the assistance provided by Gerry’s wife, Colleen, in compiling this article. She sent me a lot of the material including the photographs which, I think, readers will greatly enjoy. As I write, I’m thinking of our old classmates from 1962, including our old friend Eamonn O’Malley RIP , as well our friends like Marius Sykes and Conor Dwyer who may be reading this article in their homes overseas. Spare a thought for all the great ROW sportsmen who have passed away in recent times. I am also mindful of our many past pupils who were players with Clanna Gael, including Christy Kane RIP. There is a lot of sadness around Christmas time when one recalls absent friends. May those who have gone before us rest in peace and may all our readers have a Happy and Holy Christmas. Looking forward to 2023 Make sure to book your place for the Dinner on January 28th and help give Gerry and Colleeen the celebration they deserve. Happy Christmas, Jim Conway.
