Wexford GAA has organised successful Sporting Memories events.
By Cian O’Connell
The Alzheimer Society of Ireland Sporting Memories initiative is bringing plenty of joy in Wexford.
Several successful events have been organised by Wexford GAA, who remain eager to provide opportunities for the support programme which aims to tackle isolation, depression, and loneliness through safe and friendly sessions.
Tony Dempsey, who has given distinguished service to Wexford as a player, coach, and administrator is delighted to be involved. “Initially somebody from Alzheimer Ireland phoned me, they said scientists had figured out that people challenged with alzheimers could remember sporting events when they couldn't remember the names and identity of family members,” Dempsey explains.
“So, they asked me if I would be willing to help bring sporting legends together in the presence of those challenged with alzhemiers.
“Of course, I was quite happy to do it. That basically came from position as an ambassador for Age Friendly Alliance, which is a sub committee of Wexford County Council.
“I contacted Marguerite Furlong, who is the chairperson of the Health Committee of Wexford GAA. Together we brought people together for the first event.”
Marguerite Furlong has thoroughly enjoyed organising and being involved in the events. Cathryn O’Leary, who made the call about potentially holding GAA related occasions, offered support and advice. “She gave us the psychological background about how sporting memories are very often the last ones to go for people, who suffer with dementia,” Furlong says. “They are very often easier ones to retrieve for people.
“So, she asked us would we do an event. “We went with that, we ran one in Wexford town for the county. We invited everybody and anybody from the GAA community in the county to come and we were blown away by the reaction.”
It was an evening of fun and sporting stories shared. Valuable lessons were learned, with the value of sport underlined. “One man put a video together of various clips of matches down through the years,” she adds.
“We had a few interviews with people like George O'Connor and Tony Doran. We did the female side of the house with some camogie players from the past.
“There was just such a feelgood factor in Clonard Community Centre. It was unreal because we had no clue how many people would turn up. We had more than 80 there.
“This year on February 1, we ran it again at the same venue with the same idea. The plan all along was to start with the county, then go to the districts, and then get the clubs to do it.”
A venue was chosen for the first of the district events. “So, after the county one was very successful, we did one in the Enniscorthy district,” Furlong states. “There is a pub here in the village of Killanne, Rackards of Killane. It is the pub where all of the Rackards were born and reared.
“They have all the hurling memorabilia on the wall, so we thought this is the ideal location to run this. We sent it out to the clubs in the Enniscorthy district, we had a huge turnout.”
Dempsey, still passionate about the Wexford GAA cause, acted as MC, and the stories flowed. “We had the famous Dan Quigley, John Quigley, and various legends of the hurling game and a great footballer called Charlie Golden,” Dempsey says.
“Charlie is one of the last people alive to play football against Nickey Rackard. Nickey Rackard is our hero, we built a monument here, he played football and hurling for Leinster, and of course, Wexford.
Tony Dempsey speaking at GAA Annual Congress in 2019. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
“That was the most stimulating because John Quigley is a natural, a wonderful hurler, who won an All-Ireland in 1968.”
Furlong just knew it would be a success. “I couldn't believe beforehand out in the car park the camaraderie and banter, the belly laughing and back slapping when they all met each other inside,” she says.
“It was just unreal. We had a lovely day there. Again, you'd have to thank the people who run Rackard's, they wouldn't take a shilling from it.
“They provided the refreshments, the venue, they brought in staff, they wouldn't take any money from it. They told me they'd do it again next year. I think that one left the warmest feeling with everyone.”
Quietly, but effectively the conversations have helped people. “We were invited to the Alzheimer unit in St John's Hospital in Enniscorthy,” Furlong says.
“The administrator heard about it, she asked would we bring some people and memorabilia in. It was a completely different day because these people were quite advanced in their dementia, some of them were non verbal. Again, it was a lovely day.
We did get people to talk and react. One man when I went in, I recognised him because my father had greyhounds, and I remembered the man having greyhounds.
“By the time we were leaving, he was telling me about my father and our greyhounds. The staff were thrilled and they said the patients had a lovely day.”
Assisting clubs run little occasions locally is what Furlong wants to accomplish next. “We've done the county, we've done the district, and we've done a couple of day care centres,” she says.
“Starting now, quite soon, we are getting things rolling with the clubs now for maybe early October. That is a case of in your own club, you invite your own members. Get anybody that has memorabilia to bring it, that is where we are going next.”
Furlong acknowledges the sense of satisfaction derived from the project, while also highlighting Dempsey’s contribution. “When it is over, when you're cleaning up, I know people say things are rewarding, but there is such a rewarding feeling when you finish this, and when you're turning the key in the door,” she says. “You just feel that was two and a half hours well spent.
“Tony Dempsey is brilliant as a facilitator on the microphone because he knows everybody anyway. He has an encyclopaedia of a brain, he'd remember a minor match back in '66. He brings the best out in people, he gets people talking. He starts the memory or conversation for them.”
Dempsey’s love for sport and all matters Wexford will never dwindle. “When I was a school principal, I think we had 84 on the staff, I know as an educator the value of sport,” he says.
“It should be recognised, particularly at a time when kids are becoming subject to savage pressure. When we have a very unfortunate high rate of suicide, an antidote to a lot of that is let us engage in recreation. It is an interesting word.
“If you put that into two parts, re and creation. What we are doing is recreating ourselves when we play hurling, football or other sports.
“Added to that, if someone is challenged with alzheimers, we're recreating memories and it appears they may be recreating and re-establishing their memory. I think sport is of huge importance, I don't think it can be ever overstated.”