Basketball team to be honoured

The Castlerea Community School U-19 boys’ basketball team and their manager who took home an All-Ireland title recently are to be honoured at the next council civic reception.

Fianna Fáil councillor Paschal Fitzmaurice’s motion to honour the team and their manager Thomas Callaghan at a civic reception was approved by councillors at the March meeting of Roscommon County Council.

Describing the school’s All-Ireland success as a fantastic achievement, Cllr Fitzmaurice paid tribute to another coach Joe Henry who he said had Thomas Callaghan as one of his “prodigies”.

“Thomas has now taken over the team and we are all very proud to see them winning. For a small school, they have won a huge amount of All-Ireland medals,” he said.

Cllr Fitzmaurice extended his thanks to Roscommon County Council for facilitating the outdoor basketball court in Somers Park. He said it was great to see “20 or 30 lads” there regularly practising their basketball.

Independent councillor Michael Holland said he was privileged to be there at the All-Ireland final to see them winning.

He said Thomas Callaghan was a fantastic coach as was Joe Henry down through the years.

Independent Ireland councillor Nigel Dineen said he used to coach Thomas when he was on the local GAA team and also noted that Joe Henry was his basketball coach in school.

“Success breeds success and the school punches above its weight,” he said, noting that the town had great facilities such as The Hub when it came to sports.

• Published as part of the Local democracy Reporting Scheme.