County Roscommon school with just 21 children retains Cumann na mBunscol title
GENERATION GAME: Tom Vaughan Jnr and Emma Dunleavy pictured with their grandfather Seán Vaughan and parents Denise Dunleavy and Tom Vaughan Snr following Cloonbonniffe's Cumann na mBunscol football success in Ballyleague on Thursday evening. Picture: Gerard O'Loughlin
Ballyleague and Lisnamult have been awash with Cumann na mBunscol finals in Gaelic football, ladies’ football, hurling and camogie in recent weeks.
There have been many subplots and tales of triumph but one which caught the Roscommon Herald’s eye was one of the smallest schools in the county, with just 21 children, retaining their football title in Ballyleague on Thursday evening.
Cloonbonniffe NS, Castlerea, defeated Fairymount NS by 10-8 to 5-9 in a thrilling Two-Teacher five-a-side final.
Having won the title for the first time in 2024, it was a stunning achievement for Cloonbonniffe to retain their crown on the eve of the school’s 150th anniversary.
It has been a brilliant week for the school as many players on the Gaelic football team were part of the school’s basketball team that won the Roscommon Primary Schools’ Basketball Fifth and Sixth Class Two-Teacher A final against Boyle Parochial recently.
CLOONBONNIFFE NS: Cillian Greene, Emma Dunleavy, Tom Vaughan, Daniel Foley, Michael Greene, Aoibhe Flanagan, Courtney Murphy.
