ON Saturday December 28th, Lámh Dhearg’s Senior Hurling panel will host a fundraising tournament in honour of their former players and legends Daryl Fegan and Ryan Straney after their recent passing.
Earlier this year North Antrim side Loughgiel Shamrocks came to Hannahstown for an exhibition game with Lámh Dhearg in a replay of the famous 1992 county final 33 years ago.
Now the Hannahstown outfit will be hosting a tournament over the festive period which will raise funds for both the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust and Prostate Cancer UK.
Both Daryl Fegan and Ryan Straney passed away in the past 18 months and were huge pillars of the Hannahstown community.
This week Belfast Media chatted with current senior hurler and tournament organiser Odrán Waldron about why it is so important to the club to honour their former players who are no longer with us.
“The reason behind the whole thing is just that we needed to fundraise for the senior hurlers like any team needs to do for a season ahead," he said. "Obviously, our senior hurlers have had two awful losses over the last 18 months with Ryan and Daryl so we just thought it would be good to remember them while we fundraise for what’s ahead and give back to the people who helped us when we were in need.
Ryan Straney passed suddenly after traffic accident in 2024
“The Kevin Bell one is especially important as it was Daryl himself who worked with them to get Ryan home from Australia so quickly. We never had to fundraise too much when Daryl was in charge of the hurlers because he basically took care of everything.”
The Kilkenny native feels a significant connection with former senior manager Daryl Fegan as it was the Lámh Dhearg legend who introduced him to the club a few years back when he moved to Belfast.
“For me it was especially important to remember Daryl because it was him that brought me into Lámh Dhearg when I moved to Belfast, so I felt it was especially important to give something back in his name, it was the least I could do.”
He added: “The tournament this year is all just current and ex-Lámh Dhearg players. We had thought about making it a big tournament and inviting a few other teams but we just decided there wasn’t enough time because we only really started organising at the end of November.
“We’ve got good numbers so far, about 35 or so. The hope is for four teams of 10 but if we go past 40 hurlers, then we’ll rejig the structure and find a way to make it work on the day. The call is open to any Lámh Dhearg players past or present and I think both Ryan and Daryl would love that.
“My wife is a trad musician too so we’ve got a few of her family, the Brady’s that run the music in Ionad na Fuiseoige down in Twinbrook, playing on the day afterwards in the club so it’s going to be a whole club and family affair, which will be fantastic.”
The Lámh Dhearg stalwart believes they can expand on this tournament if it proves to be a success, and potentially make it an annual event on the GAA calendar.
“We’ve got ourselves a shield and cup with enough space on them for a few years worth of winners to be written onto them, so I hope so. In my home club, St Lachtain’s in Freshford, Kilkenny, we had a few in-club annual tournaments, the Corn de Bhaldraithe named for my grandfather, and the Phillip Kinnane Cup, and they were always great occasions.
“When I moved to Derry, my club there, Lavey, would do a similar thing every St Stephen’s Day and split the parish into townlands and have a tournament. It was always a great day with current and ex-players and a few outsiders in for the laugh so I think if we could recreate that craic annually and raise some money for good causes at the same time, that would be great.”
The Lámh Dhearg senior hurler has thanked everyone who has helped to raise over £1,000 so far for their respective charities, and hopes that the donations can keep on coming to show the impact Ryan and Daryl had on the west of the city.
“We’re up over £1,000 on the GoFundMe now and that’s down to the impact Ryan and Daryl had on Hannahstown and West Belfast. It really reflects well on the two of them and how big an impact they had during their lives.
“There are a few special mentions I’d like to make – Joe Doone, who is an Lámh Dhearg hurler who would’ve been a good friend of Daryl’s, he will be sponsoring food on the day, which is a brilliant gesture of generosity that’s really appreciated.
“Of course, our entertainers after the tournament, my wife Tríona’s and her family too for the music of course.
“The biggest thanks has to go the families of Ryan and Daryl, we appreciate everything that the Fegan’s and Straney’s have done for the club and allowing us to do this tournament in honour of the pair of Lámh Dhearg legends.”
The day will be one to remember, and will serve as a fitting tribute in honour of two stalwarts of hurling in Hannahstown.
Money raised will be split evenly three ways: The Lámh Dhearg senior hurlers, the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust in memory of Ryan, and Prostate Cancer UK in memory of Daryl.
