Honouring the memory of a Down camogie legend

By Niall Gartland

CLONDUFF, Longstone, and indeed Down camogie in general, owes a debt of gratitude to Rosemary Quinn, who passed away last March at the age of 79.

A founder member of Camogie in Clonduff in the 1960s, Rosemary later made the short jaunt around the Mourne Mountains to Longstone, where she would reside for many decades with her husband Kevin.

She didn’t leave her love of camogie back in Clonduff, bringing it to existence in the Lower Mournes, drawing in from Longstone, Ballymartin and Glassdrumman. She was also an extremely able administrator at county level and served for a spell as chairwoman of Down camogie.

Her son Damian has decided to launch a fundraiser in her honour. There’s more to it than raising a few quid – alongside his brother Phelim, he will complete a trek over the hills from Clonduff Park to Longstone Park as a symbol of his mum’s Camogie journey, with a view to raising funds for a resurgent camogie scene in the Longstone area.

It’s scheduled to take place, weather-permitting, on April 6, coinciding with the opening of a new pitch at Longstone Park.

Reflecting on his mother’s trailblazing efforts at Clonduff and later Longstone, Damian said: “She originated from a wee place called Leode outside Hilltown, and was one of the founder members of the club. In recent years they’ve obviously gone very well and won an All-Ireland Intermediate title.

“So she grew up in the countryside at a time when Gaelic Games weren’t as readily accessible for all communities, and when the family moved into Kennedy Drive in Hilltown, my mum, sisters and others went around knocking doors gathering up girls to get them interested, and that’s where Camogie took off for Clonduff in the mid-sixties.

“She got married in 1969 and moved down to Longstone, where she repeated the trick, getting girls involved in camogie. It wasn’t so much a Longstone club per se, it was a Lower Mournes thing.”

It was a busy but gratifying lifestyle given she was also a leading administrator at county level. A fiercely determined woman, she didn’t let anything stand in her way of improving the reach of camogie.

“She held various posts for a long, long time at county level, and in between times she was coming back to her own club trying to coach players and doing administrative work.

“Sometimes women find it a bit hard to find their voice in a club that’s maybe male-dominated where football is the priority, but she carved her own wee corner in the club, which was particularly impressive as she was a blow-up.

“She helped give women an opportunity to put on their club colours, they were more than just making cups of tea for the men, so she was an exemplary volunteer.

“I'[d have been quite young when she was traipsing about to matches, I’d have seen a lot of clubs as a toddler without knowing what it’s all about. I remember getting the ferry across to Portaferry, it felt like a magical day out, I’ve a lot of fond memories like that.”

Camogie in the Longstore area fell by the wayside due to a lack of playing numbers, but it’s seen a revival in recent years at underage level.

“We had the usual issues rural clubs face with numbers but still had some success on and off down the years.

“Then we couldn’t field a senior team as girls got married and moved away and things like that, then it basically became completely non-existent for a few years.

“In the last three years it was reintroduced by Roisin Rodgers, an ex-player, and Martin McNeill, who’s from Antrim originally, he helped get it up and running again.

“There’s a good group of young girls at Primary School age, from P1 right through to P7, so it’s gradually grown and grown.

“Part of my desire to do this challenge is yes to honour my mum’s memory, but also to raise funds to help cement the progress that is now taking place. There’s a great wee crop of girls coming through so if they all stick at it hopefully the future is bright.”

Camogie’s re-emergence also came as a great source of happiness to Rosemary, who struggled with ill-health in the twilight of her life. Damian mulled over a fundraiser for charity, but decided it most fitting to deploy the monies raised towards camogie in Longstone.

“We’re hoping to complete the trek up over the Mournes on April 6, the day of the opening of our new pitch. I’m getting my route finalised with help from a local adventure business called Geology Rocks Adventures, they do some great work.

“I was considering doing something for charity, but what was closest to my mum’s heart was Longstone camogie, and the fact that I was able to bring back stories of its resurgence before her passing, she was so delighted that the flame was still burning and that someone else was carrying the torch.”