What a start to the year! The Inter footballers had reached the three previous league play-offs only to fall at the semi-final or final stages. But this year, having reached the final play-off we eventually kicked that monkey off our back by beating Craobh Chiaran by 0-9 to 0-6.

Played on February 2nd last in The Naul, the boys turned in a useful first half and led by 0-5 to 0-2. On the resumption, Croabh came out of the blocks flying and with 10 minutes gone in the second half led by 0-6 to 0-5. And it stayed that way until 7 minutes to go.

All our fears of not being able to get over the final hurdle were stuck in our chrá and another exhausting year seemed to be bearing no fruit at all. But alas, in those final 7 minutes we knocked over 4 unanswered points and when the final whistle blew the relief from all at the club was palpable. We had done it. A lot of hard work duly rewarded!

All back to the club and a fantastic night ensued with ballad group, Gael Force. Hearty Congrats to Tom Smyth and Smith for getting us there. To all the other mentors who have given so much to this team over the past number of years we say thank you.

We are now in Div 3 of the all county league and are just one league away from becoming senior. However we intend to see many Dublin players playing in Seán Moore Park in this division including Dubs vice captain Brian Cullen.

U16 girls were beaten in the Championship final by Lucan. It has been a great year for this age group of girls and the experience gained throughout this campaign will undoubtedly stand to them in the years ahead. Mentors Tom A Ryan and Alan Foley are doing a great job with them.
Juvenile Coach Darren Magee is doing a wonderful job at present and together with the Juvenile Committee is attracting huge numbers to our Saturday Morning Coaching sessions, Clannóg.

This year the age groups are divided in sections called stations and most parents are included in delivering the sessions. There are now over 200 signed up from the ages of 5-9 years. If you want your children to participate come on down on Saturday morning and sign up.

At the recently held AGM in January Eugene Davey was elected the new Chairman. Eugene comes with a hatful of experience and has been a member of the club since 1957. He has represented Dublin at Senior Football and Senior Hurling level and holds a Minor all-Ireland Hurling medal from 1965, the last Dublin team to do so. He is still a spring chicken and his organisation skills of delegation will be welcomed over the coming months.

Outgoing Chairman, Pat Kane whose three year stint was marked with an energy not seen before in the club, thanked all those who supported him throughout this three year stint.
Frank White has gone to the cushioned seat of President and will look down from his lofty chair on proceedings below. Ciaran Murphy stays as Secretary, having orchestrated a canvassing campaign not seen since Lech Walenca’s rise in Poland.

Assistant secretary is ‘Comfort Zone’ John Fitzgerald, who now has the unenviable task of collecting membership monies. John has purchased a sniffer dog to help him with his tasks.
John replaced Therese Nicholson who has retired to knit Aran sweaters. Therese has been part of the furniture in Executive and her endeavours are greatly appreciated by all here at the club.

Treasury goes to accountants Billy ‘Basher’ Byrne and Ronan ‘Bulldog’ Murphy while Sinead Vivash takes over from Jacqui Mac as PRO. Jacqui brought many new ideas to her portfolio and her texting notes kept everyone informed of goings on around the place.

The Legend just remains The Legend.

This edition would mean nothing if we did not devote some part of it to the late Jim Kavanagh. Jim was oh so many things to oh so many people. Jim was a mentor on so many teams over the last 15 years and brought a wealth of knowledge to each team.

Jim was the life and soul of the club. He would engage everyone in conversation and his wit and laughter always guaranteed a great encounter. He was the perfect guy to talk to the younger fellows as they neared manhood and he earned the respect of all of them.

And when the Inter footballers gained promotion in January of this year, one could not help remembering the crucial input he put into this team over the years. And as the club progresses up the ladder of achievement he will always be with us, for he is etched in our memories forever. To his wife Anna, sons Ian, Gary and James and daughter Vicky, the club sends its heartfelt condolences. Ar Dheis Dei go raibh a anam dilis.

Backchat:
* Incredible but true but Cork man Mick Keane and Tipperary man Joe Hayes were actually on Hill 16 for the historic floodlight match between the Dubs and Tyrone. The boys were sporting the Dublin colours and were in full vocal voice of ‘Come on ye Boys in Blue’. Why the boys were so happy at the final whistle is beyond me!

* There was one embarrassing moment at the dinner dance when Paul Kennedy, unfortunately for the first time, found out that he was allergic to asparagus soup. Paul started acting strangely just before the award ceremony, flapping fingers around like the head of an orchestra until he went in to such a state that all the guests at the same table had to sit on him.

Luckily Ronan Hughes found the antidote when he whispered into Paul’s ears that he would see to it that he would get the Chairman’s job in January. Paul suddenly smiled like Father Jack would to a drink and finished out the rest of the night in fine form.

* At the AGM in January, proceedings were just about to get under way when a distraught Tom Ryan got to his feet to claim that the meeting could not go ahead without the presence of The Legend. Tom added that the meeting was useless without the input of the famous man himself.

When it became clear that the Legend could not be there despite some imaginary sightings of him early that day, Tom was so distraught that he burst into tears and had to be removed from the hall with the help of a St John Ambulance crew.

Speaking with Tom afterwards, he said: “I waited all year for this. It’s just like as if you bought tickets for the Beatles and John Lennon didn’t turn up. There was no point in staying in attendance. I guess I am awestruck by The Legend.”

* The Annual Dinner Dance in the 8 star Tara Towers proved to be another whopping success. Once again expertly organised by Jacqui Mc Donnell, the special guest this year for the award ceremony was Dublin Port’s Enda Connellan, who presented the following with their prizes:

* Club person of the year Alice Foley

And player of the year awards for:
* Adult Football Mick Keane
* Adult Hurling Brian Rush
* Camogie player Siobhan Joyce
* Junior Hurling Paul Madill
* Junior Football Neil McManus
* Minor Hurling Johnny Sadlier

* Ciaran Murphy has recently joined the ‘half crown’ club. This club is for men who are starting to go bald at the back first and include such figures as Pat Kane, The Legend himself, Des Markey, Albert Hannon, Eugene Davey and Michael O’Kane.

The meetings offer group therapy to these egotists and gently assist them in accepting the ageing process. Other member who have successfully come through it all include full baldies Frank White, Billy ‘Basher’ Byrne, Tom Ryan, Paul Kennedy, Conor Dodd and a host of other head shiners.

* Jack Nicholson has packed in his hurley and sliotar and replaced them with his walking boots. Jack is preparing for an onslaught on Everest on Christmas day this year and is attempting to become the first Wicklow man to become known. Jack is preparing by scaling the goalposts each morning in Seán Moore Park with Therese on his back.

* Condolence to Jacinta Ryan on the death of her mother in Mayo.

* Our hurling wall project is still with Bord Pleanála as we go to print. This is a long time waiting. If successful, we will begin work immediately and the first activity among many in the new site will be the 200 children aged between 5 and 9 who will hone their skills on the facility.

* Gael Force will be appearing in Upstairs Lounge every last Saturday of the month except April when they play on the 21st.

* Conor Doood has come up with a novel way of fundraising. The Doood is organising a Rubber Duck race in the Dodder up by Herbert Park shortly. All entrants must blow up their known duck before the start and if any of the ducks get injured the Doood is on hand to offer first aid.

* Congrats to dual player Mark Campbell who has been promoted from formula 3 to formula 2 in his much beloved hobby of Rally Driving!!

* Condolences to the Hogan family on the death of Enda. Enda played with the club at all levels from Juvenile to adult and served the club so well. He will be sorely missed.

* Martin Neville was recently incarcerated in Portlaoise for life. Martin, who graced the green fields of Ringsend for many a year, seems lost since his recent incarceration. However, an escape plan is well advanced and all the skills that Martin learned in ducking and diving training sessions over the past twenty years will be a major advantage to him as he attempts to make it back to civilisation.