On 24 May 2024, the Laois Association Dublin organised a special lunch and an afternoon of entertainment at Club Na Múinteoirí to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the Association.
The group was established in 1949 as a one off group to cater for the Laois Senior Team that travelled to Dublin as they reached that year’s All Ireland Hurling final. On the back of that event the Laois Men’s Association was set up, which in time became the Laois Association Dublin.
In 2009 and in 2014, the Laois Association in Dublin organised special lunch events to mark the 60th and 65th Anniversaries of the Association, respectively. These events were held in Croke Park and were attended by 100s of guests including members, their friends and former players of that famous team in 1949. And in 2019, the Association celebrated its 70th anniversary in the Gresham Hotel, O’Connell Street, Dublin, where the original reception was held for the hurling team in 1949. In 2009, the Association also published an extensive commemorative history!
The 75th Anniversary celebrations, while down on numbers from previous significant anniversary functions, was highly enjoyed by all present.
Two special guests of honour attended. Recently retired Senator David Norris and singing star and Mountrath native, Trudi Lalor, joined the Association for this prestigious event.
Senator Norris became the fourth recipient of The Laois Association Dublin Lifetime Achievement Award.
In his acceptance speech the long time member of the Association spoke of his love for Laois, a place he considers home, up to the point of having already bought his burial plot in Roskelton. The Senator told the gathering of his honour of receiving this award.
Association President Sandy Metcalfe spoke eloquently of Senator Norris’s career in politics and his fight for equality for marginalised groups as he presented Senator Norris with his award.
Trudi Lalor was the star of the post-lunch sing song. Her opening number was the very appropriate Lovely Laois, followed by a lively mixture of tunes that had the attendees on their feet. Trudi thanked Association President Sandy Metcalfe and Chairman Gerry Thompson for the invitation to be with the Association for their special day.
Trudi was accompanied on keyboards by Moira Foster, indeed Moira delighted the gathering with some songs from her native Scotland.
The entertainment was further enhanced with contributions from Sandy Metcalfe and Rathdowney’s great entertainer Michael Creagh.
In his address to the group, Chairman Gerry Thompson, remembered several members who were unable to attend on the day.
He thanked the membership for their continued loyalty to the Association, and Gerry also thanked Paul and Mary Anne Halton for their tremendous work on creating a website for the Association which they hope to launch soon.
The Association is always delighted to welcome new members, contact Chairman Gerry Thompson by email to chairman@laoisindublin.com for further details.