Tooreen Hurling Club turn 60 and name ground after Adrian Freeman

TRIBUTE Adrian Freeman

Michael Commins

WHEN Michael Henry suggested back in the mid-1950s that they should try and form a hurling club in Tooreen, he could hardly have envisaged the deep roots it would put down in the east Mayo community in the decades that were to follow.
“Some attended out of interest, others out of curiosity, but in all only three or four of those present had ever actually played hurling,” says Michael.
The first committee of Tooreen Hurling Club formed at that meeting in 1957 was: President, Fr James Horan (later of Knock Airport and Knock Basilica fame); Chairman, Chris Tuohy; Secretary, Michael Henry; Joint Treasurers, Sonny Healy and Mark Forkan.
This weekend sees the home of hurling in Mayo hold major celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of the club. The Big Red Barn will host the various functions planned for the weekend and this will be erected on the club grounds.
GAA President, AogΡn O Fearghaíl from Cavan, will preside at the unveiling of the monument dedicated to the memory of Adrian Freeman and will officially open the Adrian Freeman Memorial Park on Sunday afternoon, June 4, during his two-hour visit from 3pm to 5pm.
Adrian’s death in a road accident in Australia in 2010 is regarded as one of the darkest days in the history of the Tooreen club. Robert Twomey (27) from Listowel, Co Kerry, also died in the accident in which two other men received minor injuries.
Adrian (24) had been Mayo’s top scorer in the National League for the previous two years. He was chosen on the Christy Ring Cup All Star selection and was a member of the Irish under-21 shinty-hurling panel. He was also a member of the Connacht hurling panel for the inter-provincial series, and travelled with the Galway lads and a few others to the United Arab Emirates.
Adrian won everything at underage level with Tooreen. He was the recipient of the Tooreen Club Player of the Year in 2009.
Sunday afternoon will be an especially emotional day for his parents Seamus and Ita, his brother Cathal and sister Louise and the Freeman family circle.
Earlier in the morning, an anniversary Mass in memory of Adrian and other deceased members of the club will be celebrated in Tooreen Church. After the unveiling ceremony, a Tooreen senior selection will take on a Mayo senior selection at 5pm.
The celebrations get under way on Friday, June 2, with the official 60th anniversary celebration dinner-dance in the Big Red Barn. The guest speaker is Sunday Game panellist and former Galway manager, Cyril Farrell. Past teams will be honoured at this event with music late into the night by La Bamba. Tickets cost €25.
A number of hurling and camogie games will be played from 2pm until 6.30pm on Saturday afternoon. Saturday night will see Bagatelle perform in the Big Red Barn followed by a late-night disco.
The celebrations wind down on Monday with the Mayo GAA Poc Fada competitions on the nearby Booley Hill, with the awards and presentations in the Big Red Barn during the afternoon bringing the Tooreen weekend festivities to a close.