The Great Town Team of the 1980’s
Pat Delaney describes the emergence of Portlaoise as a Hurling power house in the late 70s and 80s.
Jimmy Bergin was a star of the 1970s and ‘80s and won numerous senior football titles with the “Town”.
He was defender supreme with great strength and agility in either the centre half or full-back position.
He won three Leinster club titles and was outstanding at full-back in the famous All-Ireland club title win of 1983.
Pat Delaney describes the emergence of Portlaoise as a Hurling power house in the late 70s and 80s.
If there was any one player who symbolised the never-say-die spirit that inspired Portlaoise to become one of the country’s top GAA Clubs in the 1960s and early ‘70s is has to be Pascal Delaney, know to friend and foe alike as “The Red Lad”.
At an extraordinary general meeting of the club in July 2005 it was decided to allow a sub-committee explore all the development options open to them including a possible sale of their grounds at Fr. Browne Avenue and the development of a bigger site in the town.