Laura Bergin

Originally published: Town Tattler Vol 5 Issue 6

In 1988, Laura Bergin made history by becoming the first female club secretary in the GAA in Ireland, serving here in Portlaoise. While she’ll tell you herself that she didn’t play much, the GAA was always in her blood. Her father, Billy Bergin, was a well-known footballer with both Park and Laois.

Today, Laura continues to give her time to the club, focusing on archiving and club history alongside fellow stalwarts like Teddy Fennelly Snr, Brian Delaney, and Dennis Tynan.

Laura shares some memories from over the years. We hope you enjoy the read.

First involvements in GAA

I had no interest in GAA or any other sports and only went to help out Margaret Conroy, who wanted to start a Ladies Football team. When she first asked, I said no but then said look I’ll the goal till you get somebody to take my place and that was the deal and exactly what happened.

Administration

I then took the job as Chairperson and Margaret did Secretary, and Anne Byrne was Treasurer. We asked the club if we could use a pitch, and they were very accommodating. They let us use the dressing rooms too. Peadar Molloy’s wife, Liz, washed the jerseys.

Playing Career cut short – but a love of the game was born!

We ran an American Tea Party to raise funds for the jerseys. I only played about two games, and then Paula Kelly took over.

However, it was a year that changed my life and love for the games with both the senior and minor teams winning the county finals. Fantastic excitement all round.

We had a great Sports Day and wheel of fortune, etc. organised by Jas for everybody in the town. The ladies set up a number of 7-a-side teams, and Margaret and I visited all the housing estates and factories to see if anybody else would be interested. Ursula O’Malley entered one from Beladd.

Funny Memories

I remember we organised a fancy dress with funny names like The Unsquashables, and we were The Slippery Diddies (we wore bras on our backs) - probably unprintable now!!

All of this created a great atmosphere between the girls, and it wasn’t long before the lads joined in the club activities with us e.g. indoor circuit training in winter and table tennis in the hall.

One St Stephens Day Ollie Plunkett organised a basketball blitz in the club with pin the tail on the donkey. I was on a team with Bill Phelan, and we played Clonad, all the tall Norton men. At one stage, Bill swung around and whack I had a broken nose.

Ned Murphy was there, thank God, and he looked after me. “Not much point going to the hospital with that”, he said, so it was ice and two black eyes instead!

Great Nights in the GAA Centre

Cheddar and Co organised some great nights like The Crazy Hat Night, which Peter Fennell and I won.

Also the Toga Party night and Bogman’s Ball and finished it with The Wild Auld Night, a comedy sketch on stage with Micky Bohane, Madness Maher, John Styles, Frank McGowan, Pat Critchley and Bush Dollard to name a few.

Aslan & Co.

I moved over to the Catering Section, which Dick Sides had nabbed me for and ordered the food, did up the bills, and catered for Laois teams four nights a week along with Margaret and Anne.

The bigger panel catered for 21sts, wedding anniversaries, funerals, and even a wedding.

Cheddar organised big bands to play, which the three of us girlies catered for, the likes of In Tua Nua, The Hot House Flowers, and Aslan to name a few.

Secretary

So you see, I was more on that side of it than the football, which, by the way, I had come to love.

Pity I hadn’t been involved in any sport when younger. It was when the football girls decided to go to the AGM, to see what took place, that my life too would change as one of the women - totally without my knowledge - shouted out my name when vote came for Ass Sec.

I was stuck to the floor with only seconds to decide. Well, I suppose I had been a secretary all my working life and it can’t be much different, so I said yes.

Museum in the GAA Centre

This led to my being asked to organise a museum with people not involved in the club and how exciting was this.

I travelled the town from house to house for photos, medals, and any other memorabilia. So many people volunteered like my dad, Billy, Uncle Larry McEvoy, and PJ Nealon to paint it.

Jim Lawlor made the gorgeous display cabinet. Micky Bohane, and Paddy Haslam made up the large frames for the photos to be displayed.

Greats like Kevin Croke donated a medal belonging to his uncle Tim Fennelly, Paddy Conroy (Ballyfin), another medal, Jack Delaney, his boots, and a very precious football that had a pig's bladder and was laced up - one of the earliest types of football that was made.

The Christian Brothers came back for the opening night to recall pupils they taught, and players from all over the country came to meet old friends and teammates.

We had no shortage of trophies won by our teams that year, and old and young came together to celebrate the night with music for the older people who liked to waltz till 11pm, and there was a pop band for the youth.

Favourite Expression

“That’s Life” - Esther Rantzen. (or “That’s shocking” or “Old Magoo you done it again”

Wise words

‘If you want a job done right do it yourself’ or ‘longest way round is the shortest way home’ or ‘Enjoy life, don’t worry about what people think or say about you, they’ll think and say it anyway so have fun, smile when your feel low and get up and get out, you only have one life, live it and enjoy it’.

Funny story

Well a very famous Portlaoise and Laois hurler/footballer came to one of the fancy dress nights in the old club house.

He was later found by Dick Sides R.I.P. more than a little under the weather, shall we say, up in the Museum. Dick came back down and said to Tommy Keogh R.I.P. who was on the door. “God Tommy what’s the world coming to! There’s a nurse up in the Museum fast asleep snoring her head off.”

Or we had people watching Eddie Kinsella one night getting very frustrated playing pool. Couldn’t understand what was wrong with the black ball it was barely moving. Seems Joe Ryan had a metal ball painted black and had replaced it on the table for the craic!

Other sports I enjoy to watch

I love table tennis and boxing especially heavyweight and of course Katie Taylor. I also like showjumping, Rugby, and the 100 metre sprint in athletics.

Other teams I support

Kerry in football, I thought Meath or Mayo might achieve something over the past few years but no.

Dad

I remember my dad brought me up to practice one day, and the ball was wet, and he sent in a drop kick to me. I saved it, but he had kicked it so hard it really really hurt my hands.

I wasn’t impressed. He roared laughing and said “now next time you’ll jump for it, it won’t hurt if your off the ground”.

Dad played for Park and Laois along with the great Tommy Murphy, Jack Kenna, Mick Haughney, Paddy Dunne etc.

Jack Delaney

I used to have chats with Jack Delaney when Laois were going for the League Final. I used to fill out his tickets for the draw for him on a Thursday night.

“Here Sec come over here I’ve a job for you”, he’d say.

He loved John Costello and his high fielding. Of course, Jack played on the 1926 League Team that won, and here we were in 1986.

Love for Football

I was over at a special presentation night for the great Tommy Murphy in the Glenside Pub in Killeshin. He wasn’t well at the time with cancer, and dad wanted me to drive him.

Lots of the old timers of Laois greats there that night, and I had the pleasure of shaking hands with him. Jack Kenna only died quite recently.

So, I suppose that’s where I got my love of football more so than hurling.

Fantastic teams like Kerry, Meath and Dublin being are such a joy to watch and there were so many great players on those teams that we still talk about today.

The meaning of Club

It is so very, very important to achieve and display a history of the wonderful accolades won by our club in all genres and ages.

As the famous saying goes “if you have no history, you have no past”.

Being part of a club is part of its history - no matter what capacity you are involved with, be it a player, manager, trainer, selector, volunteer etc.

It tells a story of how the games themselves have changed and developed over the years, how the methods of training have changed, how everything is analysed in depth now, whether that be for better or worse, how involving children from a very young age is a fantastic outlet for them to both develop themselves physically and to make friends and have fun.

They look up to their own heroes who play the game. They now play, and the archives might even see their own family members there.

We always say Club is family. We have pride in who we are as a club. We work together, play together, laugh and cry together but the club’s there when you need it.

Early Heroes

Jack O’Shea, and Eamon Whelan (the only two men I’ve ever seen turn their back to a goal post and score points) and John O’Leary Dublin Goalie.

I admired John so much that I actually drove to Moate in Westmeath alone when the Dubs were playing and sat on the grass bank behind the goals watching him.

I well remember Tommy Conroy, Barney Rock, and Brian Mullins, and I loved Kieran Duff as he was that bit dirty. As I was in goals at the time myself, I suppose I appreciated John’s job.

People I admire

Sean Boylan, the Meath trainer. Kieran McGeeney from Armagh. Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh the Kerry Commentator.

Most memorable match seen

Laois winning the National Football League in 1986 against Monaghan.

One to forget

Laois losing to Wicklow in Aughrim in 1986.

Hopes for the Club for the Future

For another Club All-Ireland to be won, and for generations to come to enjoy, take pride in and be part of our wonderful club and for them to have the wonderful memories of it we have.