Henry Deane Cup ;

Bantry Blues V Spa ( Killarney) in Killarney

Sat 15th July 2023 @3pm

This years Henry Deane Cup will again be contested between Bantry Blues & Spa in Killarney, tomorrow Sat 15th at 3pm in Spa grounds , Tullig, Killarney.

Henry’s good friend, former Spa player & principal of St Finbarrs Boys National School in Bantry, & now playing in the blue of Bantry Blues is delighted to have organised the game against Spa again this year.

If you are a blues supporter & in Killarney area for the weekend, call up to Spa grounds to support the blues & the hospitality that Spa club always put on

Remembering Henry.

Henry was an all-rounder first and foremost a husband to Mary and father to Kenneth, Lorna, Sarah, Ruairí and Henry then a businessman and after that a sportsman with an uncompromising passion for the GAA and more particularly for Gaelic football.
Henry was a footballer of no mean ability, and a major part of the success that the Clann na nGael club enjoyed through the 70s and 80s. Henry's first taste of success was as part of the U14 team that brought the Tom Barry Cup to the Scorchers in 1971.
He was again successful in 1974 with the U18 side, in 1977 when he was part of the junior 2 team that clinched both league and championship honours and more particularly when he in that same year captained the U21 side to win the West Cork.
In 1981, Henry was part of the junior 1 team that won the West Cork before finally losing out in a county semi-final to Ballincollig. Henry also played with the Carbery divisional team in the 80s.
Henry never missed a training session, always first to arrive, with the boots tied around his neck, and last to leave. His commitment was total, and that continued onto the field of play, where he was never found wanting.
In his early years, he was a goalie of note, but he is known more for his excellence as a centrefield player, the position he made his own right up to the early 90s. On retiring from the field of play he continued his allegiance to Clann na nGael GAA as a trainer/selector with the underage teams.
In the mid 90s, Henry then living in Bantry for almost 10 years, became involved with the underage structure within Bantry Blues GAA. Here again his commitment was absolute, with a passion for getting games for all teams he was involved with a game every week if he could make it happen.

One of his proudest moments was 2009 when Ruairí, his son donned the red jersey for the Cork minors.

How proud Henry would be of Ruairi and his involvement with the Cork Senior Footballers over the last number of years.

Graham Canty, the 2010 All Ireland winning Cork senior football captain, was a player that Henry had coached at underage level with Bantry Blues,

Graham often speaks of the influence that Henry had been on him and how he would have travelled the country to support him and his fellow Cork Senior footballers, always with his family by his side.

This annual Henry Deane Cup, is in memory & recognition of a great Bantry Blues member