Each September as the days begin to shorten, the longer autumn evenings close in, and the football and hurling seasons begin to wind down for another year, our thoughts turn to Scór. Since our first County Final victory in Tráth na gCeist in 1973, when Michael Quinn, Seamus Lannon and John Gerard Diffley blazed the trail, Kilglass Gaels has been consistently successful through the years. But apart from the successes, the level of enjoyment and entertainment generated by Scór can not be quantified. The “close second” results and the decisions that “went against us” were quickly forgotten while the memories of the craic at rehearsals will remain as fond memories for many years to come. The Novelty Acts that were certainly “novel”; the recitations that drew a tear, sometimes in laughter and sometimes in sorrow; the solo singers, musicians, figure dancers, set dancers and ballad groups all showcased the depth of talent and dedication which is, thankfully, still alive and well in Kilglass.
The ongoing health of Scór in Kilglass didn’t happen by accident but is due in no small way to it’s consistent and persistent promotion by Parkes Reynolds and Nuala Diffley in particular. The work put in by these two Club stalwarts ensured that the name of Kilglass Gaels would rank with the best in the annals of Scór.
Our Scór na nÓg Tráth na gCeist Teams hold pride of place having brought us four All-Ireland Titles in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2008, making us the only club in the country to hold four Tráth na gCeist National Titles in Scór na nÓg. We also took provincial titles in Figure Dancing and Recitation, but as outlined in the table below, we have had many other successes in the various competitions since that first victory in 1973. While history does not record the “close seconds” or “hard luck” decisions, many of these were memorable to say the least, and will live in the folklore of Kilglass for generations to come.
We all look forward to many more years of success and craic in Scór, but if victory doesn’t come, we will have tried our best, enjoyed the journey, made friends along the way, and sure there’s always next year!
