Legendary NY Shamrocks Soccer Club administrator Pat Rooney congratulated all members past and present for keeping the “light burning bright” after accepting the title of Honorary Lifetime President at a truly memorable End-of-Season Awards Banquet in Woodside’s Elite Palace on Saturday night.

The Shamrocks honorees pictured at Saturday’s End-of-Season Awards Banquet – from left, Pat Rooney, Billy Barron and Paddy Rooney. (Photo by Jalessa Almonacy)

Mr Rooney was being honored alongside former team manager Billy Barron and former star player, Paddy Rooney. All three men received an emotional standing ovation from the 180-strong crowd before being joined on stage by some of the other key figures of the 1960s for a brilliant rendition of ‘The Shamrocks Song’.

Singing The Shamrocks Song!

It was a fitting end to a historic season in which five trophies were secured thanks to title victories for the Over 30s, Shamrocks 1960 and the Women’s team.

Players on all teams were also honored for their contributions this past season. First team player of the year Zach Gosse was a popular choice while women’s team captain and top scorer Sinead Hennessy earned the nod from her team mates for her 25 goals.

The Shamrocks Players of the Year – Richie Brennan (Legends), Women’s League Defender of the Year Erin Cullen, billy Hole represented by his Over 30s coach Paddy Mc Carry, Ciaran Moloney (1960), Darren Coleman (reserves), Zach Gosse (first team) and Sinead Hennessy (women’s team) alongside club president Sean Mc Mullan. (Photo by Jalessa Almonacy)

The main man for the Over 30s was center back Billy Hole and the Legends selected Richie Brennan, also a staunch defender and popular team mate. Darren Coleman, top scorer for the reserves, was that team’s player of the year while Ciaran Moloney was a unanimous decision for the 1960 lads.

The other top scorers who accepted awards for their goal haul were Santiago Rigby (first team), Dave Harvey (1960), Ger Shivnan (Legends) and the strike partnership of Tayfun Gokmen and Sean Riley who racked up an impressive tally of 21 goals each for the double winning Over 30s.

The top goalscorers for the Shamrocks teams, from left: Dave Harvey (1960), Tayfun Gokmen (Over 30s), Santiago Rigby (first team), Sean Riley (Over 30s), Ger Shivnan (Legends), Sinead Hennessy (women’s team) and Darren Coleman (reserves) alongside Club President Sean Mc Mullan.

“This was a great night for the club,” said club president Sean Mc Mullan. “It was a privilege for us to welcome some of the incredible people who got our club going in the 1960s and they were delighted to see the progress that has been made by us over the last three years.”

Clubman of the Year John Riordan echoed the president’s words.

“The committee has worked hard all year to achieve all this success,” he said. “Clubman of the Year is a lovely honor but it’s all down to the hard work of Sean Mc Mullan, Pat Burke, Braden Ruddy, Keith Buckley, Tricia Reed, Sinead Hennessy, Glen Wrafter, Ducky Kelly, Paddy Mc Carry, Kevin Mc Partland, Neil Mannion, Andy Connolly, Stevie Doyle and all the coaches and players who represent this club so well.

Clubman of the Year John Riordan

“It was a real pleasure to have the honorees and their friends and families involved. It was great for our younger players to meet them and hear about their experiences 50 years ago. This will be a big platform as the club looks to grow further next season.”

It was also announced at the event that this year’s golf outing – the fourth such event – will take place on Monday September 12 at Lido Beach while the hugely popular Sunnyside Gardens 6-aside will be held on Sunday August 20.

The Shamrocks Women’s team celebrating with their league and cup trophies.

The Shamrocks Legends who just enjoyed their first season as a team.

The Shamrocks Over 30s enjoying their league and State Cup trophies.

Shamrocks 1960 with their Metro 2 East Divisional trophy.

ZACH GOSSE – SHAMROCKS FIRST TEAM

SINEAD HENNESSY – SHAMROCKS WOMEN’S TEAM

ERIN CULLEN – WOMEN’S LEAGUE DEFENDER OF THE YEAR

CIARAN MOLONEY – SHAMROCKS 1960

BILLY HOLE – SHAMROCKS OVER 30s

DARREN COLEMAN – SHAMROCKS RESERVES

RICHIE BRENNAN – SHAMROCKS LEGENDS

Pictured below from left, Richie Brennan (Legends), Erin Cullen (Women’s League Defender of the Year), Billy Hole who was represented by Paddy Mc Carry (Over 30s), Ciaran Moloney (1960), Darren Coleman (reserves), Zach Gosse (first team) and Sinead Hennessy (Women’s team) alongside club president Sean Mc Mullan.

SANTIAGO RIGBY – 6 GOALS, FIRST TEAM

SINEAD HENNESSY – 25 GOALS, WOMEN’S TEAM

DAVE HARVEY – 11 GOALS, ROCKS 1960

SEAN RILEY & TAYFUN GOKMEN – 21 GOALS EACH, OVER 30s

DARREN COLEMAN – 14 GOALS, RESERVES

GER SHIVNAN – 9 GOALS, LEGENDS

Pictured from left, Dave Harvey (1960 – 11 goals), Tayfun Gokmen (Over 30s – 21 goals), Santiago Rigby (first team – 6 goals), Sean Riley (Over 30s – 21 goals), Ger Shivnan (Legends – 9 goals), Sinead Hennessy (women’s team – 25 goals) and Darren Coleman (reserves – 14 goals) alongside club president Sean Mc Mullan.

On Saturday, the NY Shamrocks will honor three key figures from the club’s beginnings way back in 1960.

Former president Pat Rooney, former team manager Billy Barron and one of the greatest Shamrock players of that first decade, Paddy Rooney, were all pivotal characters as the fledgling organization moved quickly from a social outlet to a highly competitive soccer organization.

Pictured back in January from left are former president Pat Rooney, former player Paddy Rooney, Shamrocks president Sean Mc Mullan and former team manager Billy Barron.

But thanks to these three and many other of their peers, the club never lost sight of its cultural role helping to build lasting friendships and vibrant families that flourish to this day.

Appropriately, these three great men will share the stage this weekend with a new generation of committed Rocks: league and cup winners who have delivered five trophies, six players of the year and seven top goalscorers during what has been an unforgettable and record-breaking season.

All three of our honorees represent what is great about building community in new cities and new countries while all three served in the US military, accentuating the incredible contributions they have each made to their families, their groups and their country throughout their lives.

PAT ROONEY – ADMINISTRATOR SUPREME

Born in New York but raised in Dublin, Pat Rooney’s family history is a fascinating one – after moving back to the country of his birth, he was drafted, served his time and eventually forged a career in finance.

At the home of former president Pat Rooney are Shamrocks players John Riordan, Sinead Hennessy and Aoife West with two of the five trophies won this past season.

In 1960, Pat was introduced to legendary club founder John Kenny who immediately signed him up with the Shamrocks. While the Shamrocks matured as a team and began to attract better players, Pat made sure that the structure was right off the field. The Shamrocks became incorporated, wrote a constitution, laid out the by-laws and became a well-functioning club both on and off the field.

“Our manager at the time, Billy Barron, felt that we had out grown out of the EDSL,” recalls Pat. “So in April 1964, as president of the club, I wrote to the German American Football Association, iterating the growth potential and other laudable attributes which the Shamrocks would bring to their league.”

The bid was successful and the groundwork was laid for over 50 years of competition in what would soon become the Cosmopolitan Soccer League.

Pat Rooney was more involved in the board room than on the playing field but he represented the B team on occasion and is pictured here back row, second from right.

Outside of his soccer life, Pat was also an active theater actor and director – involved initially with the Thomas Davis Irish Players before becoming a founding member and director of the Cill Cais Players, a theatre group performing Irish plays in the New York area and beyond.

In 1971, Pat met his wife Sheila Dwyer (now deceased). Their two children Patrick and Jessica will attend on Saturday to support their father and Pat is also very proud of his two grandchildren, Catherine and Patrick J.

PADDY ROONEY – FREE SCORING DUBLINER

The other Rooney, Paddy, just turned the grand age of 80 this past week. A native of Dublin, Paddy immigrated to New York via Canada in 1957 at the age of 21, drafted to the US Army soon after he arrived.

Part of the 1966 double, Paddy Rooney is pictured front row, third from left.

After returning to New York in 1960, it just took a few minutes of a pick-up game in Central Park to convince fellow Dub Brian McKeever to ask Paddy to join a new team called the Shamrocks, In just his second season, Paddy inspired a league title win while scoring at least one goal in every game.

In 1963, on a plane trip back to New York after visiting his parents in Dublin, he was seated next to Mary McBride from Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, who was coming to NY for the first time to visit her sister in the Bronx. Six months later they were engaged and this August they will celebrate their 52nd wedding anniversary.

Paddy educated himself here in NY and became a master carpenter. In 1972 they made the move with their four children (Philip, Linda, Jimmy & Alan) out to Long Island. Paddy’s love for the game was passed on to his kids, who all grew up playing soccer, and Paddy coached his son Jimmy throughout his youth.

Free scoring Paddy Rooney pictured front row on the right

Paddy also continued to play in the local men’s recreational 30+ league and finally hung up his boots at the age of 60 – famously still playing after he had retired from his day job!

Jimmy, meanwhile, would go on to have ten successful years playing professional soccer in the MLS and is now an assistant coach at NASL club Jacksonville, alongside head coach and technical director Tony Meola, the former US Men’s National Team goalkeeper.

“The Shamrocks have always remained a part of my life,” says Paddy. “The men I met and played with became brothers to me, especially the Halpins, who are considered Uncles, Aunts and cousins to our children and ten grandchildren. It is a true family bond and they have been there for us through all the good times and bad times.”

This was especially true when sadly Paddy & Mary lost their first son Philip in 2007. Philip followed in his Dad’s footsteps and became a Carpenter working for NYC. He and his crew responded to the attacks on Sept. 11th and worked at the WTC site in the weeks and months that followed. As a result of this work, he contracted a rare leukemia and unfortunately lost the battle at age 41.

“The love and support of family and friends – true friendships that began way back in the early days of the Shamrocks – are the reason we have been able to endure such a devastating loss.

“I loved my time with the Shamrocks,” added Paddy. “So many aspects of that time have remained with me through the years!”

BILLY BARRON – OUR ORIGINAL GAFFER

A native of Tipperary Town, Billy Barron immigrated to New York City via London in 1957 at the age of 23. A few months later he was drafted and served in the US Army for two years. While serving in Germany, he formed a football team comprised of US GIs who played against local German teams.

When he returned to New York he met John Kenny and in 1961, after John left NY, Billy stepped up to serve as team manager for the following six years.

“In the early sixties in New York City, young Irish men mostly emigrated from rural areas and didn’t play soccer, so we had to find Gaelic footballers and teach them how to play soccer,” recalls Billy.

“The players who grew up playing soccer came from Dublin, Cork, Limerick or garrison towns where the British Army were stationed. When Gaelic Park opened up in the spring it was a struggle to field a team to play soccer. Hard to believe, but that’s the way it was. We have come a long way.”

In 1969, Billy Barron left New York City and the Shamrocks, to move to his wife’s home of Lafayette, Louisiana. There, Billy coached a team for the University of Southwest Louisiana (the Rajun’ Cajuns) comprised of fellow students from Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Central America.

Since 1973, Billy and his wife Maureen have lived in Western New Jersey. They have three grown children (Danny, Sean and Kate) and two young grandchildren (Zhana and Liam). He has never lost his love for and involvement in the game of soccer. He has stayed heavily involved in the development of youth soccer in Central New Jersey as a player, coach, referee and fan.

After all of these years, he still follows the success of the Shamrocks from afar.

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Honoring our champion teams, our players of the year, our top goalscorers and our founding members. Five-hour open bar, cocktail hour, five-course meal and music until late, this should be a perfect finale to a history-making season.

Kevin Grogan has swiftly secured his first player signing for the 2016/17 season, the talented and experienced striker Kwesi Mills-Odoi.

The 29-year-old former CPR front man who was born in New York said he was very happy to be joining the Rocks and that he was looking forward to beginning pre-season training in July.

A dedicated club man at CPR since his debut in 2007, Kwesi made the decision to remain in Division 1 soccer after his previous club’s relegation to Division 2 last month.

“I’m very happy to join the Shamrocks,” said Kwesi. “I have admired their progress back to Division 1 and they have done very well to stay up during what has been a tough season for many clubs. I want to pay tribute to everybody at CPR, especially the first coach who gave me my opportunity, Joe Sullivan. Joe regards Kevin very highly and I’m very much looking forward to getting started in July. I hope my future team mates can win the League Cup on Sunday as it is the least they deserve for all the work they put in this season.”

In his nine years at CPR, Kwesi was twice named MVP awards while also scooping up three golden boot awards. He won two league cups back-to-back while also appearing in a Manning Cup final and and two league semi-finals. Kwesi captained the first team in his final season at CPR while he has also represented Ghana in the COPA NYC.

“Kwesi is exactly the type of player I want at the Shamrocks,” said Grogan. “Joe Sullivan told me he is as good a man as he is a player. He had opportunities to sign for four other CSL top division clubs but he decided to join us here at the Shamrocks. He believes in our vision.

“His attitude is top class but his ability to hold up the ball and find the net is going to be a huge benefit to us when we embark on our second season in Division 1.”

The NY Shamrocks committee is pleased to announce that technical director and first team coach Kevin Grogan has committed to the club for the 2016/17 season.

This is a timely boost for the Rocks on the week that Division 1 status was confirmed while there is also the significant matter of an exciting season finale on Sunday evening, the League Cup final against Zum Schneider at Randall’s Island Field 70 (kick off 5pm).

Grogan’s decision to stay on also offers an overwhelmingly positive endorsement of the progress of the club since the Dublin-born coach took on the role almost 11 months ago.

Under his tutelage, the Shamrocks first team secured survival in the top flight of the Cosmopolitan Soccer League after a ten-year absence, picking up 21 points and a sixth-place finish.

The rest of the club has also benefited from the added impetus of top flight soccer – the fifth trophy of the season was won this past Sunday by the Over 30s adding to successes for Rocks Women and Rocks 1960 and there is a possibility of a sixth cup if all goes well this weekend.

Grogan underlined the ongoing development of the first team while also outlining some ambitious club-wide plans including coaching clinics for kids with special needs and a support structure to develop coaches internally.

“I’m delighted to sign a new one-year contract with the NY Shamrocks,” Grogan said.

“It’s been an honor to be associated with the club. I feel my job here is only half done. As I have said before, we have built a young squad with an average age of 24. The squad will only get better with time and experience. I am already working on some new recruits to complement what we have and I feel some of the reserves have done well this season and deserve the opportunity also.

“I also have plans to implement some other initiatives at the club in the near future – for example, a ‘Soccer for All’ program for special needs kids, youth clinics, an NY Shamrocks TV channel and also some club wide coach educational podcasts/video tutorials.

“I want to thank the club president Sean Mc Mullan and all the board for their support and enthusiasm to drive the club forward in such a positive way. I would lastly like to congratulate all the coaches at the club for their success this year. I understand the mental torture you go through as coaches at times but you have all done a remarkable job. Keep working hard and keep using your imagination.”

Club President Sean Mc Mullan welcomed Kevin Grogan’s decision to recommit to the Rocks, pointing out that his contribution to the club as a whole was a vital factor in the growth and success which has been experienced over the past year.

“It has been a privilege working with Kevin and we were only too delighted to extend this relationship beyond the current contract,” said Mc Mullan.

“He has brought new blood into the club and all of these players have proven to be positive additions who have embraced the Rocks. He has also brought in fresh ideas and the other coaches have also benefited from his contributions. Each of our six teams have done themselves proud this season and the first team has the potential of being an even better representative of the Shamrocks at the top level of amateur soccer in New York.

“Kevin has big plans and he has always been very good at acknowledging the history of the club. He understood from day one what we were trying to achieve and he has been supportive in many ways that people may not be able to see. We look forward to next season now with renewed optimism.”