Council Chair hosts reception for Breacach Handball Club

Recently the Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Councillor Barry McElduff, hosted a reception for Breacach Handball Club in recognition of their recent Ulster and All Ireland success.  The Club also holds European and World titles.  The following is the speech which the Chair delivered at the reception:

Fellow Councillors, ladies and gentlemen

As Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, I am delighted to welcome you all here to The Grange, Omagh for this reception to recognise the achievements of Breacach Handball Club.

Breacach Handball Club was founded in the 1950s and met in Breacach School until the 1970s when it reformed in Cloughfin.  In the 1980s the Club moved to its current home at Paírc Naomh Mhuire.

During the long history of the Club, Members have excelled in the sport winning Provincial, National and International titles as well as having a World Champion with Conor McElduff.  Conor as also the first Irish Handballer to be Number 1 Player on the European Handball Tour.

In the Summer of 2022, I understand a Boys Team and a Girls Team travelled to the Feíle na nGael Handball 2022 event.  The Boys team had a tightly contested match against Clooney Quin from Co Clare while the Girls Team had a more comfortable win against Toonagh, Co Clare to claim the Division 2 titles.

Individual members have also enjoyed significant success in the last year including Conor McElduff, Niall Kerr, Conor Kerr, Keeva Owens, Cara McCrory, Aoife McWilliams, Zara Montague, Eve Montague, Ben McGarvey, Cathal Farley, Eoighan Mullin, Cathair Owens, Oisin Kelly, James Boyle, Jack Devlin, Tiarnan Kelly, Ronan O’Sullivan and Shea Colton all winning Ulster and All Ireland titles.  I understand some of these titles have been won in recent weeks.

Handballing in Tyrone is strong and you are certainly putting the name of Breacach Handball Club on the map throughout Ireland and beyond.

Handball requires great agility, fitness and coordination and it teaches you key lifelong skills in terms of listening, commitment and resilience.  These are all key qualities which you can transfer to the workplace in the future.

The mission of Breacach Handball Club is to make Handball a sport for all ages and a sport for life.  Breacach has achieved this with top players from under 12 to Masters.

The success of the Club is down to the Committee Members and Coaches who organise the training, competitions and travel and give you the opportunities to compete at the highest level.  I commend all the Committee Members and Coaches, past and present, for your commitment and hard work over the years.

I would also like to commend all the Members for your commitment to attend the training and participate in the various competitions all alongside your school, college and work commitments.

On behalf of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, and on my own behalf, I would like to congratulate everyone for sustaining the Club for the last 70 years and for the success you have achieved along the way.  I would like to wish you continued success in the future.

Thank you.