Welcome to the Tyrone Association Dublin

There was a Tyrone take-over of the Mansion House in Dublin on Saturday 25th February, at the invite of resident Lord Mayor Andrew Montague, the son of Carrickmore native Terry Montague.Mayor Montague, age 44, is a Labour councillor from Ballymun and has visited his relatives in Tyrone many times since childhood. They include his uncle, the wellknown retired teacher and historian Peader Montague who attended the receptionfor the Tyrone Association in Dublin (TAD) at the weekend.Over 100 guests attended the reception including Omagh author and journalist Martina Devlin, Séamus O’Catháin from Drumquin who is the Professor of Celtic Studies at UCD and a host of Tyrone’s finest musicians, bards and writers. Mr O’Catháin is also President of the Tyrone association in Dublin. Pianist Ray Moore travelled from Omagh and, accompanied by Peter Smith singing in the Irish language, provided the backdrop as the visitors to the Mansion House took in the lavish surroundings and enjoyed a finger buffet. The Chairman of TAD, John McElhinney presented Lord Mayor with the jersey in memory of Dungannon schoolboy Cian Corrigan which encompasses the Tyrone, Dublin and Dungannon Thomas Clarkes' colours.

Those in attendance were regaled with music from Tyrone people who are living in Dublin and others who travelled down for the event. On stage was Hugh Grugan from Carrickmore on accordion, his daughter Siobhan on fiddle and Peter Farrell from Ballygawley, now living in Dublin sang and played guitar. Pat McCullagh on banjo from Loughmacrory & his daughter Claire on flute, now living in Dublin, Joe Diamond from Maghera, whose brother-in-law is Monsignor Donnelly based in Omagh, sang ‘the ‘Hills of Drumquin.’ Lord Mayor’s father Terry Montague recited a poem and related the history of his family’s name.

Award winning Tyrone Herald columnist Ronan McSherry, who is the current Columnist of the Year, did a reading from his book ‘Ronan’s Rants.’ It was a personal recollection of Tyrone’s long wait for the Sam Maguire Cup. After giving his guests a tour of the Mansion House, Lord Mayor Montague took up the and guitar and sang the Van Morrison number, ‘Brown Eye Girl.’ One of the organisers of the evening, TAD treasurer Brian Furey from Aughabrack, had also compiled a montage of photographs depicting Tyrone’s greatest achievers with scenes from around the county, which were displayed on a large screen.

Danny (Donal) Donnelly from Omagh, presented a Tyrone Crystal Vase to the Lord Mayor and wished him a happy 11th birthday! That is because Mayor Montague is a leap year baby born on February 29.The night concluded with a song from Hugh McCann from Creggan.

Chairman of TAD, John McElhinney was delighted with Tyrone’s big night in the Mansion House. He said, “It was wonderful and everything went very well. It was the right atmosphere and very relaxed and informal. Lord Mayor is very down to earth and just chatted to his guests and grabbed the guitar and sang a song. It was all good craic and we ware delighted it went so well.”