Red carpet welcome for victorious IFC squad

Nobber came alive on Sunday 3rd October to welcome the Meath Intermediate Championship-winning team, who arrived home after winning the title for the first time since 1980. Flanked by a Nobber Fire Service’s fire appliance and a black and amber customised car painted by David Weldon of Nobber GFC sponsors Paramount Doors, they entered the village to a huge reception from locals. They had been brought home from Navan by Jason Carolan of Carolan Coaches and, when they reached Weldon’s Hardware, they boarded a truck driven by Sean Weldon, and then from O’Carolan College, were led into the village by the local fire service, with Dermot McCormack of Nobber Fire Service, at the wheel. The St Mary’s Brass and Reed Band, Kingscourt, followed and, behind them, the customised car driven by Donal Weldon of Weldon’s Hardware, and then the Nobber team on the truck driven by Sean Weldon. They were greeted just before entering the village with fireworks set off by Margaret Heffernan. The parade went through the village, the team chanting victoriously all the way, with the band playing as they marched through the village. The parade then came back up to the centre of the village again where the team alighted to greet the massive crowd awaiting them. Dudley Farrell, club chairman, and Brian Farrell, captain, spoke to the crowd. Mr Farrell said: “And we want to say, on behalf of everybody here on the lorry, is that they are speechless to see such a crowd of people to come out to welcome this team and each and every one of them will thank you most sincerely. Thank you very, very much!”. He thanked everyone who had been involved in the homecoming, including Dermot McCormack and the Nobber Vintage Club for sponsoring Carolan’s bus which brought the Junior C team into Navan for the first game which came back and then brought the Intermediate team to Pairc Tailteann, as well as to sponsor Paramount Doors. “We had sponsorship from Shane and Kathleen McEntee of Dee Local, Seamus and Peggy Keogan of Keogan’s Lounge, Michael Finucane of Gamestop, Margaret and Paul Lanney who provided food for the team during training. The amount of people that helped out with this was unbelievable!” Team captain Brian Farrell said “it’s absolutely unbelievable to see the turnout here. Thank you so much to everyone that’s here. It’s an unbelievable feeling” to experience, he said. In addition to those he thanked after the game, he also thanked Declan McMahon and Brian Keenan, first aid staff of Nobber GFC. He said that “words cannot describe what it means” to have the opportunity to be able to captain the team and lift the cup on their behalf. He then led the team in a spontaneous rendition of the song 'Seven Drunken Nights’, made famous by The Dubliners in 1967. Afterwards, team members and supporters celebrated the victory in both Dee Local and Keogan’s. The next afternoon, the team visited Nobber Primary School bearing the cup and Davy Cahill, Brian Farrell and hid dad, Dudley, addressed the children and introduced the members of the team. Brian Farrell encouraged the children to get involved in Gaelic football as it is great for the community and their social development. The loudest cheer of all came when Brian declared there would be no homework that night.