Patsy Weldon

SEÁN O’CASEY’S The Plough and the Stars opened at the Abbey Theatre Dublin; there was a failed assassination attempt on Al Capone; a new political party Fianna Fáil was formed, and launched by leading republicans including Éamon de Valera and Seán Lemass; Harry Houdini died and Patsy Weldon was born.

The year was 1926 and the Syddan stalwart celebrated his 90th birthday with family and friends in style during the summer with a big bash in Dooley’s of Edmondstown. Among those in attendance to wish him well was former Meath legend Graham Geraghty.

A regular at football matches down the decades Patsy has witnessed the high and lows of the Royal County as well as his beloved Syddan. Even to this day the clubs’ most ardent supporter hardly ever misses a game, not even a challenge match in Ludlow Park.

Pasty was born on June 30th, and went to school in Newtown at the age of six and stayed there until he was 14.

He started playing football as a juvenile with Syddan and was a member of the team that won the championship in in 1939. The captain of that side was Eamon Meegan who along with Patsy, and the likes of George Clare, Phil O’Brien and Jimmy Gammons went go on to taste glory at senior level during a golden spell in the clubs history.

On leaving school Patsy went to work on a farm with Mrs O’Reilly in Johnsfort, before going to Meades of Footstown in 1944.

He remained there until 1947 and then went to work in McDonnell’s of Manistown, had another spell back in Footstown and then went to Patsy Meade in Rathkenny.

Patsy played junior football for three or four years but never played at minor or under-21 level. He then progress to the senior team and enjoyed tremendous success and was part of senior championship winning teams in 1951, 1952 and 1956. He also won a Feis Cup medal in 1952.

The 1956 victory was particularly sweet as the Keegan Cup returned to the parish for the first and only time.

Patsy had the honour of playing with some of the best footballers in the country at the time, including Bill Halpenny, Paddy Meegan and Mattie Maguire. He also lined out against some of the best, the likes of Paddy O’Brien and Mattie McDonnell.

The style of football played was a far cry from the present day, it was mostly catch and kick and Patsy had the ability to outfield the best of them. According to Patsy there were no problems with being able to field a team in those days as there were few other distractions. However if there was a field of hay down in the parish and the weather was good then players could be in short supply.

A life-long follower of the county team Patsy witnessed Meath first ever senior All-Ireland final appearance when they lost to Kerry in the 1939 final. The then 13-year-old remembers being lifted over the turnstile by his uncle Paddy Doolan. He watched the match sitting on a barrier on Hill 16 which had a sandy surface and no terracing.

He can also recall great day’s when the Royals lifted the Sam Maguire Cup, especially 1949, 1954 and 1967. Patsy has attended football matches in every county in Ireland except two – Kilkenny and Clare.

As well as his proud collection of medals won on the field, Patsy also cherishes a Meath junior championship medal which belonged to his father Henry who was a member of the successful Syddan 1927 team.

As 2016 draws to a close everyone in Syddan would like to wish Patsy many more years of health and happiness and maybe he will have some silverware, both a county and club level, to cheer along the way