Now that the playing season has ended the action switches to the social scene. Clubs are preparing to celebrate their achievements and recognize the efforts of officials who work diligently and selflessly to keep clubs functional and flourishing.
The Offaly hurling and football club is celebrating their historic five in a row New York senior hurling championships on November 18th at. And they have chosen an impressive slate of honorees for this unique occasion. Danny Leavy is the guest of honor, a native of Rhode, Co. Offaly. From his early years at Rhode N. S. Danny excelled in hurling, football and the community games, culminating with an All-Ireland for Offaly's under 11s. He continued to represent the Faithful county at the national level until he was 17 in the 100 meters. His football career was also progressing rapidly and favorably as he won a Leinster schools medal with Edenderry.
Naturally as a young forward with blistering speed and a proclivity for rattling the net, he soon came to the attention of the Offaly mentors. He was selected on the minor team in 1987 and quickly progressed to the under 21's and senior squad while also captaining the Rhode senior team.
Danny arrived in the Big Apple in 1994 and played with Na Fianna, Leitrim, Westput Gaels and Offaly. He won a New York senior medal with Leitrim in 1995, a junior B championship with Offaly in 2008 , and Danny was Westput Gaels player of the year in 2000. In addition he was a regular on the New York senior team in the late nineties, winning an International Tournament medal in Dublin against London in the final in 1998. Danny is a member of Local 608 and he lives in Yonkers with his wife Anne and children Isabella and Daniel.
The Offaly person of the year award is Seamus Clarke. Seamus is a native of Gortletteragh, Co. Leitrim and he has been a very generous sponsor of the Offaly club for many years. The club has been very faithful to him and likewise he to them. Seamus had a short sporting career but he did manage to star with his native parish team and win a minor county championship before the travel bug caught him.
Seamus was on the move early as he moved to Germany in the early eighties and he landed in New York in 1985. He started in the construction business but soon found his niche in the bar business. He learned the trade in the Bainbridge taverns and progressed to open his own bar along with Mike Creegan on McLean Avenue in 1996.
J. P. Clarke's has since evolved into a very successful and reputable business in the thriving Irish neighborhood. Though Seamus was not able to pursue his dreams on the football field, he embraced and excelled at tennis for many years. However once he found golf that was his real true love -- I mean after Catriona.
