ANOTHER GOOD weekend for Wicklow football with Mick O'Dwyer's Seniors picking up another brace of NFL points in London and Tim Healy's U-21s getting off to a good start in the Leinster U21 football championship

The only fly in the ointment was the hurling match which was called off because on snow on the pitch in Dublin.

While it would not be wise to read too much into the result in London a few things was abundantly clear.

The panel is getting stronger by the day, the fitness level is rising all the time and the spirit and confidence that brought the team to the last 12 in the race for All-Ireland glory in 2009 is coming back.

So did Micko reward his squad with a week off from training after the best win we have recorded in Ruislip in years? He did in his hat.

The last thing I heard the boss saying to his players before leaving Dublin Airport in the middle of a snowstorm on Saturday night was 'See you all at training in Arklow in the morning lads - and be ON TIME'. That man has a heart of pure gold.

With the exiles

At times Wicklow followers have been accused being poor home supporters but when the match is away there is noone better.

On Saturday we met up with people wearing the Blue and Gold with the Brennan Hotel logo and they come from all parts of the Garden County and there too were Wicklow people who have spent years in London and other parts of Britain. And boy did they all enjoy the display and Wicklow's win.

Thanks to everyone who made it such a great occasion; Micko and the team were delighted with the support. Congratulations Paddy Wicklow may have let the O'Byrne Cup slip from their grasp this year but at least one Wicklow man did get his hands on an O'Byrne Cup medal.

Paddy Byrne of Ballymanus lined out at right half forward for DCU in the final against Wicklow's conquers Louth at Dowdalshill on Sunday.

Paddy had a good game and got on the scoresheet and claimed his place in history as part of the first college team to win the famous old cup.

Well done Paddy, and by the way, good luck in the Sigerson Cup on Friday.

Michael Dywers celebrate

The Michael Dwyers/Stratford combination that won the Minor B Football Championship in 2009 celebrated the occasion at a function in Germaines of Baltinglasss on Friday night.

Dwyers were bridging a gap of 15 years since they won their Minor football championship in 1994.

Among the guests were the County President Peter Keogh and the Chairman of Bord na nOg Damien Byrne and his wife Ann, as well as officers from both clubs.

Among the speakers were Dave Murray, Chairman of the Michael Dwyers club; Maurice Mangan, Chairman of the Stratford juvenile club, and Pat Keogh, the new Chairman in Kiltegan

The following received medals on the night: MFC - Kevin Byrne (Captain); Paul Costigan, Gavin Keogh, Keith Corrigan, Niall Moore; John O'Keeffe, James O'Brien, Michael Mangan, Michael Dowling, Manus Keane, Cathal Fitzgerald, Liam Byrne, Ronan Byrne; Colm O'Connor, Michael Carroll, Mark Pierce, Brian Cullen, Conor Humphries, Shane Keogh, Eoin Fitzgerld., Paul Murray, Rikki Donnegan. Jason Daly, Sean McCarthy, Spencer Hanbidge

Stratford/Grangecon U-16 football team: Oisin Egan; Matt Hanbidge, PJ McGrath; Shane Humphries, Nathan Whittle, Dougie Hanbidge , Seán Byrne, Shane Byrne, Eoin Kenny, Kevin Bracken, Alan Norton, Paddy Humphries, Matt Manley, Christopher Hanbidge, Jack Delaney, Dylan Browne and Aaron Coogan

The Dwyers U-16 hurling team: Luke Byrne; Michael Sweeney, Gavin Keogh, Darragh O'Keeffe, Liam Byrne, John O'Keeffe, Phillip Coogan, Ronan Byrne, Brian Cullen, Paul Murray, Paddy O'Sullivan, Eoin Fitzgerald, Eoin Coogan, Mark Pierce, Rickie Donnegan, EndaO'Keeffe, Kevin Doyle, Conor Doyle.

The combined U-14 'Féile' team: Matt Hanbidge; Matt Manley, Gary Dowling, Cormac Egan, Adam Doyle, Dougie Hanbidge, Eoin Coogan, Stevie Coogan, Darragh Byrne, Pádraig Byrne, Luke Byrne, Eoghan Lennon, Shane Lennon, Alister Jackson, Cian Jackman, Connor Doyle, Dessie Foley, Dylan Clare, Lawrence Murphy, Willie Harmon, Phillip Penrose, Jack Kenny, Shane Humphries, Darren Nolan and James Byrne.

The special guests and county stars John Paul Dalton and Seánie Furlong presented the medals and trophies

The Secretary Christy O'Toole presented a wedding gift to Damien and Ann Byrne on behalf of the Michael Dwyers club.

GAA oral history

You will be hard pushed to find a GAA club in this, or any other, county who have not, at some stage had a Club History project on their agenda. How often have I been told 'we are going to write our Club History this year'. Yet how few have actually got down to taking up the pen and tackling the job. I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of clubs in West Wicklow that have produced a Club History and I believe that the rest of the county is no better. If you, or your club happen to be one of the many who fall into the 'long finger' brigade then this may be the time to really get going.

The GAA have recently launched an Oral History project and have appointed Arlene Crampsie to take charge. You will find her address and details below. She is already doing great work but the finished article will as good as the clubs make it.

GAA President Christy Cooney has thrown his weight behind the project and the message from Christy and Arlene is 'Make sure your club story is told' Arlene's e-mail: 'We want to preserve the story of your club and its members. Every club has its own unique stories, personalities and experiences. The GAA Oral History Project wants to make sure that your club's history is recorded so that future generations will know the contribution that your club and individual members in your locality have made to the GAA.Take this opportunity to be involved in the largest sport's history project in the world today and to have your story preserved in a new archive at the GAA Museum in Croke Park.

The GAA Oral History Project aims to record the fullest possible picture of what the GAA has meant to the Irish people, in their own words. The project will record face-to-face interviews with thousands of people in Ireland and internationally, including GAA members and supporters, current and former players, managers, officials and administrators, jersey washers, stewards, drivers - anyone who has ever had any involvement with the GAA.

This is not just a story about the famous players and famous matches, but about the grassroots who are responsible for keeping the Association alive. This project aims to be a representative survey of attitudes to and experiences of the GAA among Irish people - be they good or bad. Attached you will find a letter from Uachtarán Christy Cooney introducing the project and also our questionnaire which we encourage you to fill in. How YOUR club can get involved:

■ Forward this email to everyone in your club - everyone knows somebody who is involved in the GAA in some way, forward this email to as many people as possible, even to people who aren't involved in the GAA.

■ Visit our website www.gaahistory.com - enjoy stories we've already recorded and learn more about the project.

■ Tell us your story - Ask club members (past and present) to fill in the questionnaire or simply to write down their story and send it to the project (see website). Postal and electronic contributions are welcome.

■ Become a volunteer - Without your help, the story of your club and county will not be told. If you would like to get involved in collecting stories please visit www.gaahistory.com or give us a call at 01 662 5055.

■ Get your local school involved - Primary and secondary school packs are ready to download from www.gaahistory.com so if you know someone who is a teacher, tell them about the website.

■ Nominate people to be interviewed - Have your club members tell their story in their own words.

■ Donate photographs, documents and recordings - Simply contact a member of the project team. We are also happy to take items on loan for a short time, digitise them and then return them to you.

Spread the word! Our project staff can offer full support and guidance to help you with any method you choose!

This project will capture accounts, not only of matches and teams, but also the social life around the GAA - where people stop to have a picnic on the way to or from a match, how people travel to matches, the types of homecoming celebrations and commiserations that take place and the fundraising and social events that are organised. We are also hoping to collect records and minute books from counties and clubs, posters, letters, songs, poems and even prayers relating to the GAA. We want to record the experiences of people involved in all types of Gaelic games, not just football and hurling, therefore we are encouraging people from handball, rounders, camogie and ladies football to get involved. This project will celebrate the grassroots of the organisation by recording and preserving their efforts and achievements over the last 125 years.

Make sure your story is told and that your club has its place in the history of the GAA.

Arlene Crampsie, GAA Oral History Project, Boston College-Ireland, 42 St. Stephen's Green, Dublin 2, +353 (0)1 614 7456 / 662 5055; crampsie@gaahistory.com.

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Tráth na gCeist

The annual Cumann na mBunscol table quiz take place in the Brockagh Centre in Laragh on Saturday night. Schools from all parts of the county will be taking part and the quiz master will be Michael Sargent from East Coast Radio.

This is one contest where the small schools can hold their own and generally do. Rathcoyle are the holders and again they could be the team to look out for.

Scór

An unfortunate clash of indoor fixtures sees the Scór finals go ahead in the new Hall in Roundwood.

Chairman Tom Walsh and Secretary John Timmins are hoping for a good response from the clubs of the county, and who knows there may be an All-Ireland winner out there somewhere.

Back to the nines

Last week we ran briefly to a success story based on years ending with the number nine. The year in question this week is 1949 The Wicklow Senior footballers put up a brave showing against Louth in Croke Park before going down by two points - 0-7 to 0-5 - in the first round of the SFC.

That Wicklow team had many well known names like Seán Metcalfe, Gerry O'Reilly and Paddy Lennon, Donard; Mick Baker, Paddy O'Neill and Donagh Dunne, Ballinacor, Paudge Brennan, Carnew and Bob Byrne.

However, our success story is not about the Seniors but a Junior team that Billy Lawless had pulled together under strange circumstances that year

Billy believed that he had the makings of a team good enough to win a Leinster, if not an All-Ireland champioship.

However the Senior selectors got there ahead of him, creamed off some of his best players, leaving the Killeskey man to field a greatly depleted Junior team.

Billy was not a man to give up easily, put out the best team he could find and with Toddy Hennessy of Blessington starring and getting great assistance fron Enda Kinsella of Baltinglass they beat Kildare in the first round in Naas by 2-8 to 3-1.

It was back to Naas again for the second round against Longford. Dermot O'Connell of St. Pat's had a great game and Wicklow won by 2-8 to 2-4.

That game was played before the Senior match against Louth so some of the top players like Bob Byrne were still available.

The next game ended in a big surprise - we were held to a draw by Kilkenny. We barely scraped through in the replay - 2-6 to 1-7 - with Jack Kilcoyne of St. Pat's one one of the stars. We were through to the final against Meath at Croke Park and we won by 5-2 to 2-10.

That was Wicklow's fourth Leinster Championship in Junior ranks but it ended there - we were beaten by Kerry in the All-Ireland semi-final at Aughrim.

Next week the '49 team and an even better result in 1969.

- PETER KEOGH