Generally All-Star events are inundated with the paparazzi, sports scribes and a crew “of who’s who” in the sports world. Well, this weekend in St. BarnabasAuditorium, New York GAA folks will have the perfect opportunity to meet and greet some of Ireland’s greatest Gaelic Football and Hurling players. The cadre of Irish sports stars will be supported by some of the Big Apple’s finest home-grown talents. This will be a two evening show, Friday devoted to hurling and Saturday assigned to football. The podcast, “Talking Gaelic Games” will be hosted by the celebratory duo, Thomas Niblock(Derry) and Oisin McConville(Armagh) with Sophie Colgan as MC.
It promises to be an entertaining and insightful night as the hosts interview stars from the past and present. You can be part of this iconic event for a mere $100, which also includes an open bar and food, which will suffice for your evening tea. This array of talent is the la crème de crème or simply the best of the best. This is an event not to be missed because it could be quite a while before such a list of luminaries lines out in the Bronx again.
Football Stars
Lining out for the footballers will be Tomas O’Shea. The Kerryman, who played his club football with Nemo Rangers and An Ghaeltacht, is arguably one of the greatest halfbacks of all-time. Tomas, a member of a strong footballing family with brothers Dara and Mark, made his debut for Kerry seniors in 1999 and would go on to be the longest serving inter-county player before retiring. During his run with Kerry, the Kingdom appeared to be nearly owning the Sam Maguire Cup as Tomas would win 5 All-Ireland medals, plus a bagful of Munster championship medals. His medal haul also included 3 NFL titles. Indeed his prowess on the playing fields did go unnoticed as he picked up 5 All-Star awards as well as being named as Texaco Footballer of the Year in 2009. The Sunday Game analysts named Tomas as a wingback along with Lee Keegan(Mayo) and Jack McCaffrey(Dublin) as an all time-great halfback line. Since retiring Tomas has been an analyst in the “Sunday Game” program as well as being involved in John Maughan’s coaching crew with Offaly.
Next in the lineup is another Kerry player, though of more recent vintage, namely Seanie O’Shea from the Kenmare Shamrocks Club. This young Kerry defender had quite a resume before making his debut with Kerry seniors, which included 2 Minor All-Irelands, one of which he captained as well as a Sigersion medal with UCC. However one very note-worthy feature of young O’Shea’s stellar career was his 53 yds free to beat Dublin in the semifinal in 2022. Kerry would go on to win the All-Ireland. Besides his All-Ireland, O’Shea would also win the Young Footballer of the Year Award, 5 Munster medals, 2 All-Stars and he has been selected on the “Sunday Games” team of the year 3 times.
Stepping into the limelight too will be Galway’s midfielder and captain Paul Conroy. The St. James’ clubman has been Galway’s longest serving player, and though the Sam Maguire hasn’t crossed the Shannon recently, Galway have been very close to escorting the venerable trophy westward a few times. Paul did have the distinction of captaining a Galway Minor team to All-Ireland victory in 2007, beating Derry in the final. Since making his debut in 2008, the big man has won 6 Connacht titles and 1 National League. In addition, the midfielder has played twice for Ireland against Australia in the 2013 International Rules Series. Aside from the playing fields, Conroy was announced as the Irish language GAA’s ambassador at an event in Croke, as he originally hails from the Connemara Gaeltacht.
Staring for the Big Apple footballers is Mikey Brosnan. Many will be quick to note that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree: his father Mike, well-known as “Brosie,” was the dominant player in Gaelic Park throughout the 1990s. However this young star is not riding on anybody’s coattails. His football career started with St. Barnabas at the age of 5 in Paddy’s Field. He would progress to excel with Feile Peile Na Nog teams in 2013 and 2014. His career continued in the ascendancy as the young Brosnan played for New York’s Colleges in Corn na Mac Leinn in 2018 and 2019. New York was victorious in the World Games in 2018 with Mikey named the MVP. History was made in 2020 when St. Barnabas, an All-American born team beat a Sligo squad, backboned by a cadre of seasoned intercounty players in the New York Senior Championship. The feat was repeated the following year with Mikey and his brother Shane playing instrumental roles in these victorious.
Mikey has been a regular feature on New York’s team for the last three years. However, the most stellar or standout moment to date has to be his penalty kick against Leitrim in the 2022 Connacht Championship game to claim victory. Baseball aficionados may proclaim that Bobby Thompson’s hit in 1951 was the shot hit around the world, but there’s no doubt that Mikey Brosnan’s penalty was the shot heard around the GAA world in 2022. It was the coup de grace that ended 23 years of losing Connacht championship games and sent New York through to the next round against Sligo.
Hurling Stars
Brendan Maher, from the Borris-Ileigh club, is regarded as one of the great talents of his era. During his 13 years career with Tipperary, he excelled in all central positions. The Tipp star has the distinction of being only the 5th player to captain a minor and senior team to All-Ireland victories. His record of success is quite impressive through all levels. Starting with starring for the Immaculate College, Limerick, his statistics show All-Ireland success at minor, under 21 and topped with 3 All-Ireland medals, captaining the 2016 team. In addition the roll of honor shows him leading victorious Railway Cups as well as earning 3 All-Stars plus a Hurler of the Year Award. The Tipp star was also named Young Hurler of the Year in 2010 as well as being selected twice on the “Sunday Games” team of the year. Maher also lined out twice for Ireland in the Shinty/Hurling International.
The Clare hurler, Tony Kelly, from the Ballyyea club, has a unique distinction as he is the only athlete to win, “Young Hurler of the Year”, “Hurler of the Year”, an “All-Star” and of an All-Ireland in the same year. Evidently he’s a prodigious scorer as records show the Clare man scoring 0-17 against Limerick, 0-13 against Laois and 1-15 against Waterford. This year Kelly was Clare’s captain as they won the All-Ireland, the first in 11 years with the sharp-shooter contributing 1-4, after extra time against Cork. He was also named “Man of the Match” in this final. A sample of the Clare man’s achievements is quite impressive showing a trifecta of under 21 All-Ireland titles, 2 Fitzgibbon Cup medals, 2 NHLs, and 4 All-Stars. In addition Kelly has been selected on the “Sunday Game”, Team of Year 5 times.
Shane O’Donnell, from the Eire Og, Ennis, is another Clare hurler, with exceptional statistics. His intercounty career got a great boost as he won a brace of under 21 titles in the early years. In the 2013 All-Ireland final replay against Cork, O’Donnell scored 3 goals in 19 minutes. The full forward was also named Man of the Match in that 2013 final. Clare defeated Cork by 5-16 to 3-16. Incidentally Clare beat Cork after extra time this year by a score of 3-29 to 3-16 to claim their 5th All-Ireland title. Besides his two All-Ireland medals, O’Donnell also has 2NHLs, 2 under 21s, 2 All-Stars and I Waterford Crystal Cup. Further testimony to O’Donnell’s stellar hurling skills is the fact that he was selected for the last three consecutive years on the “Sunday Games” team of the year. He was also named as the “Sunday Games” 2024 Hurler of the Year.
New York Hurler, James Breen. It has been noted that it was regarded as highly improbable that a New York-born team would win the senior football champions. However it was much more improbable to perceive a native New Yorker playing senior club hurling in Gaelic Park as well as lining out for the Big Apple team in Ireland. Well James Breen is the man that defied the odds. The young player acknowledges that his father Peter, a native of Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny, and a hurler, inspired in him a love for hurling and helped him develop the basic skills when he was little more than a toddler. In his early years there wasn’t even a juvenile club in New York until Le Cheile was formed. That enabled the young hurler to compete in the Continental Youth Championships to further enhance his skills and prowess on the playing fields. On the local level James blended in well with the Irish-born hurlers to have victorious seasons at senior and junior levels with Waterford and Limerick. Across the big pond James played his part when New York defeated Leitrim in the Connacht GAA Dome for the Shield in 2023. Incidentally James was the only native New Yorker on that team. Further success followed as New York won the Connacht League against Mayo in the Dome in 2024.
So GAA folks heading to St. Barnabas Auditorium this weekend are in for an exceptional treat. All proceeds from this event will go to the further development of Redmond Field.
