August date likely for renaming of Terryland as Deacy Park

Date Published: 09-Apr-2012

Keith Kelly

Plans are well underway for the official renaming of Terryland Park as Deacy Park later this year, as exclusively revealed in our sister paper the Connacht Tribune last week, with Saturday August 18 looking like the most likely date for the day of celebration.

The renaming ceremony – which will double as a celebration of the life of the late Eamonn ‘Chick’ Deacy – will see the Aston Villa league-winning team, of 1981 travelling over to play an exhibition game against a West United/Galway United selection from Chick’s time at both clubs. A committee has been put together by West United, the Galway FA and the Deacy family to organise the celebration, and will hold its first meeting in Deacy Park tomorrow night.

“The reaction we have got has been great. The band Silkwood rang me straight away when they heard about it and have offered to put on a concert to help raise money towards the cost of bringing over the League-winning Villa team from 1981 for the game.

“A lot of people have already contacted me offering to help out, and it’s great,” said Don Deacy, who says anyone wishing to get volunteer to help out can contact him at 087 4119406.

Chick graced Terryland Park in the colours of Galway Rovers in their first season of the League of Ireland in 1977/78 – he scored the club’s first goal in the League, against Thurles Town – and after a spell in England, he returned to the club, then called Galway United, for the 1984/85 season, playing seven years with the club up to and including the FAI Cup-winning season of 1990/91.

He also played on the ground in the colours of his beloved West United – his last competitive game was in Terryland Park with West United when they won the Jack Lillis Cup in 2006.

In a further link, the land originally belonged to his grandfather, Martin J Morris, who sold it to the Galway FA to develop a soccer pitch; while Chick’s mother, Christine, was also born there when it was part of the family farm.

Meanwhile the fans group which ran Galway United for the 2011 season is to launch its own Euro 2012 sportswear in Monroe’s Tavern on Dominick Street tonight (Tuesday), which will be in aid of a charity chosen by the Deacy family.

The Galway United Supporters Trust has produced a polo short, a t-shirt and windcheater, with the set on offer for €50, or individual items available for €20. Any profits from the sale of the merchandise will be split evenly between GUST and the Peter McVerry Trust, which was chosen as a beneficiary by Chick’s wife Mary, and his children, Dawn and Jake.

“We had thought about bringing out some items to mark 2012, and with the passing of Chick, thought it would be a nice idea to get the family involved and help to raise funds for a charity in his memory,” explains GUST management committee member Tommy Shields.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Sentinel.