The annual Seán Dempsey Memorial Festival of Football, jointly organised by Mullingar Shamrocks and St Loman's in recognition of the great association of the Dempsey family with both clubs, took place on Sunday with the first matches starting at 10.00 am. This time Mullingar Shamrocks hosted the competition, which resumed last year after it was interrupted by Covid back in 2020 and 2021.Castleknock were first title winners in 2018 and Crossmolina from Mayo won in 2019. 

Seán Dempsey was Chairman of Mullingar Shamrocks in the 1980s and was Chairman when the 1986 senior football title was landed for the first time since 1966. The title was retained in 1987 and Sean's son Noel was a playing member of the panel for both championship victories. Noel was also centre forward in 1988 when Mullingar Shamrocks shocked the Westmeath football world and defeated Coralstown-Kinnegad in the intermediate county final. Paul and Ian Dempsey also lined out for Mullingar Shamrocks. 

Shane Dempsey is the third generation of the Dempsey family to star on the GAA fields of Westmeath and has been a leading member of the St Loman's team that collected Westmeath senior football titles in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 torturing defences in the process. 

Mullingar Shamrocks, The Downs GAA Club, StLomans Gaa and Athlone GAA    competed on this occasion and served up some brilliant football on Sunday morning. Appropriately, Athlone were managed by another of the Dempsey clan, – the great Dobsy Prendergast, a long-time rival and friend of Mullingar Shamrocks. 

A round-robin format was in place and Mullingar Shamrocks defeated St Loman’s and The Downs; Athlone did likewise and in a great final, Mullingar Shamrocks defeated Athlone and won the Sean Dempsey Memorial Shield for the first time A notable feature of this final was the tackling ability of the Mullingar Shamrocks boys.

 Panel: Nathan Naughton, Cian Gavin, Rogan Moore, Daniel Conaty, Conor Hogan, Dylan O’Reilly, Harry Gavin, Ethan Nally, Ryan Kelly, Liam Redden, Oisín Thornton, Adam O’Donoghue, Matthew Leavy, Tadgh Connnolly, Seaghan Óg Collins, Tom Frayne, Josh McNamee, Ainle Smyth, Cillian Keegan, Geoffrey Rogers, Stephen Cornally, Patrick Davitt, and Shea Ryan.

In the plate final, St Loman’s defeated The Downs.  Each team was also presented with a plaque to mark their participation in the tournament.

Many thanks to all the volunteers who make occasions such as this possible especially to Pat Collins for his impeccable organisation. Normal Pat Collins’ organisational standards applied. Paddy Joyce and Enda Keating were impartial referees.

Finally thanks to Connie and the members of the Dempsey family for their gesture in presenting the Sean Dempsey Memorial Shield and their sponsorship of this competition for young footballers.