Cavan Pétanque Club held a ceremony at the weekend in honour of one of its founding members who died suddenly a short time ago. Shane Rooney was just 49 when he died unexpectedly three months ago.
Shane, originally hailed rom Donegal but had settled in Belturbet, married a local woman and was working for several years as grounds-keeper at Belturbet Golf Club. President of the Irish Pétanque Association, Belturbet clubman, Billy Gleadelll told Northern Sound, Shane was a real talent and was sure to be called up for the Irish national team before his untimely death.
The 14th of July is a significant day in the calendar of the French sport Pétanqiue as it's also Bastille Day. The Cavan club used this date to dedicate a memorial garden in honour of Shane with around 170 people including Mr Rooney's family and friends from Donegal, members of Belturbet Golf Club and Pétanque Club enjoying a touching ceremony, barbecue and memories of Shane. Billy said Shane was one to remember: "It was just such a shame Shane didn't get to fulfill the potential we all knew he had," Billy told Northern Sound, "Shane lived in Belturbet, he was the groundsman at Belturbet Golf Course for a number of years. He was instrumental in helping us set up the pétanque boulleodrome at the course, he volunteered his time to help building it and was one of the six original members who started the club off."
