Ollie Drummey, much-loved groundsman at Fraher Field, dies
Ollie Drummey on his perch in "Drummey's Corner" at Cappoquin Logistics Fraher Field. Photo: Eddie Dee
Not many GAA groundsmen let you lock the gates!
Ollie Drummey never hunted a reporter out of Fraher Field. After switching off the floodlights and collecting the flags, he would wander up to the press box for a chat. He would talk about the game just gone or his beloved Manchester United, as he usually made an annual trip to Old Trafford. He used to say ‘You’ll be another while’ and ask to clamp the gate on your way out.
Ollie was a much-loved groundsman. The first man in and the last man out at the Shandon venue for the past 30 years. He took over the role from his father Tom. He treated Fraher Field like his front garden. “It’s better than Croke Park!” he proudly proclaimed before a Waterford-Dublin league game once.
Over the course of a GAA year, Ollie kept track of how many times he opened the field for matches and training sessions. In 2014, he unlocked the gates 294 times!
A long Saturday or Sunday, at the height of the club season, could entail four games. He would have the dressing rooms ready, look after the scoreboard and even bring out a stretcher in the event of a serious injury.
While the game was ongoing, he would look out from his hut in the corner of the pitch or take a seat under the scoreboard. He was snapped alongside former Irish rugby international Donnacha O’Callaghan during a Waterford hurling match a couple of years ago! No matter what the season, Ollie was usually seen in a blue zip-up jumper and a pair of shorts!
When Monaghan visited Fraher Field in 2018, the visitors left a few meals behind them in brown paper bags. He gave me a couple on the way out. Those post-match encounters will be missed!
Earlier this year, Ollie told me about his battle with cancer and his ongoing treatment. He was in an upbeat mood. It was a shock to the system to see an ambulance and four Garda vehicles parked outside Fraher Field early on Sunday afternoon. Despite his illness, he reported for duty that morning as normal and opened the field.
It is fitting that Ollie passed away at the ground he loved and adored so well. And that Man United beat Liverpool on the same day! The scoreboard corner in Fraher Field will be forever known as ‘Drummey Corner’.
Speaking to WLR, Waterford County Board chairman Neil Moore paid tribute to Ollie. "It's a very sad day for everybody involved in Waterford GAA - particularly the Drummey family - due to the sad passing of our groundsman Ollie Drummey yesterday at Fraher Field.
“Ollie had been groundsman there himself for the last 30 years, and his father before him - Tom Drummey - was synonymous with Fraher Field. The Drummeys, Ollie and Tom, have given decades of service to us - and speaking to everyone since the news of Ollie's passing broke - everyone has just been shocked and numbed by it", said Moore.
"I've been involved with Fraher Field myself for many years, and it was just a pleasure to work with Ollie. If anything went wrong over in the field, he'd be on to you straight away, saying we need a plumber or an electrician to fix this or that. Anything we ever asked of him, he was willing and delighted to do it. We'll miss him dearly."
