Houling their whist for over 40 years

A LOCAL card playing club has this week celebrated its “unofficial” 40th anniversary.

Castlefinn Whist Club, which runs from St Mary’s Hall in the village, has delighted lovers of the game since its inception in 1981.

Marking the “unofficial” birthday this week (the official one being a victim of Covid), long time player and organiser, Collette Carlin explained that the club was initially founded through some divine intervention.

As she explained, “The whist club came about thanks to a young curate who came to Castlefinn in 1981 called Jim McGonagle. He enjoyed a game of cards; a nice, lovely, very progressive wee priest. He hit upon the idea of starting a whist club and asked me if I would help. I was a teacher in Donnyloop and knew absolutely nothing about the game, only that it involved cards. He told me ‘It’s ok Collette; all you have to do is take down the scores’ so I agreed and I’m still here forty years later!”

Fr McGonagle left the parish in 1988 and many thought that would have been the end of whist. However Collette took on the mantle.

Weekly games, including a ‘big’ whist drive one Wednesday every month sees players from all over the north west converge on Castlefinn for their weekly fix; Donnyloop, Letterkenny, Plumbridge, Castlederg, Castlefinn, Donemana, Lifford and Strabane all well represented.

“We’ve had some right characters down the years,” Collette continued. “People like Robbie Robb of Raphoe who was a cobbler and would take away people’s shoes for repair and bring them back the following week; Bobby Glackin from Castlederg who always had a bar of a song in him, usually joined by Patsy McGranaghan; Angus Stewart, always very exacting about his cards along with Mollie O’Hare, and Francie Curran, to name but only a few. We were all one big happy family who were here hail, rain or shine!

“People just didn’t come for the cards, it’s the social aspect of it as well and during Covid, the club was sorely missed by everyone who attended. Many don’t get to see other people unless it’s over a game of whist. When we started, whist was a huge thing but clubs have closed down over the years; we’re one of the few left.”

Nowadays the club sees has between 12-14 regulars. Despite the dwindling numbers, will Collette keep things going?

“Oh absolutely. I really love organising the weekly game and I’ll keep going at it as long as I can until the time comes when I can no longer do so; then one of my trusty helpers can take over and ensure whist thrives in Castlefinn for, hopefully, another 40 years!”