I consider it an honour to be Down Hockey Club chairman in this the centenary season and I hope everyone involved in the various events organised by the club will find them both memorable and enjoyable.

On looking back over the history of this great club it is somehow difficult to imagine what it must have been like in the early years. Things which are now taken for granted must surely have presented unique difficulties 100 hundred years ago.

Yet at that time the club fulfilled a full league programme and continued to develop with the dedication and support of members and friends.

Many special names stand out for their contribution to the club and of course are mentioned elsewhere in this publication. Each generation has contributed in its own right to the development of the club and this in itself provides the best guarantee for the future of hockey in Downpatrick.

Currently, three teams represent Down Hockey Club and despite the absence of a recognised nursery, we have continued to hold a place in senior hockey.

The most recent development in the sport has been the arrival of plastic, or so-called astro-pitches and while such a facility is not yet available to the club, it remains our next objective.

The present General Committee is examining various options, but of course is anxious to remain within our own town and retain our traditional identity.

I have no doubt that the club will continue to flourish with the support and dedication of our members and I know this will lead to many memorable years in the next century.

David Hayes
Club Chairman