Cold Case Files: identity of first Founder's Cup winner from Keel - case reopened; solved
Following months of dedicated research and investigation, we believe that we can finally confirm the identity of the first person from Keel to be awarded the Dooagh Pipe Band Founder's Cup trophy.
In several interviews through 2025 and 2026, current holder Brian Gielty had claimed to be the first winner of the trophy to hail originally from the village of Keel. Despite a strident campaign by Mr Gielty to be formally recognised as the first person from Keel to be the recipient of the coveted award, his claim was not universally supported, and as a result, we thought it prudent to investigate further.
The Founder Members' Cup (Founder's Cup) is awarded each year to a member of the Dooagh Pipe Band who is deemed to have contributed in a significant way to the development of the band. Past winners include Michael McNamara, Pat Joe McNamara, John McNamara, Anthony McNamara, Anthony McNamara, Patrick McNamara, Patrick McNamara, Tom Kelly (Editor note: are you sure it's Kelly and not McNamara?).
We spoke to one source who claimed that there are several names missing from the list of winners above, including a Mulligan, a Gielty, a Callaghan, and a Cafferkey. And some more McNamaras. Having concluded that our primary source of information (Brian Gielty) was compromised owing to a possible conflict of interest, we carried out a number of interviews with members both past and present and noticed that one name, Mick Fadian, kept cropping up as potential winner of the inaugural Founder Members' Cup.
Mick Fadian, born in Keel in 1922, married Dooagh native Ellen McNamara and moved to her home village in 1967. Mr Fadian was a mainstay of the Dooagh Pipe Band for a period of time which can be measured in decades, with responsibility for the music in the band as well as the training of bagpipers. And the referee's whistle that notified everyone in the Wavecrest public house that band practice was about to start.
When we informed Mr Gielty that we had compelling evidence that someone else was the true first winner from Keel, he had this to say: "What?".
When we explained our findings, Mr Gielty went on to say: "Well, it's obvious to everyone of course that Mick Fadian would have been the first winner from Keel. Goes without saying, really. Which is why I didn't say it."
When pressed further on the matter, Mr Gielty said: "Look. Everyone knows the importance of Mick Fadian to the Dooagh Pipe Band, and how his leadership in matters regarding playing, teaching, and all-round musicness, was a key factor in the Dooagh Pipe Band becoming the force it is today in contemporary bagpipe circles."
"When I said 'First person from Keel', what I obviously meant was: 'First person from Keel who isn't Mick Fadian'. Obvious to everyone. Except you it seems. 'First person from Keel who isn't Mick Fadian' is a bit of a mouthful. So I was just helping you out by giving you the opportunity to use shorter headlines. Frankly, I expected more gratitude."
