The joys and sorrows of a ‘strange week’ for Athy

SUNDAY was a great day for the Kildare footballers who defeated Limerick in this year’s final of the Tailteann Cup. The after-match speech by the Kildare captain, Kevin Feely, was excellent. 

Was this, I wondered, the first time an Athy club footballer received a senior team winning cup from the hands of a GAA President and then proceeded to give the winning captain’s speech from the Hogan stand? The last occasion that possibility could have happened was in 1935 when Paul Matthews captained the Kildare senior team in the All-Ireland final which was lost to Cavan. Paul was a barman in Athy when he captained Athy Gaelic Football Club to win the County Senior Football Championship in 1934. 

The All-Ireland final against Cavan also featured Athy player Tommy Mulhall, Jim Byrne from Ballitore, Paddy Martin and Paddy Byrne from Castledermot. Patrick ‘Cuddy’ Chanders of the Athy club was among the substitutes. He was the regular goalkeeper for the Athy club and the county goalkeeper for Kildare for several matches prior to the All-Ireland final. 

However, he was unexpectedly replaced by a Naas man for the final. It was a controversial decision which brought forward all sorts of conspiracy theories, including the oft repeated claim that Kildare replaced the ‘labourer’ with a ‘suited office man’ in preparation for the anticipated U.S.A. trip which awaited the expected Kildare All Ireland victory. ‘Cuddy’ strangely soon enough returned to the county team as first choice goalkeeper following Kildare’s unexpected defeat by Cavan.

To return to Sunday’s Tailteann final, it provided me with the greatest measure of pleasure I have experienced watching Gaelic football in recent years. I must admit that I am not an admirer of the modern game as I prefer the unique catch and kick version of Gaelic football as perfected by the great Mick O’Connell. Kevin Feely is one of the great practitioners of the soaring overhead catch, a skill which he displayed again on Sunday. 

He is a talented player whose leadership, whether as a mid-fielder or a full-forward, effectively leads his teammates through difficult times. My congratulations to the Kildare County team players and especially the other Athy players who featured on Sunday, James McGrath and Dave Hyland, with Niall Kelly who was a substitute.

The joy experienced on Sunday was offset by the sorrowful news I received on Monday that my old classmate and friend Billy Browne had died in Naas Hospital the previous day. Billy and I shared the same birthday, 12 May 1942, and as we grew older, we exchanged birthday greetings each year on the 12th. Billy was born in Ardreigh cottage and educated in the local Christian Brothers School. 

Like so many of his classmates he did not sit the Leaving Certificate but left school to take up employment with the L&N shop in Emily Square. There he worked with Alo Gallagher and Brian O’Hara in what was then the busiest grocery shop in Athy. He subsequently worked for Des Perry in his Duke Street premises and later still at his Leinster Street shop.

Billy was known far and wide as the person who kept alive the spirit and idealism of Aontas Ogra, a youth organisation previously known as ‘Cara’. When originally founded it was an Irish language club, first organised by Kerry born Michael O’Neill when I was in second year. Michael was a gaelic speaker and his idea of an Irish language club was enthusiastically received by his fellow students. 

Our early attempts at promoting the Irish language were less than successful. The modules of Irish culture were in time pushed out to encourage dancing, not necessarily confined to the ‘Walls of Limerick’ or the ‘High Cauled Cap’. Truth to tell, we did start out with Irish dancing classes in the Town Hall, which necessitated the readily obtained co-operation of our female colleagues in St Mary’s Convent School. We were really keen on extending the frontiers of Irish culture, even if it meant stepping over the accepted line between the gael and the gall.

Whatever the qualities of our dancing, our interpersonal skills were nicely honed as we intermingled with the girls from St Marys.

The club continued for some years until it became separated from the school as we left and Michael O’Neill emigrated to England. ‘Cara’ continued in a piecemeal fashion until Billy Browne, then working, got involved. 

A refreshed organisation emerged with the name changed to Aontas Ogra, using the Athy scout’s premises in St John’s Lane. This subsequently changed to premises adjoining the former Dreamland ballroom, from where the club still operates. Billy was a gentleman, a caring person who devoted himself to the club he headed up for decades. 

Billy displayed the commitment, dedication and support which everyone in our community should give to worthwhile community activities. He was honoured in the past by Athy Town Council and Athy Lions Club for his work in Aontas Ogra. Billy will be sadly missed.

Another recent death I was sorry to learn about was that of Annie Wright who died in England. Annie lived in the Town Hall when her father was the caretaker. She was a good friend of mine in our young days.

It has been a strange week with the death of two friends and the success of the Kildare County team in Croke Park.