Search Results for 'Paudie Kissane'

Oh to have a crystal ball to see what fortunes lie ahead for Mayo football in 2014. One thing for sure, one Mayo club — Kiltane have a superb chance to claim one of the early pieces of silverware when they take on Truagh of Monaghan in the All-Ireland intermediate final in Croke Park on February 9, a feat my own club Charlestown should have accomplished last season but for some calamitous decisions when they were coasting against eventual winners Cookstown of Tyrone in the All- Ireland semi final. Kiltane were simply brilliant last Sunday. If you were to tell me before the game that star attacker Mikey Sweeney and Tommy “Goals” Conroy were not going to score against Clyda Rovers, I would have re-mortgaged the house on Clyda.

Kiltane 2-9

If there is a man, woman, or child to be found the villages and towns that send their sons out to do battle in the blue and yellow of Kiltane on Sunday, it would be a safe assumption that they are tourists, trying to figure out why exactly there is no-one to be found in this secnic part of the country. They take a lot of things seriously in that enclave of the county, but not many things more seriously than the game of Gaelic football and on Sunday afternoon with a chance of an appearance in an All Ireland final in Croke Park, it’s the only thing that matters to the men who have been training all guns blazing since the end of 2012 to get to where they are on Sunday.

I was walking to Mass last Sunday morning when a friend stopped me in my tracks to give me the dreadful news of the untimely and tragic deaths of Ger Feeney and Donal McEllin. It was news that left me devastated and for a moment I wasn’t sure whether I would carry on to Mass or not. But I did and it offered me an opportunity to reflect and think about both men. This undoubtedly was one of Castlebar’s saddest weeks in a long time, and God knows we have had a few sad occasions in recent times. Both men possessed big personalities and were hugely popular locally and throughout the county. They were also influential figures in the daily happenings of the Castlebar Mitchell’s GAA club, Ger as a coach/ manager of several teams down through the years and Donal as a do-gooder whenever required. Time spent in the company of either man was always memorable, usually enlightening and occasionally full of incident! Throughout this past week we have gathered at different times and locations to reminisce about both men. Judging by the enormous crowds witnessed at both men’s funerals it is remarkable how their sudden passing resonated with so many. Ger was also revered in the history of Ballintubber football and I have heard many these past few days talk about his incredible strength, energy, fearlessness and manliness when donning the colours of Ballintubber. Of course he lined out with Mayo and is one of a few who has the distinction of winning All -Ireland medals at both minor and under- 21 level. It was well known that Ger idolised his family and was enormously proud of their many achievements. He was particularly proud of the fact that both Castlebar Mitchell’s and Ballintubber had made it through to this year’s senior final. In his house he couldn’t lose as both Alan and Richard are playing with the Mitchels and nephew John is lining out with Ballintubber. Also, Alan and cousin John are both captains on their respective teams. In fact Ger even had a specially commissioned jersey made of both teams’ colours for the final.