REFERENCE NO. AR/1/68
GAA Oral History Project Interview Report Form
Name of Gabriel Mallon Interviewer
Date of Interview 3rd Mar 2011
Location N/A
Name of Rev. Sean Moore Interviewee (Maiden name / Nickname)
Biographical Summary of Interviewee
Gender Male
Born Year Born: 1946
Home County: Armagh
Education Primary: Yes
Secondary: Yes
Third Level: St Patrick’s, Stirlingshire (also in Kiltegan Fathers, Maynooth)
Family
Club(s) Middletown GAA [Armagh]
Occupation Parish Priest of Middletown
Parents’ Labourer [Father]; Housewife [Mother] Occupation
Religion Roman Catholic
Political Affiliation / Nationalist Membership
Other Club/Society Pioneer’s Assoc, Father Mathew Union (Temperance Membership(s) Assoc. of RC clergy)
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Date of Report 19 July 2012
Period Covered 1950s - 2011
Counties/Countries Armagh, Louth Covered Key Themes Travel, Supporting, Grounds, Facilities, Officials, Fundraising, Covered Religion, Emigration, Role of Clergy, Role of Teachers, Role of the Club in the Community, Volunteers, All-Ireland, Club History, County History, Earliest Memories, Family Involvement, Childhood, Relationship with the Association, Relationships, Economy / Economics
Interview Summary Fr. Sean Moore is the parish priest in Middletown, Co. Armagh and President of the local GAA club. Although not a footballer himself, he recalls going to games in Kelly’s field in Derrynoose where he grew up in the 1950s. He also recalls travelling to different grounds in Armagh in the early 1960s and accompanying his father to Clones to watch Down in Ulster finals in the same decade. The impact of Down’s football success is recalled as is the support they drew from across Ulster.
He talks about football and handball in Derynoose and the impact of emigration at different times in the club’s history. Joining the priesthood brought Moore into contact with the GAA in various places in Armagh and Louth and he talks about the nature of his association with clubs in Carrinshego, near Kileavy; St. Pat’s in Louth; and Middletown in Armagh. In St. Pat’s, Louth and Middletown, Armagh, he talks about the overlapping in GAA and parish activities.
0:00 Fr. Moore is introduced as parish priest in Middletown, but from neighbouring parish of Derrynoose.
0:15 Mentions that he never played football, although his younger brother did.
0:22 Recalls going to games in Kelly’s field in the late 1950s and refers to the winning the junior championship in 1963 as a highlight.
0:40 Mentions travelling on a bus to different grounds and recalls the breaking of Gene McMahon’s league in the final at Crossmaglen. Says he never really played football again.
1:10 Talks about the playing of football at play-time at school,
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played in the schoolyard. Mentions that Master McMahon would have played as a young man, up to county level. Refers to his interest in promoting the game and remarks that he did his best to coach football. Says that it was from McMahon that his sons got their interest in football.
2:10 Interviewer recalls going to a parish sports in Derrynoose at the ball alley.
2:25 Fr. Moore talks about the handball alley in Derrynoose but says he’s not sure how many actually played it. Refers, however, to Packie Kelly, a neighbour of his. Mentions that his son, Mickey and Joe Short, played in the 1970s and were ‘quite good’ at the handball.
3:10 Suggests that there were never any great number who played handball.
3:20 Interviewer remarks on the quality of the ball alley in the early 1950s and recalls the dancing on the site to the music of ‘John Connolly’s orchestra.
3:40 Interviewer mentions camogie in the early 1960s and recalls bringing clerical students to Derrynoose to teach camogie.
4:12 Fr. Moore remarks on the involvement of Kevin Harvey in encouraging camogie.
4:18 Comments on the impact of emigration on football and camogie. Says it would go well for a while. Mentions that after Kevin Harvey emigrated to Australia, camogie went into decline until Maureen Haughey came to the area.
4:50 Says that when the club would be going well in the 1960s and 70s, emigration would ‘decimate the club.’ Recalls the difficulty in fielding a team after the 1963 victory. Says the club always struggled with emigration.
5:40 Discusses his move to south Armagh: working in the Killeavy parish, where there were 2 clubs. Killeavy were the big club, but he was more involved with the Carrinshego club.
6:25 Mentions avoidance of any officer role. Says the club was, like Derrynoose, always struggling. Refers to the club drawing players who might have gone to Carrigcruppen or Newry clubs.
7:12 Mentions that facilities were basic.
7:25 Moving to Louth and becoming involved in St. Patrick’s. Recalls their development of club facilities and comments on
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the Celtic Tiger and the availability of funding. Remarks that church, school and GAA club were all part of the ‘one complex...You belonged the club you belonged to the parish.
8:35 Remarks on the club being ‘under the cosh’ of their next door neighbours, Cooley.
8:45 Mentions that two years after he left the club managed to get one up on Cooley and win Louth championship. Refers to how they let their neighbours know.
9:05 Talks about returning to Armagh and arriving in Middletown as parish priest in March 2003.
9:25 Remarks on being invited by club to become President. Says as Parish priest you ‘can’t refuse it.’
9:45 Mentions his interest in club, acknowledging he is not the ‘greatest attender’ at games.
10:00 Talks about the overlap in personnel involved in club and parish activities.
10:20 Talks about the lotto that was established to raise funds for parish being handed over to the GAA club. Remarks on the contribution of that lotto to the club’s finances.
10:40 Refers to recent developments in the club – the addition of a new pitch.
10:50 Interviewer mentions Fr. Moore’s arrival in Armagh when GAA was at a high following the county’s All-Ireland triumph and mentions his help to the football, hurling and GAA life of the parish.
11:10 Fr. Moore says the whole life of parish around hurling, camogie and football. Mentions that hurling was perhaps the strongest, but remarks on the impact of the county’s All- Ireland football victory.
11:48 Earliest memories of going to county matches: recalls going to Ulster finals in Clones with his father. Thatwas the early 1960s when ‘Down were on a high’. Refers to ‘Down mania’ and the support they drawn from across province.
12:25 Mentions the impact of Down’s All-Ireland success on Ulster football and suggests that there was a lull in their wake. Remarks that Armagh reaching 1977 All-Ireland final helped re-ignite interest in the north.
13:20 Remarks also on the impact on 2002 and makes reference to a Middletown man being chairman at the time.
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Mentions that Middletown man had also been chairman in the late 1940s when the Minors won an All-Ireland title.
13:40 Acknowledges contribution of Joe to county as well as club over the years. Suggests that he was the only county chairman who would be out cutting his own playing field before attending a county meeting.
15:10 Interviewer thanks Fr. Moore for his contribution to the parish and wishes him well.
15:25 Fr. Moore talks about his enjoyment of the ‘life of the club’ and remarks again that it is the same people involved in the GAA and the parish, expressing the hope that such mutual support will continue.
Involvement in Supporter □ Player □ Manager □ Coach □ Steward GAA
□ Chairperson □ Committee Member □ Grounds-person
□ Caterer □ Jersey Washer □ Referee □ None
□ Other (please specify): ______
Record as a Player N/A (Titles won; Length of time played) Record as an N/A Administrator (Positions held; how long for)
Format □ Audio Audio-Visual
Duration Length of Interview: 15:50
Language English
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To be filled in by Interviewer:
I hereby assign the copyright of the content of the above to the GAA Oral History Project on the understanding that the content will not be used in a derogatory manner. I understand that I am giving the GAA Oral History Project the right to use and make available to the public the content of this interview.
Signed: Joe Jordan
Date: 3rd March 2011
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