Reference No. Tp/1/17
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REFERENCE NO. TP/1/17 GAA Oral History Project Interview Report Form Name of Regina Fitzpatrick Interviewer Date of Interview 14th Jan 2011 Location Seán Ó Duibhir’s home, near Cashel, Co. Tipperary Name of Dónal Ó Muirgheasa Interviewee (Maiden name / Nickname) Biographical Summary of Interviewee Gender Male Born Year Born: 1950 Home County: Tipperary Education Primary: Knockavilla NS, Co. Tipperary Secondary: Thurles CBS, Co. Tipperary Third Level: St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra Family Siblings: 6 brothers & 3 sisters Current Family if Different: Wife (Carmel), 2 sons & 1 daughter Club(s) KD Kickhams GAA [Tipperary] Occupation Retired Primary School Principal Parents’ Small Farmers Occupation Religion Roman Catholic Political Affiliation / Fianna Fáil Membership Other Club/Society Conradh na Gaeilge; Co. Tipperary Golf and Country Club Membership(s) 1 REFERENCE NO. TP/1/17 Date of Report 23rd July 2012 Period Covered 1746 – 2011 Counties/Countries Tipperary, Dublin, Cork, Kilkenny Covered Key Themes Travel, Supporting, Grounds, Facilities, Playing, Training, Covered Managing, Coaching, Administration, Celebrations, Education, Media, Role of Clergy, Role of Teachers, Role of the Club in the Community, Volunteers, Identity, Irish Language, Culture, Scór, All Ireland, Irish History, Earliest Memories, Childhood, Impact on Life, Career, Outsider’s Perspectives, Alcohol, Ban on Foreign Games and Dances, Socialising, Purchase of Grounds Interview Summary Dónal discusses his involvement in coaching hurling as a teacher in Knockavilla, with the local club Knockavilla/Donaskeigh Kickhams and with various Tipperary county teams.He focuses particularly on the time he spent with the Tipperary Under 21s and talks through his success at provincial and national level.He talks about his love for all sports and recalls soccer and rugby matches he was at in Dublin. None of this stands up to his great love, however, which is hurling. From playing on the road in his younger years, to steering teams to Croke Park as a coach and a selector, he talks us through his relationship with the game and what it means to him. He discusses his affinity for the Irish language and culture and explains what Irish identity means to him, all the while flitting back and forth between English and Irish. 00.27 Dónal recalls growing up in Knockavilla. Talks about the Coopers, the local landlords. Mentions agriculture. Mentions Killenure. 01.55 Talks about his father and his mother. Mentions their jobs and how they met. Discusses the history of the Coopers Estate further including its political significance. Mentions the Land Commission. Mentions Deirdre Cooper, Ashley Cooper. Mentions New Zealand. 03.11 Recalls his own house. Mentions Thady Ryan. 03.35 Talks about the political history of Knockavilla. Mentions Conradh na Gaeilge, Sinn Féin. Mentions Fr Matt ‘The General’ Ryan (an tAthair Mathúna Ó Riain). Mentions the Herbertstown Hospital in Limerick. 04.55 Discusses the history of the GAA in the area, referring 2 REFERENCE NO. TP/1/17 specifically to his club, Knockavilla/Donaskeigh Kickhams GAA. Mentions Clonoulty and Boherlahan. 05.59 Describes his parents’ families’ involvement in Gaelic games. Recalls an incident involving his father. Mentions Éire Óg Annacarty GAA. Mentions his uncle Michael ‘Curly’. 07.00 Remembers his father cycling to matches. Tells of an incident that happened to his father in Thurles. Mentions John Doyle and Christy Ring. 08.15 Recalls the first inter-county hurling match he attended. Mentions the Gaelic Ground in Thurles. Mentions Nicky Slattery and John Slattery. Mentions travelling by car. Mentions Christy Ring, John ‘Mackey’ McKenna and Donal O’Brien. 09.40 Tells of his father and brother travelling to Dublin for All-Ireland games. Mentions John McGrath, his Uncle Curley, Mick Brien, Nicky Slattery, Alice McGrath, Mickey Heffernan. Mentions travelling by train. Mentions Kingsbridge Railway Station. Mentions Dundrum. Mentions Barrys Hotel. 11.59 Talks about the pastimes in Knockavilla when he was growing up. Describes the game pitch & toss. Recalls following the hunt. Mentions skittles and road hurling. Mentions the Ballydine Beagles. 13.45 Describes the role the GAA in his community. Also briefly talks about his family’s involvement. Mentions his brothers Willie and Michael. Mentions Solohead GAA. Mentions Mattie Ryan and Fr O’Brien. 15.45 Talks about the factors that led to Under 21 success in the club in the mid-1960s. Mentions Dundrum Railway Station. Mentions Patsy Fitzgerald and Danny Fitzgerald. Mentions Lorrha GAA and Toomyvara GAA. 16.45 Recalls incidents that happened at matches in the mid- 1960s. Mentions Drom & Inch GAA. Mentions Thurles. Mentions county board. 18.20 Reads a passage from his memoirs. Recalls playing hurling as a youth. Describes in detail the men playing hurling and pitch and toss on the road. Mentions Johnnie McGrath’s field. Mentions Knockavilla and Ballinahinch. Mentions car, lorry and bicycles. Mentions Ned Godshall. Mentions pitch and toss. Mentions Joe Brian, the O’Briens of Knockavilla, the Horgans of Clonaspoe, Tomsie Ryan, Paddy English, Donal O’Brien and Allie Daly. 3 REFERENCE NO. TP/1/17 22.30 Reads another passage, this time dealing with the importance of hurling to himself and to the people of Knockavilla. Highlights the difference between road hurling and field hurling. Recalls joining Kickhams. Mentions Ring, Mackey and Doyle, Packie Buckley, Fr Michael Maher, Dom Brown, Denis, the Keanes, the Crowes, Mikey Sheridan. Mentions training. Mentions Clonaspoe. 25.05 Recalls an injury he sustained at the hurling field in Dundrum. Mentions John Butler, James Kane, Larry Carey, Tommy Ryan Larry, Packie Buckley. 27.45 Discusses the influence of his neighbour, Dominic Brown, on his interest in hurling. Mentions Eamon, Dominic, Willie, Michael, Kathleen, Jack Sonny, Canon Fogarty, Liam Devaney, Jimmy Doyle, Mick Roche, Paddy Doherty, James McCartan, Patsy O’Hagan. Mentions County Chairman. Mentions travelling by train from Dundrum to Connolly Station. 30.36 Talks about hurlers from his area, particularly Donal O’Brien. Recalls the first match he watched on television. Mentions Richard Horgan, David Horgan, Philly Kennedy, John Doyle. 32.37 Discusses where people used to play hurling in Knockavilla, Killenure, Lisloran, Garraun and Dundrum. Refers to the role of the clergy in the area. Mentions Johnny McGrath’s field. Mentions the O’Briens, Fr Matt Ryan, Fr Quinlan, Charlie Keane, Seán Breen, Eamon Brown, JJ Kennedy Mentions Kickham Park. 36.27 Returns to his memories of the road hurling. 38.19 Recalls his days in national school and the role of Gaelic games there. Describes a version of handball they used to play. Mentions Micheál MacCárthaigh. 39.40 Talks about where he used to get his hurleys. Mentions Larry Carey (Carew), Tommy Ryan Larry, Mossie Dowling, Eddie Keher. Mentions the Mount, Clonkelly and Bishops Wood. 40.58 Remembers his own playing career from the age of 12. Recalls a reference made to him in a local newspaper after a match against Cappawhite GAA. Recalls an incident from an Under 21 game he played. Mentions O’Dwyers Steel in Dundrum. Mentions Matt Ryan 43.07 Discusses his Junior and Senior career, which lasted up until 1984. Mentions winning a couple of West Titles. 4 REFERENCE NO. TP/1/17 Mentions Thurles Sarsfields and Cappawhite. 44.02 Recalls meeting and marrying his wife. Discusses her interest in the GAA. Briefly refers to Scór successes. Mentions Jimmy Hennessy, Mícheál MacCárthaigh, Mary Cross (née O’Dwyer), Mary Morrissey (née Carroll), Laoise Morrissey, Minnie Morrissey, John Morrissey, Ned Morrissey, Philly Taylor, Seán O’Deere. Mentions Dungarvan, Clonea, Drumkeen. 46.20 Discusses Scór in more detail. Recalls competing against his wife. Refers to attendance numbers. Mentions Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams GAA and Cashel King Cormacs GAA. 47.18 Tells of an incident that happened while he was adjudicating a Mid-Tipperary Final with his wife. Mentions Anne Keenihan. 48.30 Describes what he sees as the appeal of Scór. Also gives some of the reasons for its decline. Mentions Austin Crowe. Mentions the song ‘The Old Bog Road’. 50.47 Talks about the importance of the Irish language (Gaeilge) and the GAA’s role in supporting it. Refers specifically to speeches. Mentions Dara Ó Cinnéide, Joe Connolly. Mentions rugby and soccer. Mentions Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann and Conradh na Gaeilge. Mentions TG4. 53.20 Talks of his time in CBS Thurles. Mentions the Harty Cup. Mentions Jimmy Doyle, Martin Quirke. Recalls travelling by train to Bruff, Charleville and Clonmel. 54.38 Recites a chant in Irish (Gaeilge) they used to have to support the school team. Translation: Thurles! Thurles! Thurles every time! Thurles coming together! Thurles every time! Keep it out! Keep it out! Keep it out every time! Keep it out! Don’t let it in! Keep it out every time! 54.38 Aithrisíonn sé cantaireacht a bhíodh acu i Scoil na mBráithre Críostaí, Durlas, chun tacaíocht a thabhairt d’fhoireann na scoile. Durlas Éile! Durlas Éile! Durlas Éile chuile uair! Durlas Éile teacht le chéile! Durlas Éile chuile uair! Coimeád amach é! Coimeád amach é! Coimeád amach é chuile uair! Coimeád amach é! Ná lig isteach é! Coimeád amach é chuile uair! 55.20 Recalls the importance of hurling and Irish in school. 5 REFERENCE NO. TP/1/17 Mentions Brother Keane, Brother Hutton, Mícheál MacCárthaigh, Brother ‘The Great’ O’Leary, Brother Maguire, Pádraic Ó Conaire. Mentions Scoil Ailbhe. 55.20 Déanann sé trácht ar thábhacht na hiománaíochta agus na Gaeilge agus é ar scoil. Luann sé Bráthair Keane, Bráthair Hutton, Mícheál MacCárthaigh, Bráthair O’Leary, Bráthair Maguire agus Pádraic Ó Conaire. Luann sé Scoil Ailbhe. 58.14 Discusses his time in Dublin at St Patricks College, Drumcondra. Mentions playing Freshers hurling in the Mardyke and UCD. 59.28 Tells of returning home from Dublin. Describes his frustration with playing in goals and moving to wing-back. Mentions John Butler. 1.00.56 Describes the campus in St Patricks in Dublin.