Miscellaneous

Recording the History of the GAA in New York

October 11th, 2011
by Weeshie Fogarty

 Last February I was in New York for the launch of the highly acclaimed DVD "Secrets of Kerry-A Captains Story". This superb four hour production was so well received there that the man behind the project Christy Riordan of C/R videos Caherciveen and I received an invitation to re-visit the city that never sleeps. And so last week for seven hectic days we began recording a new massive project in relation to the history of the GAA in New York and the people who continuously devote their time and money in the promotion to our games there.  Accompanying us on the trip was former Kerry All Ireland winner Donie O Sullivan a man who has a multitude a friends and admires in that city.

It was a memorable and unforgettable experience as we met and interviewed close to one hundred people whose lives in one way or another had revolved around Gaelic games.  The center, the heart beat and the soul of all Gaelic activities in that great city is Gaelic Park which has been the home and meeting place for Irish emigrants for many decades.  Last Sunday week in brilliant sunshine the crowds poured in as the New York championship final was played between Leitrim and Tyrone. It was a superb match won by Leitrim following extra time. The winners were backboned by seven Kerrymen and the massive towering o Connor brothers from Glencar, Kenneth and Adrian played a huge part in the historic win while Beaufort's Dan Doona kicked five beautiful.

Pat Madden of Kerins o Rahillys was everyone's choice of man of the match. Pat field superbly at mid field and it was special to see this Kerryman continuing the great Kerry tradition of high fielding far away from home. I had a particular interest in proceedings as my own club man from Killarney Legion Podge o Connor was outstanding when moved out field from full back in that thrilling second half. P. J Fitzpatrick, a Ballinskelligs man did a fine job as referee in a game that was full of tension from the word go.

Gaelic Park in the Bronx is in many ways the lifeblood of all things Gaelic in New York and the Irish gravitate towards it from far and wide. However it's not all about football or hurling. There is a very strong camogie club in existence there since The New York Young Irelands were founded back in 1960. We met one of the founder members Kathleen O'Dwyer McDonagh from Tipperary and I was amazed at her sheer passion and enthusiasm for the game. The New York ladies football team was introduced to the crowd at half time, they were also fund raising for their trip back to Croke Park for their All ireland re-play last Sunday in which they suffered defeat by Wicklow. I spoke to their captain Rosie o Reilly from Cavan and she confirmed the massive growth in their sport there.

Our very genial and generous hosts in the Big Apple were Mick and Phil Moynihan. They looked after us as if we were members of their own family and we will be forever so grateful for their hospitality. Phil is one of the well known Kiely family from Tarbert and they are the parents of three fine sons.  Their bar on Katona Avenue is one of the big GAA meeting places in the Bronx and why not. Mick from Shrone Rathmore is one of the legends of New York football and has been described to me by Mick o Connell himself as one of the greatest footballers to leave our shores. He won a National League medal with New York in 1967 when they defeated the Galway All Ireland winning three in a row team of the sixties. That was one of the greatest ever wins by a New York side as the game was played over two legs.  The aggregate winning score in favour of the big city was 7-8 to 1-16. Mick Moynihan played in the half forward line in both games. Unforgettable names with Mick back then were Willie and Peter Nolan, Seamus Nugent, Sonny Kenna, Kenny Finn, Jimmy Halpin and also New York born Tom Feighery said to be the greatest American born Gaelic footballer of them all.  It was a privilege to meet many of all those legends during our day in Gaelic Park.  Names that have been with me since my youth.

Christy Riordan that exemplary highly professional camera man from Caherciveen and his side kick Andrew Gorman shot a massive twenty five hours of priceless and historic film which hopefully some time in the future develop into a unique first ever oral and visionary documentary detailing the wonderful history of football and the Irish in New York. We conducted captivating interviews with men and women from all parts of Ireland who had been forced to take the emigrant ship as far back as the forties, fifties, sixties. Many are now hightly successful business men in New York and have very strong GAA links.  We journeyed to meet a remarkable Tipperary man Ambrose o Connell who took one day off work from his firm in The World Trade Centre. Just one day in twenty five years. It was the day now known as 9/11. Every member of his firm died in that terrible terrorist attack. Ambrose refereed games in Gaelic park for over twenty years. The events of that awful day have left a huge void in his life as he struggles to cope with memories of last friends.   A multitude of memories to report following what was an amazing week of history in a city teeming with Irish emigrants.

Fogra; At the invitation of the Dingle Historical Society I will be in the library there this Thursday, 7-30 pm to give a talk on "The Power of Radio In Todays World".  Two great Dingle sons Tom Fox and Connor Brosnan are the men behind a series of lectures which have been on going on a weekly basis during the past six months.  An appropriate time to discuss how the radio has and continues to affect all of our lives as Radio Kerry is this year celebrating twenty one years on air. So if you are around drop in the Dingle library for a chat, admission free.


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