Miscellaneous

Kerry Football - Reasons for my Beautiful Obsession


by Weeshie Fogarty

 As the championship starts to roll for another year these are some of the reasons why I conduct an open lover affair with the games. And while I can’t go back 125 years since the foundation of the association I can go back to the golden fifties.
  1. Listening to my first game outside McNeill’s pub on an old Bush radio in Lower New Street in 1953 as Jas Murphy led Kerry to a stunning victory over Armagh. Bill McCorry missed THAT penalty.

  2. Sleeping on the over head baggage rack of the Ghost train as I attended my first Croke Park All Ireland final in 1955

  3. Two New St teams playing for the “Sam Maguire Cup” in the Seminary field in those far off days. The cup was an old gas lamp found in the Killarney dump. Polished and shined with Brasso by my late mother.

  4. Buying our very first O Neill’s football for 10/6 from the late Danno Keeffe in Mulcahy, s shoe shop Killarney. The money was raised from collecting, washing and selling jam jars.

  5. Receiving my first Killarney Legion membership card in 1954 as I paid my school friend the late Michael “Hawker” o Grady 6p.

  6. Playing three goals to get in with my brother Geni. Our football was made from a bundle of papers. The Kerryman or Cork Examiner rolled up and tied with twine.

  7. Attending my first Kerry football county final in the fifties as South Kerry ruled the roost. Waterford man, neighbor and plumber Martin Morrissey brought a gang of us to Tralee in the back of his little green van.

  8. Seeing Mick o Connell in action for the first time that day.

  9. 1959 playing my first senior county championship game against South Kerry in Caherceiveen. All the stars in action. O Connell, o Dwyer, O Shea, Ned Fitzgerald, Marcus o Neill, the Dasher. We lost

  10. 1957 attending my first National League final as Galway’s Terrible Twins Frank Stockwell and Sean Purcell lit up Croke Park with their winning late goal.

  11. Three victorious home comings in the fifties. Bangers on the rail line as the train approached. One for each All Ireland won. Massed crowds on the platform. The cup appearing out the window of the old railway carriages. Blazing bon fires. The Killarney Brass and Reed Band leading the thousands in the parade to the Park Place Hotel.

  12. Watching Dr Eamonn o Sullivan training the teams and been left into the field to be close to our heroes.

  13. Acting as a ball boy for the Prince of Forwards Tadghie Lyne as he practiced on his own in the Stadium.

  14. The cup coming to the Monastery School and getting a half day and no lessons.

  15. Playing in the black and white colors of the Mon. The games during the lunch time in the little field at the corner of the New Road and Port Road. (Its still there).

  16. Training with The Legion for o Donoghue Cup finals in the winter as Tim Moriarty our secretary lit the Tilly oil lamps in the old shed dressing rooms.

  17. Selling tickets for the Grand National Draw for the club our only fund raising event for the year.

  18. Old Blackthorn football boots.

  19. My first interduction to the “Secrets of Kerry” as I listened to the stories of the New St. butcher Joe Smith as he recalled old Kerry footballers as we sat by his fireside drinking soup made by his lovely wife Maggie. Joe walked from Killarney to Tralee in the forties to see the county championship games Killarney Legion V Dick Fitzgerald’s.

  20. Seeing a Kerry team beaten for the first time in the 1956 Munster final re-play as Niall Fitzgerald kicked a last minute winning point at the entrance goal in Fitzgerald stadium.

  21. Thumbing lifts to Killarney and Tralee from work in the silver pantry of the Parknasilla Great Southern Hotel to see Kerry play.

  22. Not believing the score when Waterford beat Kerry in the 1957 Munster championship.

  23. Mick o Connell and Jim McKeever in opposition in the 1958 All Ireland semi final. Derry won.

  24. Early morning mass in Dublin following the ghost train journey.

  25. My first county hurling match in 1958 in Kenmare as Kerry very nearly shocked a star studded Waterford side who won 3-9 to 2-4. Johnny Culloty was the star in goal for Kerry.

  26. Playing in goal for the Kerry minors in the Munster final 50 years ago this year as Cork beat us. Team mates “Thorny” o Shea, Ollie Kerins, Pat Dowling, Jack Whelan, Seamus Roche, Tom o Conner RIP. Alan Conway RIP. Peter Hanley.

  27. Being overawed as we listened to the legendary John Joe Sheehy giving the pep talk before the game.

  28. Togging out in the Mental Hospital for that minor final.

  29. Long hot summers of the fifties. Swimming in the Lakes of Killarney. Snaring rabbits in the Demense. Fishing in the Denagh River. No television. Charles Bucham Football Monthly. The Beano and the Dandy. Films in The Casino the House With Sound Supreme. Hopalong Cassidy. The Durango Kid. Gentle neighbors of Lower New St. In love with film star Maureen o Hara.

  30. Lighting candles and serving mass for the Bishop of Kerry Rev Dr Moynihan and later in 1968 accepting the county championship cup for East Kerry which he had presented to the board before his death.

  31. Handball in the Monastery.

  32. Snooker and billiards in the Parish Hall.

  33. A youthful accepting and handing down of tradition and wondering at “The Secrets Of Kerry”.


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