Eye on the Past 724

A younger generation filled the pews in the front rows of the church just to the right of the coffined remains of a school pal of 50 years ago. They were the nephews and nieces of P.J. Hyland, all members of the extended Hyland family of whom P.J., as the only brother to four sisters, was the father figure. It was a role which might not have seemed all that suited to a man who in public was quiet and reserved, almost to the point of shyness, but who bloomed in the company of family and friends. And he had many friends, for P.J. Hyland was a man for whom friendship was an important part of passage through life. His friends were the friends of a lifetime, many gained in youthful school days and those privileged to share his friendship were the lucky ones.

He was a kind and thoughtful friend, proof of which was evident in his concern for another school pal whom he encouraged to be part of a Christian Brothers school class reunion organised a few years ago. P.J. went out of his way to ensure that his friend would share in the celebrations, even if for whatever reason he was initially reluctant to do so. His thoughtfulness on that occasion touched me and showed another side to the P.J whom I had known since our own school days.

The Hyland family goes back several generations in Athy and as I stood at the graveside I marvelled at the happy coincidence which found the Murray, Prendergast, McElwee and the Hyland family graves located in close proximity to each other in St. Michael's cemetery. But then it was no coincidence for the four families were all related by marriage at a time when the cemetery caretaker was P.J.'s grandfather, Peter Hyland, who in April 1942 was granted the unusual gift of a free burial site in St. Michael's by his employers, the then Urban District Council. The gift followed his retirement some years previously after 44 years service as cemetery caretaker and on choosing his own burial site he evidently arranged for the Murray, McElwee and the Prendergast families to lie close at hand. On Peter's retirement the position of cemetery caretaker was filled by his son Thomas, who was P.J.'s father.

P.J. Hyland was a year older than myself but we shared classrooms in the local Christian Brothers schools up as far as first year in the secondary school. Like many others in those days P.J. left school as soon as he was legally entitled to do so and started work with McMahons who were then doing contract work in Minch Nortons. He subsequently spent many years in the Wallboard factory and I was living in Dublin when the factory closed down and P.J.'s photograph appeared in the national newspapers with the story of the closure of Athy's largest factory. He would later join his brother-in-law Wag O'Keeffe in managing the Jet service station at Blackparks, a position from which he retired a few years ago. A longtime member of the C.Y.M.S., he was its Chairman in the latter years of its occupancy of the former Social Club premises which were an adjunct to the old Comrades Hall in St. John's Lane. He remained the C.Y.M.S. Chairman during and after the Society's move to Mount St. Marys. He tried over several years to revive the fortunes of the once active C.Y.M.S. but in the end the society had to close its doors. It was a sad occasion for those who remembered the heady days of the C.Y.M.S. stretching back to its original premises at Stanhope St. P.J. was very disappointed by the demise of the C.Y.M.S. but still hoped that at some future date its revival would be possible. It was not to be in P.J.'s lifetime.

One of the great, if not the greatest love of his life, was Gaelic football. I remember P.J. as a very stylish centre fielder, whose leap for the high dropping ball was marvellous to behold. He had the grace and majesty which one usually associated with the legendary Kerry footballer Mick O'Connell. Graceful in movement his unhurried style is forever etched in my memory. He was a good club player who plied his football skills for a long time in the interests of the club with which his name will always be associated. Athy Gaelic Football Club founded way back in October 1887 has had many great supporters over the years but few have matched the intensity of P.J.'s feelings for the club whose efforts on the field have not been matched with many great successes over the years.

How P.J. would like to have lived through the late 1930's and early 1940's when the sporting prowess of Athy Gaelic Football Club was in its ascendancy. It was then that great footballers such as George Comerford, Paul Matthews, Tommy Mulhall and Barney Dunne, to name just four of the lynchpins of that time, plied their footballing skills. Athy Gaelic football was an important part of P.J.'s life both as a player and a supporter and inevitably because of the club's lack of success it was an attachment which did not bring too many occasions for celebrations. No great success marked P.J.'s years on the Athy senior team but he basked in the reflective glory of Athy's last championship final win achieved during the 1987 season.

In the Hyland household at Leinster Street marriages in recent years gave Round Towers and Rheban a foothold where previously the only team recognised was Athy. P.J. liked to “rattle the cages” of the Round Towers and Rheban allegiances of his nephew-in-laws, forever probing, forever questioning the relative merits of footballers from the respective clubs. Gaelic football was his great interest and with his passing Athy Gaelic Football Club has lost one of its keenest and longest serving supporters.

Another sportsman of a different generation, this time a man whose successes in greyhound racing made him a legend in his lifetime, also passed away. Paddy McEvoy was 89 years of age when he died and during his active sporting life he achieved some remarkable records. Paddy was the subject of an Eye on the Past about five years ago when a double feature, Nos. 432 and 433 was required to document the successes of the man who on his retirement in 1993 as manager of Wimbledon Stadium was described as “one of greyhound racings greatest trainers.” It was a tribute richly deserved for Athy-born Paddy had trained the winner of the English greyhound Derby not just once, but three times, a record unrivalled to this day. It was a wonderful gesture for those associated with greyhound racing in this area to provide a guard of honour as Paddy's remains were brought from Rigney's Funeral Home to the church on Monday evening. In the same way the members of Athy Gaelic Football Club provided a guard of honour for P.J. Hyland, an honour which highlighted the contribution of both men to their respective sports.

Jim Flood of Fontstown died a few days earlier, again like Paddy McEvoy at a good age, which in Jim's case was 92 years. I had the pleasure of talking to and interviewing Jim a few years ago at the time when he was just 87 years old and I remarked what an extraordinary memory he had of people and of past events. Jim, who was born the year before the Great War, was an extremely active man and I last saw him walking the Dublin road at Fontstown a few weeks ago as I drove to the capital city. He lived to see the enormous increase in traffic which passed his house at Fontstown each day and drew comparisons with his school days of the 1920's, when as he related it, there was only one car on the road. It belonged to Captain Hone who drove down to Kilmead every Thursday to pay his workmen.

I was privileged to have had the opportunity of meeting and interviewing Jim Flood and Paddy McEvoy, both of whom shared their stories and their experiences with me. The privilege of sharing school days and a friendship with P.J. Hyland is one I will treasure.

May the good Lord be kind to P.J., Paddy and Jim.

'Wag' O'Keeffe and Mick McEvoy - Rheban Football Club

Last week Rheban lost two of its great stalwarts.  Willie “Wag” O’Keeffe and Mick McEvoy were Rheban men and both had given years of dedicated service to their local Gaelic Football Club which was founded in 1929 by John Moore and his younger brother Tom.  Both “Wag” and Mick were Rheban players of the past and each of them continued their association with the Rheban Club when their playing days were over.

Mick McEvoy was a member of the Rheban team which was routed by Robertstown in the 1939 Junior Championship Final on the score of 6-2 to 1-4.  However success was however not far away and the following year Mick McEvoy and his team mates clinched the Junior title defeating Ardclough by 4 points.  Within two years and with few changes in the team personnel Rheban went on to win the Intermediate championship title defeating Straffan on the score of 1-11 to 1-3.  Mick McEvoy featured in the Rheban teams of those years, as did his brother Pat.  Others whose names appeared on the team sheets for the 1940 and 1942 finals were Alfie Kane, Mick Hickey, Owney Pender, Tony Keogh, Billy Marum, Tom Hickey, Arthur Lynch, Hugh Owens, Pat Fitzpatrick, Paddy Myles, Jack Foley, Willie Moore, Jim Kane, Pat Connelly, John Cardiff, Bill Tierney, Joe Barry, Nick Owens and Jack Fitzpatrick.

Mick who lived at Bert Lane was in later years involved with the Rheban Club as an official.  He served as President of the club for many years and in that capacity he welcomed Seamus Aldridge, Chairman of the Leinster Council, to the official opening of the Tom Moore Memorial Park on 19^th June 1999.  Tom Moore of course was one of the founders of the Rheban Club and the Club’s Secretary/Treasurer, a position Tom held with distinction for over fifty years.  Mick McEvoy worked in Duthie Larges and for many years was a member of the Parish Choir as well as being involved with many organisations in the parish. Mick is survived by his wife Sheila, daughters Ann, Mary, Sheila and five sons, Paul, Michael, Tom, Pat and Joseph.

The same week as Mick McEvoy was laid to rest we also said our sad farewells to “Wag” O’Keeffe.  Willie O’Keeffe, a native of Rheban, was known to all and sundry as “Wag”.  A dedicated follower of the GAA code “Wag” played football for his beloved Rheban in the late 1950’s, continuing into the mid 1960’s.  It was a barren period for the country club, but when “Wag” retired from playing he took up the position of trainer to the team.  It was in that capacity that he brought success to the Rheban Gaelic Football Club.  In 1969 in Geraldine Park, Athy, the Rheban team defeated Castledermot by 2-14 to 2-2 to win the Junior A Championship and so brought silverware to the rural club for the first time in 27 years.  1969 was a vintage year for “Wag” O’Keeffe and the young Rheban team which went on to win the Jack Higgin’s Cup by defeating Rathcoffey on a windswept pitch in Naas.  The following year Rheban achieved what is still regarded in the Club’s Annals as its most historic victory.  “Wag” O’Keeffe turned out the 1970 Intermediate football champions but the joy of being champions was all the sweeter when victory in the final was claimed at the expense of neighbouring club, Athy GFC. 

The defeat still rankles in some Athy memories but perhaps this is due not so much to Rheban’s success as to the fact that Athy went down in the final for the second year in succession.  Kilcock had run out winners in 1969 by a single point.  One of the stylish players who played in my time in the 1960’s and who was still togging out in the 1970’s was P.J. Hyland.  P.J. was “Wag’s” brother-in-law and he played in the centre field position for Athy in the 1970 Intermediate final.  Athy lost by 1-14 to 1-7 and nothing will dissuade the Athy players from claiming that an eight week delay between the final and their semi-final match caused them to lose the game.  I wonder!

All this time “Wag” O’Keeffe was working in Shaws having returned to Ireland very shortly after emigrating to England with Michael Flynn of Cloney in 1952.  “Wag” on arrival in London found the environment not to his liking and he promptly returned to Athy, leaving Michael Flynn who is now retired and living in Manchester.  In or about 1972 “Wag” started to work in the Jet filling station on the Kilkenny Road where he was later to be joined, following the closure of the Wallboard Factory, by his brother-in-law P.J. Hyland.

“Wag” who was married to Maura O’Keeffe of Leinster Street was one of Athy’s best known characters.  He had a friendly word for everyone and was a friend to everyone he met.  Over the years he did a considerable amount of charity work and was instrumental in setting up the Over 40’s  Kildare team which played charity games up and down the country.  “Wag” was one of the early members of the Athy Wheelchair Association and in addition to raising funds for the Association he was also closely involved with the local St. Vincent Hospital Patient Fund and with many other charities.  One could never say “no” to “Wag” because he gave so generously of his own time for so many causes that it would be meanspirited not to have supported him in what he was doing.  Strangely “Wag” died a few days before his 70^th birthday, just as Mick McEvoy passed away days before his 83^rd birthday. 

The passing of Mick McEvoy and “Wag” O’Keeffe leaves a void in our lives but both will be remembered with gratitude and appreciation for their contribution over many decades to the communities of Athy and Rheban.

Two interesting developments have come to my notice in relation to the much publicised Inner Relief Road Project which Kildare County Council is still trying to push ahead with, despite local opposition.  Firstly, the National Road Authority has indicated in a letter that the section of the N78 around Athy is regarded by them as a Phase 3 Project i.e. to be addressed in the period 2010 to 2014.  Consequently funding for an Inner Relief Road is not available. 

The second development is information which has now come to hand of the traffic study carried out in Athy in 1996 which showed that “through traffic” accounted for almost 40% of the town’s total traffic and not 20% as claimed by Kildare County Council. 

This error, not surprisingly, leant weight to the argument that diverting such a small volume of traffic onto a By-Pass road would have little or no impact on traffic congestion in the centre of Athy.  The disclosure that the correct “through traffic” figure is 40% and not 20% vindicates the call for a By-Pass of the town.