12/01/2025
A huge congratulations to Jim Byrne who receives the Seana Ghael award at an award ceremony in the Ferrycarrig Hotel today in a ceremony starting at 2pm.
The awards have been running since 1982, and have seen more than 1,500 people honoured over the years. This year, there will be 50 club awards presented, along with eleven further awards in the ‘Over 90s’ category. In addition, there will be a handball award, a camogie award, and two special awards.
Jim received the Teastas Omóis the clubs highest honour in 2011.
Below is a brief summary of his involvement in GAA by Chairperson Barbara-Anne Murphy at the time.
Jim’s memories of Gaelic Games are of long evenings turning up at the Bridge Meadow to play 7 a side football with perhaps up to 30 lads. At the time there were usually four team captains – Rory Murphy; Larry Doyle the stonecutter; Dick Sheil and Tony O’Loughlin Snr. Jim was one of the lads that turned up on a regular basis. He preferred to play in the forwards – either corner or half forward.
I don’t suppose that too many of you have heard of the ‘Battle of Bunnagurra’. Well I hadn’t either until Jim explained that this was the most memorable match of his career. There had always been a bit of niggling between Kildavin and Bunclody footballers as to which were the best. Well one summer it was decided to play a series of three matches to settle the matter once and for all. One match was played in Kildavin, one in Bunclody and the third and final match in the series – which turned out to be the decider – was played half way between the two places in Bunagurra –played in Jim Humfray’s field.
Bunclody won this match and Dermott O’Connor stared on the day. As a reward for winning the series the lads – all tough under 12’s – were brought to the cinema in Bunclody – now M2 - where they were given free coke and ice cream and were presented with their medals by Dr. Cantwell.
Jim played Gaelic Football in Bunclody Vocational School and some of the team mates he remembers as great footballers from this time were Peter Roberts from Kildavin, Ted Sinnott, Tony Stack and Brendan and Paddy Walsh. Jim remembers playing in inter vocational school football competitions against other schools from around the county. The Bunclody School had a great team in his day and won more often than not.
Jim played Junior football with Bunclody and the late Willie Moore from the Halfway House was over the team. In one unforgettable match Jim was playing on Billy Wickham of Clough Ban, who by the way was around 20 stone in weight. Wickham the Clough Ban full back hit Jim who was the Bunclody full forward and the next thing Jim remembers is waking up with the late Paddy Dillon of Kyle pouring water over his face!
Perhaps that’s why he then turned his focus away from the playing field and began playing music with the Altones – the band comprised of Jim Cullen, Tommy O’Loughlin, Jim Fitzpatrick, John Joe Martin (who worked in Thackaberry’s), Mrs. Cowman of Ferns and Phil Leary.
On night’s he wasn’t away playing music he was at committee meetings or down on the Main Street outside Peter Kelly’s discussing the days’ games. In bad weather they filled up Kelly’s kitchen and he often wondered how Susie put up with them all and the only topic of conversation was that days match which would be relived play by play throughout the evening!
HWH / Bunclody decided in the late 1970’s that we once again needed to have our own playing field having used borrowed grounds belonging to Pat Kavanagh of Ryland and Kenny’s of the Halfway since giving the Irish Street field to the Vocational School.
They bought a bit of land between Peg’s Lane and Church Road, but felt that there was a more suitable site for the Club grounds at Church Road which was owned by Mrs. Breen. Well a delegation was appointed to face Mrs. Breen and ask if she would swop this land with the GAA. The deputation was made up of Tony O’Loughin Snr., Dan ‘The Banker’ Murphy and Jim Byrne. They visited Mrs. Breen on at least two occasions before getting up the courage to ask her for the swop. Meanwhile, not to lose face, they had to tell the committee that intense negotiations were underway, and play down the night’s visiting the Breen household and drinking Mrs. Breen’s whisky! Anyway the deal was eventually done and the rest as we say is history.
Jim was treasurer of the Club at this stage and chaired the first Park Finance Committee. This committee came up with many innovative ideas to pay for the land including sheep rearing where many land owners reared sheep for the Club and interest free loans. This was the early ‘80’s and money was at least as scarce as it is now – and people scraped £100 together to loan to the Club. Most treated it as a donation, not taking the money back at the end of the loan term. So it’s no wonder that when the Club decided to develop our facilities, Jim Byrne was one again called upon to head up the Park Finance Committee Mark 2! This was the best committee he ever worked with and it comprised of Micheál Mahon, Rory Kinsella, Tom Doyle, Nick Byrne, Declan Byrne, Andy Kavanagh, Denis Kelly and Peter Creane. He said that every single member worked without let up for a full five years and they raised three quarters of a million in the 5 years!
Of course Jim had to earn a living and having served his time with Edgie Dormer, Jim moved on to work as a Sales Rep for Hapin’s Tea. In this job Jim covered the counties of Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford, Wexford and Wicklow.
He then went on to work for Reckitt & Coleman, a world leader in the manufacture and marketing of household, toiletry, food and pharmaceutical products and once again covered the South East. Jim spent 33 years with Reckitt’s where he progressed from Sales Rep to end his career as Sales Director. Jim has many happy memories of his time with Reckitt’s, which at the time was, according to surveys, the 3rd best company to work for in Ireland.
Jim then retired.
For 6 months. - That was a much as he could take of doing nothing. So he then went into business for himself and still enjoys doing a days’ work and the odd round of golf.
I asked him about how long he is playing golf and his wife Maureen promptly answered ‘longer than he worked for Reckitt’s!’
Both Jim and Maureen are avid GAA fans. Indeed given the amount of time Jim has spent on GAA activities over the years, it’s just as well that Maureen is also a Gaelic Games enthusiast. She says the GAA has always been an important part of their family life and have encouraged both their sons to follow their footsteps in this regard. Their elder son Declan did take this path and served as Secretary of our Club for a number of years, whist their younger son Ronan choose to ‘tread the boards’ but of course there are plenty of GAA based dramas out there where Ronan can draw on his GAA heritage to help with a part.
When I asked what he thinks the Club’s most memorable achievement was, he said the 1982 Senior Football Championship win. He had been a selector the previous year and was so proud that we had won this well deserved County Title.
When asked about his dreams for the Club’s future, he said he would like to see a modern Club House built at our Club Grounds.
The 2nd Park Finance Committee as one of their projects organised to build a house at Mill Road, and it says a lot both for the workmanship of the volunteer builders from the Club, and for the man himself that Jim and Maureen bought that house and made it their family home!
The full list of those to be honoured is as follows:
New Ross District
Dave Lawlor (St. Abban’s Adamstown); Pat McGrath (Bannow-Ballymitty); Séamus Whelan (Clongeen); Noel Whelan (St. Mogue’s Fethard); Benny Wall (Geraldine O’Hanrahan’s); Liam Fardy (Gusserane O’Rahilly’s); Jimmy Shannon (H**eswood); Paddy Bennett (Rathgarogue-Cushinstown); Liam Drought (St. James’); Matt Banville (Taghmon-Camross).
Gorey District
Sam Brickley (Askamore-Kilrush); Mick Butler (Buffers Alley); John Carty (Castletown-Liam Mellows); Tom Dunbar (Ferns St. Aidans); Michael Byrne (Kilanerin); Tony White (Naomh Éanna); Jimmy O’Connor (Réalt na Mara-Ballygarrett); Jim O’Leary (Clonee); Conor Maguire (St. Michael’s Gorey); Don Brady (St. Patrick’s); Leo Corcoran (Craanford).
Enniscorthy District
Jimmy Tyrell (Ballyhogue); Joe Carton (Cloughbawn); Martin Kean (Davidstown-Courtnacuddy); Jim Hanrahan (Duffry Rovers); Jim Byrne (HWH Bunclody); John Somers (Marshalstown-Castledockrell); Mike Walsh (Monageer-Boolavogue); Eddie O’Connor (Oulart-The Ballagh); Pat Murphy (Oylegate-Glenbrien); Brian Hogan (Starlights); John Nangle (Rapparees); Martin Quigley (Rathnure St. Anne’s); John Hendrick (Shamrocks).
Wexford District
Bridie Gordon (St. Brigid’s Blackwater); Aidan Gilbert (Clonard); James Grannell (Crossabeg/Ballymurn); Brendan Murphy (Faythe Harriers); Jim Corcoran (Glynn-Barntown); Paddy Byrne (Kilmore); Ger Conroy (Sarsfields); Brian Curran (Shelmaliers); Jimmy Monaghan (St. Anne’s Rathangan); John Wright (St. Fintan’s); Denny Grannell (St. Joseph’s); Jimmy Dempsey (St. Martin’s); Jimmy Thomas (St. Mary’s Maudlintown); Jim Doyle (St. Mary’s Rosslare); Jim O’Connor (St. John’s Volunteers); Andrew Nolan (Sarsfields).
Over 90s
James Kehoe (Askamore-Kilrush); Charlie Golden (St. John’s Volunteers); Seán Óg O’Dubhghaill (Rathnure St. Anne’s); Nicky Newport (St. Fintan’s); John Curtis (Ballyhogue); Mick Furlong (Rapparees); Bernadette Kehoe (Ballyhogue); Michéal Maguire (Ferns St. Aidans); John Tyrell (Rapparees); Paddy O’Sullivan (Réalt na Mara-Ballygarrett); Nick Doyle (Ballyhogue).
Handball award
Tony Breen
Camogie award
Ann O’Brien
Special awards
The first special award will be made posthumously to Michael Duffin (H**eswood). Michael was due to receive an award at last year’s ceremony, but was unable to attend, and sadly passed away a short time afterwards.
The second special award will be made to recently-retired People Newspapers photographer Ger H**e, in recognition of decades spent covering matches at all grades and levels throughout the county and further afield.
Half Way House Bunclody GAA club would like to congratulate all Gaels being recognised today.
