The Man Behind The Wire: Historic camogie team in Offaly remembered after chance discovery of old medal

A CHANCE discovery of an old medal from 1942 led to the achievements and personnel of a Mucklagh camogie team being recalled at a very memorable function recently.

The Offaly camogie medal from 1942 was discovered in a pawn shop in Newbridge by Wicklow man Jimmy Whittle some months ago. It eventually found its way to Tullamore woman, Miriam O'Callaghan, a former president of the national Camogie Association and she in turn passed it onto the local Shamrocks Camogie Club.

It set the wheels in motion for a period of research by local members as they dug into the archives and unearthed a treasure throve of information about camogie in the area and wider county.

It all culminated with a reunion of sorts in Mucklagh Community Centre recently where relatives of the 1942 team and others from that era gathered to reflect on it and they were presented with a newspaper clip from the year and a copy of the medal.

In that 1942 Offaly camogie final, Mucklagh had a comprehensive win over Daingean – the referee was Tullamore man James Flaherty, who took charge of the 1937, 1939 and 1946 All-Ireland senior hurling finals.

The Mucklagh team in that 1942 final was: Mary Carroll, Frances Egan, Rita Dunne, Mary Dunne, Mary Carroll, Kathleen Donovan, Elizabeth Flynn, Mary Condron, Mary Russell, Kathleen Healion, Frances Doyle, Ann Buckley. Sub – Mary Lowry. The team trainer was a Mucklagh man, Mick Digan.

The losing Daingean team was: Brigid Hanlon, Kathleen McGlynn, Mary Lenehan, Brigid Egan, Mary Dunne, Patricia Dunne, Mary Wright, Kathleen Mallon, Mary Arnold, Pauline Dunne, Brigid Smyth, Mary A. Byrne.

The final had taken place in O'Connor Park and was followed by a hurling challenge between Durrow and Rahan.

An underage camogie club had been formed in Shamrocks two years ago to cater for 6, 8 and 10 year olds – they will be fielding an U-12 team next year and the discovery of the medal confirmed that they were not in fact the camogie flag bearers in the parish.

A Mucklagh camogie team from 1935. Front, left to right, Lily Flynn, Rita Dunne, Bridie Pender, Kathleen Slator. Back, Josie Conroy, Mary Carroll, Jane Heffernan, Margaret Walshe, Molly Digan, Nellie Daly, Mary Dunne, Bess Dunne.

Jimmy Whittle is from the Dunlavin club in Wicklow and played against the great Walsh Island side of the 1970s/1980s in the Leinster club championship during his playing career. A keen collector of GAA memorabilia, he was told by the pawn shop in Newbridge about the medal and contacted Miriam O'Callaghan after discovering that it was in fact an Offaly camogie medal from 1942.

Great local information was found as Grace Mooney and others attempted to discover details about the 1942 team. A fantastic picture of a Mucklagh team from 1935 was provided by a passionate local history enthusiast, Micheal Scully, Killina – this picture included four members of the 1942 side, Rita Dunne, Mary Dunne, Mary Carroll and Elizabeth Flynn in addition to Bridie Pender, Kathleen Slator, Josie Conroy, June Heffernan, Margaret Walshe, Molly Digan, Nellie Daly and Bess Dunne.

Micheal's mother, Mary Carroll from Brocca was on both teams and great local connections were found with others.

Jimmy Whittle from Dunlavin GAA Club, Co. Wicklow presented Grace Mooney founding member of Shamrocks Camogie Club with a 1942 Offaly Camogie Championship medal and Miriam O’Callaghan, Former President of The Camogie Association.

For example, there was a second Mary Carroll on the 1942 team and her great grand daughters, Faye and Molly Dunne are now members of Shamrocks Camogie Club. Better known as Molly Carroll, she only passed away in 2020 – the Carroll's from Screggan are a very well known local family. Molly's maiden and married name was Carroll and Faye and Molly Dunne are daughters of Gary Dunne, a son of Lelia Dunne, nee Carroll.

Rita Dunne later became Rita Allen and she is the mother of a well known business man and Tullamore GAA member, a former player, Ray Allen. Mary Condron later became Mary Halligan and reared a popular family in the Ballycumber area. A 1935 player, Nellie Daly became Nellie Healion and is the mother of the Healion's from Spollanstown. Frances Egan is the mother of the parish priest in Tullamore, Fr Joe Gallagher.

Elizebeth Flynn is an aunt of Gretta Flynn, the Fingerboard, Tullamore – Gretta Flynn gave great assistance with research and finding family connections with the teams. Frances Doyle has a daughter, Babs Young in Cadamstown and Babs attended the function recently.

The reunion in Mucklagh Community Centre proved to be a very memorable, nostalgic occasion as people were able to remember their deceased mothers and relatives. Camogie was quite strong in Offaly in the 1930s and 1940s before disappearing off the map and being resurrected from the 1980s onwards.