Sean recalls sports obsessed youth growing up in Offaly parish

I was born in Killurin in 1959 to parents Andrew Kinnarney and Kathleen Kearney from Tully, Rahan. They had seven of us in family, myself and my twin sister Dolores, Pat Joe, Kathleen, Phyllis, Pauline and Andrew.

Myself, Dolores and Andrew attended our first four school years in Killurin School until it closed in 1966 because of the dwindling number of pupils. It had opened in 1932.

“Eggs and rashers for the Killurin dashers”

“Hay and oats for the Derryadd goats”

“Chopped up furs for the Gurteen curs”

This is how the chant went in Killurin School in the late 50's and early 60’s as school kids ran out from Killurin school with scraws flying. What memories of our first days in school.

Most people walked to and from school, some cycled. The Keenaghans, Dunnes,Whites, Mahons, McCanns, Mooneys, Meacles, Clavins , Meehans, Fogartys, Kidneys and Howells. Gurteen and the back road brought in more Kellys, Dillons, Caseys, Molloys, Kearns, Bradys, McCormacks, Cleeres, Fitzpatricks , McDonalds, Greenes and McEvoys

Many others joined the Killurin academy for early learning. Bikes were hidden at the back of Maudy Kellys thatched house. There was great comaraderie of football and hurling at lunch time or swinging on the trees near the drain. We had infants, 1st, ,2nd and 3rd with Miss Dunne. Mr Bracken took the rest. I remember helping Miss Dunne to light the fire in the fireplace in the classroom by rolling up balls of old paper so that she could use it to start the fire. We ate our lunch very quickly as we didn’t want to waste our precious play time which usually was hurling with the hurleys we got from a barrel in the turf shed at the back of the school.

When the final closure came, a raffle was held for the school Atlas globe. Everybody got a ticket and you could hear a pin drop as a name was called out, Aindreas Mac Heil “ah no not Andy Kinnarney” some said. This proved the final straw for the school.

We then attended Killeigh National School.

Bedding in was hard to do but it all worked out in the end with Mr Higgins and his team of teachers. A new pre fab was put in place but no hurling for the 3rd class boys who had to wait back with the girls knitting and sewing. One day ructions broke out in the new pre fab as it was destroyed by disaffected boys in a muck throwing contest with the girls.

No hurling! We’ll see about that, and the Principal came in.

“Denis the menace law here .Is it ? ” The issue was sorted out by the priest and life continued on. The 5th class proved as exciting as any. Mr Higgins “hot lozenges" were in the press. A certain customer was given one each day after 2 o'clock .Two boys from the back desk partook in tasting some at an opportune time each day. One of these boys is a business man now and the other was me, a teacher.

September was a great month as my friend and I were asked to go down to the brook to get water to make the ink. A nice day in the sun followed before we had to head back we tested the apples in an orchard.

We always had a concert at Christmas and my claim to fame was rising a fork with a straw while the song “There’s a hole in the bucket” was sang. My role improved with time as the bigger children moved on.

I continued my education in Tullamore CBS and the National University of Ireland in Maynooth. I qualified as a teacher from Maynooth University. I came back to teach for a while in Offaly eager to catch up on friends who were out in the world.

On securing a teaching post after graduating I went back hurling with the Killeigh juniors and scored four points on my first outing. “He might make a senior”, was the word but this didn’t last long, I was called in for Intermediate football and did a year at it and got injured and that was that. The hurling training consisted of tough internal matches. Killurin went out on their own in 1985. The eggs and rashers worked well as our hurling teams dashed all before them winning Junior B and Junior A championships, two leagues in Offaly and two Leinsters. They even reached European glory in a golden era. As numbers faded Clodiagh Gaels were formed as a follow on from Na Fianna at underage.

My goal on returning from college was to restore Killeigh Macra to prominence among the elite of branches in Ireland. In the early years Killeigh Macra hall was the social place to be, it was thriving with dances, bingo and cards at the back of hall.

I met and married Elizabeth Bergin from Kinnitty in 1990. We have four in family, Sean Catherine, Eilish and Claire .

It was with a tint of sadness that people in the midlands and further afield heard of the passing of Donncha O Dulaing in the last couple of weeks just a week after his wife Vera passed away.

I remember the time when I got involved with Macra na Feirme in Killeigh as Chairman. It’s 40 years ago since Donncha and his crew lit up and entertained in the Killeigh Macra Hall as myself and my committee invited him to present his roadshow series “Highways and Byways” on New Year's Eve in 1981. It was later broadcast on RTE Radio One and it was one of the last major full house shows in the hall which was held in aid of the Irish Wheelchair Association. His show brought together a number of local variety acts, story tellers, singers and dancers. There was great excitement and activity around Killeigh and Killurin and surrounding area as personalities were head hunted to be interviewed. Local stars that played on the night included the great Nicky Rackard and the Long Ridge Céilí Band along with dancers who performed reels and jigs. Some locals offered oats for the horses and stabling but for all those that remember the show there was no need!

The committee consisted of Catherine Kidney, Bernadette O'Grady, Eamon Walshe, Sean Bracken, T. Russell, James Kelly and Secretary Martina Dunne along with many locals who were busy preparing for the show. Local playwrights young and old were busy -Christy Murrary RIP , Mick Murray RIP, PJ McDonald and the Kelly’s. Willie Coonan organised the painting of the hall along with many other volunteers who worked to have the heating and decorations put in place.

As the night approached the tickets were much sought after….. Sold out …. Full House.

400 people filed in on the night into the resplendent hall, photographs were taken, interviews were given and refreshments for audience and cast. The year 1981 was taken out at midnight by a 6th class student and 1982 was seen in by a junior infant student both from the national school. Both children held decorated signs with the years 1981 and 1982.

Later that year Killeigh Macra won the county quiz and light entertainment competition, qualifying for the Leinster finals. Volleyball teams were entered as were badminton teams.

In later years the community were treated to the Macra na Feirme Superstars in Killeigh. Men and women participated in numerous events, athletics, chin ups, penalty taking, tug of war and tractor balancing. Gerry Walsh, Killeigh was the overall winner and the Killeigh club won the club events. Later in the evening presentations were presented in the hall followed by a dance which drew another large crowd.

In those times it was difficult to find a Sunday for field days as Offaly were kingpins in hurling and football. Killeigh were also proving to be top dogs in hurling.

Reminiscing on the past endeavours of young local people from the parish in various organisations, the many friends that were made, it would be lovely to leave behind us a hall for the community to develop and to build on their dreams. It’s great to see the hard working Community Development Committee putting in place a way forward for the building of the proposed Killeigh Community Centre. With these plans in place Killeigh is evolving into a place to be and continue to full fill its role in a bright future