The sudden death on Sunday morning of Mr James (Jim) Kennedy, Cournellan, Borris, caused a deep and sincere sense of loss throughout the South Carlow area, writes Charlie Keegan. Mr Kennedy who had farmed at Cournellan all his life, was found dead in a field on the family farm shortly after 9am, having gone to feed sheep. Jim Kennedy was a lifelong and committed GAA man. He was a lynch-pin of the Ballymurphy team which won the Carlow SFC titles of 1947, beating Kilbride in the final, and 1953 when the south county side defeated Palatine to gain revenge for a county final defeat of the previous year. Jim played at centre-back and, in an era when Gaelic football was a man's game, he played the game hard but fair. He was fiercely loyal to the Ballymurphy club and while he was a man who was up to inter-county standard, his commitment resided with his club. Jim Kennedy played with Ballymurphy for 15 years, captaining the team which won the 1956 Carlow junior football championship - his last game for the club. He won a hurling medal with Cournellan in 1947, playing at full-forward, but as a player, football was his game. Among Jim's contemporaries who survive him from that golden era for Ballymurphy footballers, are Martin Lennon, Aiden McGee, Fr Moling Lennon and Mattie Doyle. Jim was brother of Tom Kennedy, the Carlow GAA stalwart who is chairman of the Dr Cullen Park Committee and was a member of the 1953 Ballymurphy championship winning team. A keen supporter of all Carlow GAA county teams, Jim was also a life-long follower of Kilkenny hurling teams. He carried on a mixed farming enterprise at Cournellan and was noted as a progressive farmer. He is survived by his wife, the former Winifred Curran, son Paddy, brothers Pat (Royal Oak Road, Bagenalstown), Tom (The Elms, Athy Road, Carlow), Christy (Brownshill Road, Carlow), sisters Mrs. Bridie Heffernan (Raheny, Dublin), Sister Veronica (Betty), Nazareth House, Belfast, Sister Kathleen, retired principal of St. Leo's College, Carlow and Mrs Mary Dagg (Arden Road, Tullamore) other relatives, friends, neighbours and his many colleagues within the GAA. The remains were removed from Jim's home to the Church of the Most Sacred Heart, Borris, and burial took place in Ballymurphy cemetery, following Requiem Mass at 11am. • The national flag flew at half mast during Sunday's Kehoe Cup hurling tie between Carlow and Wicklow at Dr Cullen Park. A minute's silence was also observed as a mark of respect. - courtesy of the Carlow Nationalist January 2002 Tweet

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