In a life devoted to following Gaelic Games I have lodged a considerable amount in the memory bank. Last Wednesday I made a withdrawal that puzzled me for a moment or two but when I reflected on why a straight-forward close range free of Paul McCarthy's should stick so clearly in the mind I realised that I, and a host of other Carlow GAA followers, saw that point in Croke Park as a miracle score. it came in the early stages of the 1996 All-Ireland Club final, Éire Óg v Kerry's Laune Rangers and watching from the lower deck of the old Hogan Stand we witnessed Paul, from that side of the field slot a 13m free between the Canal End posts. In the myriad of flags that Éire Óg set flying during their thrilling, if ultimately unsuccessful, Club Championship quest most of those scores, by now, have all become a red blur that fade into each other. There are a few notable exceptions: Anthony Keating's volleyed goal, a wonder score, into the town end rigging in Newbridge against Erin's Isle in the 1993 Leinster final; Joe Hayden's point from a free close to the terrace sideline into the same town end posts, another wonder score, to force a draw with An Tochar in the 1995 Leinster final. And Paul McCarthy's point in Croke Park. As we stood on the narrow country road across from Ballinabranna Church last Wednesday watching Paul's funeral Cortege arrive from his him in Ballygowan I could see that point in the mind's eye. In Carlow Town that morning with I was asked if Paul McCarthy was 'on the good Éire Óg team' I answered a definite yes. I could see that point going over the Canal End bar and memories were stirred of the significance of that score. Eight years earlier, when just 18 years of age, Paul McCarthy had been diagnosed with cancer and we feared the worst, that this teenage son and talented sportsman would be cut down in his prime, lost to the dreaded scourge. Paul, though, fought his illness with unbelievable bravery, the operation and subsequent treatment a huge success and with the massive support of family and friends the courageous young man returned to full health. Soon he was back on the playing fields of Carlow, a good soccer player too by all accounts, and with strong family connections in Ballinabranna Paul kicked football and hurling with the local club, was a huge asset to the green and gold brigade when, coached by Tom 'Doc' Hughes they won the Intermediate Football Championship in 1992. Paul's fledgling football steps had been taken in Carlow CBS with whom he was a star player when they won the County U-12 and U-16 championship titles; most of those players, Paul among them, graduated to win minor and U21 championship titles; most of those players, Paul among them, graduated to win minor and U21 championship honours also, the young McCarthy completing a under-age grandslam. Paul was also a useful hurler and I recall a very tough U14 hurling final in Tullow when Carlow Town inched out Myshall in a game where the ash wasn't spared and tensions ran high, especially among adults on the sideline and around the goal! A notion often floated back then was that a town team couldn't win a championship final played outside of Dr. Cullen Park but Pat O'Brien's charges put that claim to bed that night and the sleeping pill was supplied by Paul McCarthy who scored two goals, the second putting the issue beyond doubt. But it was a footballer Paul McCarthy was destined to make a name for himself and in 1995 he transferred back to Éire Óg, making his senior football championship debut in the famous red jersey against, ironically, Ballinabranna in a closely fought semi-final, a game the townies won by seven points, one of which Paul accounted for. Remember earlier that year Éire Óg had supplied a dozen players to the Carlow team that twice rattled Laois in Portlaoise during the course of the 'point that never was' saga so breaking into the starting fifteen was a major achievement. Paul didn't play the final against Rathcilly, nor the first round of the Leinster Club Championship against Clane, a game Éire Óg won despite being reduced to 13 men but he cam on for his first cousin Kevin Haughney in the narrow quarter-final victory over Portarlington in De Cullen Park, scoring the winning point. Though he didn't figure in the semi-final victory over Ballyboden St Enda's, Paul entered the drawn Leinster final against An Tochar as a sub and did well enough to gain a starting spot for the replay, operating from right full forward contributing a point as Éire Óg won Leinster honours for the third time. It was either after that match or the All-Ireland semi-final victory over Mullaghbawn in wintry Navan - Paul again right full forward, 0-2 to his name - that I had a brief conversation with him in Mai Lennon's licensed premises on Tullow Street. Mai's was a haven for Éire Óg followers and Carlow supporters in general around that time and the Mondays there after a big match were legendary, a real buzz in the place, many members of the team tipping in to savour their achievement and discuss the previous day;s action with their loyal followers. "The Éire Óg team and their supporters are very close" manager Bobby Miller was once quoted as saying in a daily paper and one suspects it was from bumper nights in their own clubhouse and the Mondays in Lennon's and other sporting hostelries that closeness evolved. Sadly Bobby is no longer with us, Mai passed away earlier this year and now Paul has joined them in Heaven where, no doubt, Éire Óg prospects against Tyrellspass are getting an airing. On this particular Monday a decade ago I happened to be close to Paul McCarthy's company, just inside the famous porch, and offered my congratulations on the precious day's victory. Paul nodded his acceptance and said with feeling "The spirit in that team is unbelievable". It struck me as if he was almost as much in awe of them as we were! He spoke of 'that team' as if he wasn't a vital part of it. Many times on Wednesday I heard the phrase 'unassuming' used to describe Paul and certainly that meeting in Lennon's would bear that out. Paul, like the rest of us, had watched and cheered on Éire Óg in 1993, the roller-coaster in Croke Park against O'\donovan Rossa, the rain-soaked, controversially cloaked replay in Limerick. Now he was one of them, rejoining players he had played with at underage level and if Paul was huge in his admiration of his team mates' spirit you can be certain that that spirit gained much further strength from the fact that among their ranks they now had a man who fought cancer and won. That, I reckon, is why I remember that Croke Park point so well, Paul McCarthy, a man who we may have had 'dead and buried', scoring in an All-Ireland final. Unfortunately, though that point was on of the 0-11 Éire Óg scored, their wily Kerry opponents slipped through for a strange looking winning tally of 4-5 as the Hasset brothers and Billy O'Shea ended scallion-eater dreams of All-Ireland glory. Éire Óg, and Paul McCarthy, rallied again and he was a leading scorer as the YIs retained both their Carlow and Leinster titles, beating Rathvilly in the domestic decider, St Sylvester's of Dublin in tough provincial final. The Leinster champions were blitzed by Knockmore in Mullingar in the All-Ireland semi-final but again showed powerful resolve to return and win Carlow and Leinster again in 1998, Paul once more a scoring ace, his 1-8 against Naomh Eoin joint second in Éire Óg's all-time SFC records for an individual tally in a single game. In all Paul played 24 SFC matches for Éire Óg, scoring 6-44, a points tally of 62 that places him as high as 11the in the overall list. Alas, this week, the sad news is Paul McCarthy (38) has passed to his eternal reward, having battled illness for the second time, and he had a massive funeral, the small church in Ballinabranna packed to over-flowing, as many in the yard and the adjoining country roads too were thronged as the people of Ballinabranna, Carlow Town and the entire county paid their respects. Guards of honour were provided by Ballinabranna and Éire Óg, as he was shouldered to his final resting place, Paul's favourite rap-music beat providing an unusual backdrop as the coffin left the church. As the final prayers were said my mind drifted to other young sportsmen who departed his world before their time; Andrew Corden, who inspired the O'Hanrahan's to their Leinster Club Championship victory over Na Fianna in Portlaoise; Pat Bermingham of the Cocks that same weekend, Marin Hayden, an agile goalkeeper with Éire Óg an Carlow; Pat Foley of Banagagole and Old Leighlin, a dual star, a stylist, Brian Burroughs of Palatine. I consulted my records to see if Paul McCarthy ever played a competitive fixture with the county senior football team; he did, just once, against Cavan in Kingscourt in 1993, scored three points. Cavan, the home of John Joe Reilly, a famous footballer who also lost his life at a young age and we finish with a couple of adjusted verses of the hauntingly lovely lament for John Joe Reilly as we offer our deepest sympathy to Pauls' wife Paula, his daughters Rebecca and Hannah, his parents, Austin and Ena, sister Janet, Grandmother Mrs Clare McCarthy, other relations and many friends, his fine funeral a tribute to the esteem in which he was held. God rest you Paul McCarthy, 'neath each bright November star, Where your hero tales are told tonight by firesides near and far, While by quiet lakes in Carlow men can hear the banshee wail, For the bravest heart of New Oak and the pride of all the Gael We bless and keep you in our prayers, may He count you with his own, While Carlow mourns your passing from Ballygowan to Éire Óg God rest and keep you 'Carthos' we pray for you to-day, When Carlow lost their bravest man on a bright October day. Courtesy of Leo McGough at The Nationalist. 9 November, 2007. Tweet

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