The Late Matthew (Matty) Lynch The death occurred of Mr Matthew (Matty) Lynch, retired B.Q.M.S. Defence Forces, Highfield Road, Cavan, after a long illness. In his 87th year, Matt was a native of Crosskeys and was widely known throughout the length and breadth of the county, and further afield, in his capacity as army quarter master sergeant and his involvement in a number of other activities including the GAA. Son of the late Terry and Ellen Lynch, he was born on the 31st March, 1918 at their home farm in Carrickatubber, Crosskeys. He was the second child of four, James, Ann (Baby) and Mary (R.I.P). Their mother passed away at an early stage in their young lives and their father married Mary Brown, of Lisduff, Kilnaleck. They were blessed with seven children, Patrick (R.I.P), Maura, Tom, Hugh, Terry, Brendan, Michael (R.I.P) and Sean. Mattie attended the National School in Crosskeys, where he made many life-long friends. They always kept in touch with each other no matter in what part of the world they were. At this early stage of his life, he developed a passion for running and hunting with the hounds. Mattie never had the urge to emigrate like most of his friends had to do in those days, instead he stayed at home to help out on the family farm. With the outbreak of World War Two Mattie and some of his friends from the Crosskeys area joined the Volunteers of the Irish Defence Forces at Portobello Barracks, Rathmines on the 31st July 1939. Here these young men from a rural area, received a great wake up call to the way of life in the Army. On being introduced to their platoon Sergent Jack Brennan, life would never be the same again. Mattie took to the Army way of life like duck to water and served his country for 41 years. His first posting was to the 6th (Dublin) Battalion. With war in Europe becoming a reality, general mobilisation was ordered for the 1st September, 1939. Accordingly on the 2nd September the Sixth gathered at Portobello Barracks. The Unit was ordered to move to Longford Barracks on the 4th September. Thus was the beginning of Mattie's life and association with the Western Command. In 1942 he took his first step on the promotion ladder, when he was selected to go on a Non-Commissioned Officers Course. One of the first lessons on a N.C.O.'s course, is the "Three F's, to be fair, Firm and Friendly. Mattie learn this lesson well, as this is how he lived. On the start of the construction of the Ballyshannon Electro dam on the River Erne, he was attached to the Corps of Engineers and posted to Finner Camp as company clerk. During this period, 1939 to 1949 he was very much involved in many sporting activities including as a member of the shooting teams with the 6th. His favourite sports were cross country running, basketball and volleyball. He excelled at cross country throughout the 40's, winning the Western Command championships on several occasions and also the Ulster Championships with Tomregan Harriers, Ballyconnell. As a marksman, he was involved in the Sixth All-Army winning teams with the Old Bren Machine Gun and won the Combined Weapons Cup, under the command of Major Tom Cullen. In the winter of 1961, Mattie was approached by the late T.P. O'Reilly then Chairman of Cavan County Board GAA and the then Cavan senior team manager Mick Higgins to be part of the county team training regime in preparation for the 1962 Ulster Championship. Mattie was more than delighted to apply the skills that he had learned so well with the Army. On the first week of January 1962, in the Gym at the former Army Barracks in Cavan, (for which facilities Mattie had made the arrangements with the Army), this was probably the first time any county team had indoor training facilities available to them. Thus, the plot was set to dethrone the great Down All-Ireland winning team of 1960-61. With these immortal words of he late T.P. O'Reilly "gentlemen, we have gathered you all here to-night to take back the Ulster Crown from not only the reigning Ulster Champions but also the reigning All-Ireland champions". And, on a hot sunny day in July of that year in Casement Park, Belfast, Cavan dethroned the champions. In, 1942 the Sixth left their Barracks in the west for Divisional manoeuvre in Cork. This became known as "The Long March", which Mattie would talk about with pride, as would all surviving soldiers from that period. Even though the march was a long and gruelling one the soldiers took it all in their stride. Following these exercises the Sixth marched from Cork to Dublin, a journey which they completed in nine days. In the early 40's while stationed in Athlone, Mattie met Alice (Dolly) Murray from the town and on the 28th December 1942 they got married in Athlone. They were blessed with the birth of their first child Terry, unfortunately their second child died at the age of six weeks. Again fate struck Mattie another blow, when his wife died of T.B. on the 14th May 1947. With life as it is in the Army Mattie was soon on the move again, this time back to Finner Camp, Donegal. Here, he met and fell in love with a girl from Armagh, Maureen Gribben. On the 17th October 1949, Mattie and Maureen were married in St. Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh. At this time Mattie was agin transferred to Mullingar and the family were blessed with the birth of their first child, Margaret. Mattie was soon on the move again, being posted to Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim to the 17th.Inf.Bn., (F.C.A.). Here Mattie and Maureen had three more children, Marie, Matthew (Junior) and Jean. In 1959, Mattie sought a transfer back to his native Cavan. His request was granted and he was posted to the 8th Inf.Rn. (F.C.A.) in Cavan town. In June of that year the family moved to Ballinagh and in December, they moved into their new house, at 2 Highfield Rd., Cavan. During the sixties and seventies, Mattie was very much involved in the Cavan and Monaghan GAA scene, both at club and county level. Here he put the physical training skills that he had acquired in the army to great effect. He was involved with the county senior teams as a masseur from January 1962 to August 1969 and at club level with Drumalee, the great Crosserlough team which won the record breaking seven in a row championship titles from 1966-72 and also the Scothouse club in Monaghan to name but a few. Tragedy was again to strike Mattie when his wife Maureen passed away on 1st January, 1976. On the re-activation of the 29th.Inf.Bn on the 25th October 1976, due to the troubles in Northern Ireland, Mattie was on the move again, this time to Monaghan town as B.Q.M.S. (Battalion Quarter Master Sergeant). Here he served the last four remaining years of his service. After his retirement he once again enjoyed his love for the hunt with the hounds. Despite having no hounds of his own, he and his friends enjoyed the sport by pursuing the hunt by car, by guessing where the hare would drag the chasing hounds through the country and exit onto the road.This hobby was enjoyed on Wednesdays and Sundays during the hunt season up until November 2003, when illness prevented him from doing so. Mattie always made friends where ever he went and once a friend of Mattie invariably was for one's lifetime. Mattie was a loving husband, father and a proud and courteous gentleman in the way he lived and in his dress sense. The old saying "that soldiers never die. They just fade away" described accurately how Mattie lived his life. He is survived by his sons, Terrence (Newbawn, Wexford), Matthew Jr, (Middletown Armagh) and daughters Margaret Maguire (Ballyjamesduff) Marie Lynch Molloy (Cavan) and Jean Teauber (Coolrea Wexford) as well as his friend Kathleen; 3 sons-in-law, 2 daughters-in-law, 12 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren, brothers Jimmy, New York, Terry, Ailsbury England; Tom, Northampton and Sean, London, sisters, Mrs Maura Manketelow, Anne 'baby' and Mrs. Ann O'Donoghue, Daventry, England and nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives and many friends. The funeral took place at the Cathedral and to Killygarry cemetery. The army burial party was provided by O/C Dun Ui Neill Barracks, Cavan, under the command of Sgt Ray Smith and Sgt Paul Martin. The pipers were from O/C, Custom Barracks, Athlone. Courtesy of The Anglo Celt 11th August 2005 Tweet

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