Carmody, Matthew
April 23, 2010Matthew Carmody, or Sonny as he was known, died suddenly recently. He was laid to rest on Wednesday April 14th. The shock of his death still reverberates among those of us who knew him. He lived with his wife, Maura and family at Moveen West, Kilkee. For those of us that grew up with him, he was our hero. He was fantastic footballer, dancer, card player, you name it, he was good at it.
On the day of his burial, as we looked back on his achievements, everyone had their own special memory. We recalled the many All-Ireland football finals we travelled to with him and for the most of us, it was our first time on the capital. He passed on to us his love of all things Kerry. I was with him the day Kerry lost the five in-a-row and, suffice to day the silence was deafening.
It goes without saying that he was also a staunch supporter of Clare football hurling and ladies football. As an O'Curry's player, treasurer and mentor, he passed on the love of the game to us. He won a junior championship medal in 1961, he was treasurer of the club in the '70s and was a selector from 1974 to 1978. This was a time of great success for the club and he took pride in our achievements. As his children got involved, he took a back seat but never missed a match. He took immense pride in the sporting achievements of his family, all of whom have contributed enormously to the success of the club.
There was more to football in Sonny. He was a beautiful dancer and he and Maura were a stylish couple on the dance floor. He loved his game of cards and no more so when playing with and against his cousin and great friend, JJ McMahon, who christened him the 'cream of the 52'. He had other great card playing partners, Andy Lynch and Michael McNamara to name but a few. He also love a game of draughts.
Sonny was a great neighbour and community man. When his parents died at a young age, he toiled hard on the land in tough times and made a great success of his farming enterprise.
He married Maura Deloughery, also from Moveen and they had seven great children Ann, Lourda, Matthew, Collette, Michael, Cathriona and Damien.
A testimony to the esteem in which he was held among our community, were the large crowds that attended his removal and burial. His great friend, writer and poet, Tom Lynch, who had just returned to the USA after a vacation here over Easter returned to be with the family on this sad occasion. Sonny will be missed by us all as a community but, particularly, by his family and close friends. He had left us with many great memories.
Do mo chara Sonny, solas na bhflaitheas duit, agus, î lionta Dé go scaster sinn.
Ní bheidh a leithéad ann arís.
Adios Amigo.
Courtesy of the Champion
April 23rd 2010 Tweet
