Smyth, Jimmy
February 22, 2013Glowing tributes have been written, and many stories recalled over the past week, of the prowess, skill and personality of hurling legend, Jimmy Smyth, who died at his home recently.
Jimmy was born to Jim and Mary Kate Smyth (nee Considine) of Ruan on New Year's Day, 1931. He attended Kells National School, where his mother was a teacher. Any spare time he had, he could be found at the foot of Porte Hill, playing hurling with his brothers and, later, in the local hurling field. His education continued in St Flannan's College, Ennis, where he also practised his hurling with great success and he brought his skills onto his local hurling field with his own Ruan club. He worked with Clare County Council as a clerk and, on his marriage to Vera Gleeson from Coore, they set up home in Ennis. They then relocated to Clontarf, in Dublin, with their four children, when Jimmy joined GAA headquarters as an administrator.
Throughout the years he spent in Dublin, Jimmy's thoughts were never far from his native Ruan. He always kept in touch with neighbours, friends and his hurling colleagues, and the family spent many happy days on holiday in Clare.
He was president of Ruan Hurling Club and led the guard of honour and gave graveside orations at the funerals of many of his hurling comrades. On his retirement, Jimmy went back to college and graduated with a degree in philosophy. He also gained a masters in UL on The Poems, Songs and Recitations of the GAA in Munster. A sculpture honouring Jimmy was erected in the Moinin field in Ruan village in 2008, which was a fitting tribute from his club. He was particularly moved and delighted by this and great celebrations took place that day.
Testament to the esteem in which Jimmy was held were the crowds that turned out to bid him farewell - at a mass in Clontarf attended by his neighbours, former hurlers and friends from the GAA and the Clare Association in Dublin (of which Jimmy was a member and former president); at the removal from Kennedy's Funeral Home in Ennis and at the concelebrated funeral mass led by Fr Pat O'Neill at St Mary's Church, Ruan.
One of Jimmy's favourite ballads, The Ballad of Tommy Daly, was sung by Monica Morgan as his remains were leaving the church. A guard of honour, made up of representatives from Clare and Ruan GAA, accompanied the funeral cortege from the entrance to the village on Monday evening and as his remains were taken to the adjoining graveyard on Tuesday, it was also accompanied by a guard of honour of former Clare and Ruan team mates and club members, while lone piper, Des O'Halloran of the Tulla Pipe Band, led the way to his final resting place.
Cyril Lyons gave a moving graveside oration on behalf of Ruan GAA Club. Jimmy's family was presented with a Munster jersey by Robert Frost, chairman of the Munster Council, a Clare jersey from Michael McDonagh, chairman of Clare GAA and a club jersey from Frankie Lyons, chairman of Ruan GAA.
President of St Flannan's College, Fr Joe McMahon presented the family with a college jersey and a picture of Jimmy in his hurling days with the college. Jimmy played in five Harty Cup finals.
Paddy Leahy, the only surviving hurler from the '48 Ruan team, presented the Clare flag from Jimmy's coffin to his wife, Vera.
Jimmy is survived by his wife, Vera; daughters, Ann, Patricia and Brighid; son, Peter; brothers, Gerard, Michael and Kevin; sister, Carmel (Kelly); sons-in-law, daughter-in-law, sisters-in-law, brother-in-law, grandchildren, extended family and many
friends.
Courtesy of The Clare Champion. Tweet
