The Late Joe Crowley Joe Crowley died on Easter Sunday morning after a short illness. Born at Castleview, of farming stock, it was "to school through the fields" to Timoleague for Joe together with his brother and three sisters. On his marriage to Josie Fitzgerald, he moved to Skeaf East where they farmed and reared five sons and three daughters. They were closely knit and family was everything, with Joe at its head. As the boys grew up, they developed a natural interest in sport and Joe brought them with the fall of ground to Timoleague and Argideen Rangers and so began a sporting dynasty which thrives to this day. Joe's love of the GAA knew no bounds. There is a story told of Timoleague playing an under age game away from home many years ago. Joe Crowley was always one of the drivers to transport the enthusiastic young players. As the neighbouring young lads walked to Crowleys - to them it was the centre of the universe - for their spin, the milking was not quite finished and the time was ticking away. There was nothing for it, only to let out the cows and head for the match. The match was won and the driver returned with a large proportion of the victorious team. All went out to the field to search for the unmilked cows. The young lads went home happy and Joe finished the milking. He became chairman of Argideen Rangers GAA club in 1983 and was to remain in that position, unopposed for the next twenty years. He presided over a golden age of Argideen Rangers history. It began at under age level with West Cork success at all levels from under 13 to minor in both codes. The step up to under 21 was achieved and a bright future was beckoning at adult level. The O Cruadhlaoich name was ever present on every team sheet as Argideen teams took to the playing fields. By now Joe was becoming quite a fluent public speaker, such was the practice that he had, standing on a trailer as the cross at Timoleague village welcoming back victorious teams. His words were few but they were true and his broad smile told it all. However, there was more and better to come. In September 1990, the village saluted Mark Foley with the Liam McCarthy Cup. Joe did the honours for the club. On September 5, 1993, Joe saw his five strong sons, Ted, Seamus, Tony, John and Declan play for Argideen in the West Cork junior hurling final victory over Diarmuid O Mahuna's at Rossmore - Timoleague's first since 1934 and a magnificent achievement for one family. The following year saw the West Cork junior football cup at the cross. Also in that year the Sean Og Murphy Cup, won by Carbery, was on display, - a team which featured his son, Tony, at centre back and his son-in-law to be, Pat Kenneally, at centre forward. Joe was taking to the introductions at this stage like a fish to water. It couldn't get better, or could it? It did in 1996 when Argideen won that illusive county hurling title with victory over Fr O'Neills at Pairc Uí Chaoimh. By now Paudie Palmer, of local radio, told all the listeners of the Crowley family, the brothers who starred on the field, their father, Joe, who was the chairman of the club and his wife, Josie, who used the power of prayer to help secure victory for Argideen. Indeed, the patriarch of the family was a proud man to see four of his sons play leading roles in that county final victory. Ted was now domiciled in Boston, but the call and yearning to come home was always too strong to resist - he shared in the great West Cork final victory over Barryroe at Bandon, thus emulating the outstanding family feat of 1993. Chairman History will decree that Joe Crowley was a most unassuming man who left others look after affairs on the field, even if he did contribute a third of the team. When he took over as chairman, the adult club was at a low ebb. He did the work behind the scenes, and with the under section under sound management, success at adult level soon followed. During the golden period when success was at its greatest, Joe was still the same Joe and he made sure that success would not go to the lads heads. He praised them when they excelled but he was equally forthright when a few home truths had to be told. He was a loving and kind husband and father and everything was done with the family in mind. Togetherness was their great strength. So poignant then, that when Joe became ill, Ted and John returned from Boston to join their brothers and sisters, Marie, Carmel and Juliette, so that together with their mother Josie, they were all with Joe for the last two months of his illness. No greater demonstration can there be of the bond of love of one's family. That was the hallmark that Joe and Josie imbued in their family. No Fuss "Joe Crowley wouldn't want any fuss over him," said Rev. Fr Pat Hickey, Adm., at his funeral Mass at Clogagh. He spoke of his love of nature, his work as a farmer, of time spent following the threshing machines during the harvest and his great love of the beagles. His son Seamus, at the conclusion of Mass, spoke of his father's love of family, church and sport. He particularly thanked all who had cared for Joe and assisted the family in any way during his short illness. In a moving graveside oration at a thronged St. Molaga's cemetery at Timoleague, Peter Fleming captured the essence of the Joe whom we all knew. The large crowds who visited the family home at Skeaf for his wake and brought Clogagh to a standstill for his funeral, bore testimony to the esteem in which Joe and the Crowley family are held. During his life-long association with the GAA he never made an enemy and the large representation of people from near and far told its own story. The Argideen Rangers GAA club which he carried on his back for so long, now carried Joe, their vice-president, to his final resting place. We in Timoleague GAA have lost a great clubman, but this pales into insignificance compared to the loss to his wife and family. May the soil of the parish rest lightly on you, Joe. Courtesy of the Southern Star, April, 2004. Tweet

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