Downey, Tadg
October 15, 2009September 30 marked the end of an era for Cappagh GAA; we lost one of our best known sons as Tadg Downey passed away.
The name Tadg Downey is synonymous with the red and white hoops of Cappagh for the past seven decades. Tadg was president of Cappagh GAA for the past fourteen years and held numerous offices in the club such as secretary, chairperson, county board delegate, treasurer and team trainer. He was a regular player with Cappagh from 1937, he trained many underage teams, was a constant supporter on the sidelines, a man who dedicated his life to the GAA especially to Cappagh, in short he was a real gaol. As a club we were honoured to have his name associated with us.
Tadg was born in August 11, 1921 in the town land of Ballyhar, Fries, Killarney, Co. Kerry, the eldest of 4 boys. His mother died when he was just six years of age, leaving his father and neighbours looking after the children. The Prendergast family whom Tadg's father worked for brought Tadg to school and looked after him, as jobs were scare in rural Kerry and Prendergast family organised that Tadg would move their relatives' house, Jack Prendergast's of Ballyvoneen, Kildare in January 1936.
He started to attend the CBS in Kilcock where in made friends with young boys that would see those friendships last for decades. In 19xx Tadg started to work for CIE in Conhingham Road, Dublin. In 1954 Tadg married Lena O'Sullivan from Killarney, Cloncurry Cross. This would be their home for the next 55years of married life; they raised 5children here, Sean, Pauline, Rita, Geraldine and Timmy.
Tadg's involvement with Cappagh GAA began in 1937 when he started to play with Cappagh, at the age of 16 Tadg showed that he had the talent to be a nippy corner forward. He was selected for the Kildare Minor panel, in the following years he was also selected for the Kildare Juniors. He won many county titles with the Cappagh and Kilcock whom he played with while Cappagh disbanded on the 50s. As the role of a club GAA player was much different back then, many of us have heard the story about Tadg walking to Sallins with a load of cattle to the mart and then back again before plating Carbury in the 19xx final. As Tadg used to say 'there were no pulled muscles or hamstring in those days'. Once Tadg's playing days were coming to an end, he put his energy into the underage section and the running of the club for many decades to come.
Tadg was a born organised and leader and was secretary for the club for 27 years between 1945 and 1984, he was a county board delegate for over 40years, he saw 6 county chairmen out. He organised many a dinner dance, social, bicycle race, sportsday to ensure that the Cappagh people had more than football to keep them busy! In 1984 when Tadg retired from the CIE he filled his days by cycling to the grounds daily to ensure that whatever jobs needed to be done were done. He was rarely missing form the sideline even up to the later years, where sheer love and dedication for the club ensured that this man in his 80's made it to most Cappagh matches. It amazed me that a man could get as much joy and excitement out of U11 league game win as a Junior B Championship. Tadg acknowledged that the future of Cappagh lay with the underage section and attended and honoured to present medals at an annual presentation night for the underage teams. Amazingly four weeks before his death, he insisted on going down to pitch despite been ill to welcome Mickey Conway to the club and meet the kids at the GAA Cul Camps.
In 1995 the club decided to honour and thank Tadg for all the work he had done for the club by naming the grounds "Tadg Downey Park". According to the GAA rule book we had to get permission from Croke Park to call the grounds after a living person, this was obtained and in April 1995 Jack Boothman, the then GAA president officially opened "Tadg Downey Park" in front of thousands of supporters, we marked the occasion with a challenge game with Kildare playing Cork. This was such a proud day for us as a club but more for Tadg. In 1998 Tadg was entered into the Kildare GAA Hall of Fame, an honour he was humbled by. In 2006 Tadg put seven decades of involvement in Cappagh to paper and launched his History of Cappagh GAA 'Here to Stay'. This publication is a gift now; it contains a compreshive history of the club form it's founding to the present day. This was a great achievement for a man in his 80's to pursue this dream until he got it published.
One month before Tadg's death he was dialogised with cancer despite been very ill Tadg kept up with all club business and games, he attended our championship game against TMH two weeks before his death and even called into Connolly's of Ballagh to meet the team on the way home!
Tadg was so well known, not only in Cappagh and its community but throughout the county, no matter what grounds we played in someone would come up and know Tadg. As word of his death at the age of 88 spread throughout the community of Cappagh GAA, the youngest and oldest of our members recalled their memories, he had a huge ability to converse all sections of our club. It was only fitting that we sent Downey off with a tribute only fit for him. As Tadg left his home in Kilbrook for the final time, Sean Gorman placed a Cappagh jersey on the coffin, while Johnny Doyle placed the Kildare jersey, the cortege then moved onto Newtown Church.
As it passed Tadg Downey Park the underage section of the club was togged out in their club jerseys in an impeccably respectful guard of honour. As it moved closer to the village the senior teams and committee stood in a guard of honour made up of over one hundred people. On Friday as Tadg left the church after a beautiful ceremony by Fr Paul O'Boyle which turned out to be a celebration of Tadg's life a representation of former and present players and committee members carried the coffin out of the village and up the path in Cloncurry graveyard before handing it over to the family. This was such a touching moment, to see players who Tadg trained as U11, minors and worked along with on committee's brining him to his final resting place, as I stood and looked on at this and another huge guard of honour I thought to myself that Tadg would have been so proud of this.
On behalf of the Cappagh GAA club, Camogie club, wider Cappagh family and the Newtown/Kilbrook community I would like to offer our deepest sympathy to his beloved wife Lena, sons Sean and Timmy, daughter Pauline, Rita and Geraldine, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, sons and daughters in law and the extended Downey family.
One trait that comes to mind as I write this is volunteerism and sense of community, this trait is not gone as it definitely lives on in his wife and children. As a club we are honoured to have such a man associated with us, we will take comfort in the memories of the man who was small in height but tall in achievement and respect who touched so many hearts. We will always remember the man who would say "you played well but…" his constant presence on the sideline, the cap, the checking of time.
Courtesy of Leinster Leader
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