The late Seamus O'Kane The great Aughavas footballer Seamus O'Kane has gone to his eternal reward. During the early 1960's he was a football legend in Aughavas and Leitrim. The 'Memory Man' Jimmy Magee was once asked who was was the only man in Ireland to have won Senior Championship medals in three different counties but never in his own. Jimmy for once was beaten as he could not answer the question about one of the most skillful players who ever donned an Aughavas jersey. In 1959 Seamus joined the Irish Army and declared for Athlone winning two Senior Championship medals there and playing for Westmeath in the victory over Dublin in the O'Byrne Cup. In 1961 he went to the Congo with the Irish Army where his exploits became legendary in his local village Clady, Co. Tyrone and he was subsequently known as "Congo O'Kane". He was transferred back to Ireland to Leitrim where he declared for Aughavas winning his third Senior Championship medal in 1963. It has often been asked why he declared for Aughavas considering he was then lodging in "The Castle" in Mohill being run at the time by the late Denis Manning N.T. and his wife Mary. It is very easily explained when one understands his great friendship with Val Fitzpatrick proprietor of the Ceili House Bar and his father Peter known as Master Pee who previously was Chairman of the Aughavas Club. Also he was a friend of Val's brother Arnold, teacher of Irish in Carrigallen Vocational School 1969-1997 and Kiernan Tonra, Connemara N.T. in Aughavas who were both playing on the Aughavas Senior team. Following his stay in Mohill he returned to his home in Drumbane and played for his local parish Urney and was a consistent performer on the Tyrone Senior County Team. In 1972 he declared for St Cumhaills, Donegal and helped them to Senior Championship success scoring six points in the final. Back again in 1973 he played for Ballybofey in the Donegal Senior Final against St Joseph's Ballyshannon once more obtaining a victorious medal. Having broken his collar bone he retired from football at the age of 37 and took up football management. He had played county football for Tyrone, Donegal, Westmeath and Leitrim. Playing in his favourite position for Tyrone at left half forward, he played centre field for Aughavas, he was teamed with his brothers Hugo, Noel, Kevin and Brendan who added success to the family name. His sister Terese was not to be outdone and claimed a number of victories in Ulster and All Ireland at her Irish Dancing. As well as this the O'Kane's were brought up in a Gaelic household whose father instilled in them principle that being Irish was being free. His total commitment and dedication to Gaelic Football can be understood by the fact that on the morning of his first Senior Championship Final Seamus could be seen practicing free taking at 6.00 in the morning. That is what makes good footballers great and helped him win All Ireland medals for his Western Command. One of his biggest regrets was that he did not play football in Galway disliking the barracks there and asked for a transfer. Had he stayed he most surely would have been on the Galway All Ireland winning teams of1964, 1965 and 1966. Seamus will always be remembered in the annals of Aughavas football and he no doubt looks down upon us with five other brilliant Aughavas footballers of 1963, Dr. Leo Heslin, Michael McGirl, Sean Kiernan, Garda Frank Reynolds and Gaby Cooney. Seamus made numerous trips back to Leitrim always the guest of Val and Carmel Fitzpatrick Ceili House who both attended the Obsequies in Castlefin. Taylor McNulty, writing of the people of Seamus's native parish states: It is the passion for Gaelic football that unities the parish. The only thing they have is their love of Gaelic Football. Sometimes this love and passion resulted in violence but most of the people who did the fighting were good and honest people who came from good homes and who were gentlemen off the pitch. It is only fitting that this epitaph should be penned for Congo O'Kane. Solus na bhflaitheas da anam Dluige. Courtesy of The Leitrim Observer 23 June 2006 Tweet

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