Laffey, James
July 09, 2013James Laffey reflects on the football career of Newport native Joe Kilroy who helped keep the Mayo GAA flame alive during the barren years of the 1940s.
The death has occurred in Chicago, United States, of Joe Kilroy, a native of Carrabawn, Newport, who wore the green and red of Mayo for a number of years in the 1940s.
Although he spent much of his adult life in America, Joe was a proud Mayo man who kept in regular contact with his native county. He possessed an unerring memory of his years playing for the county,
years that were unfortunately characterised by a lack of success as Mayo struggled to recapture the glory days of the 1930s. Indeed, men like Joe Kilroy were a bridge between the All-Ireland winning
teams of 1936 and 1950-51, and the Newport man was proud to have played with legends like Henry Kenny, Josie Munnelly, Sean Flanagan, Tom Langan and Padraig Carney.
Joe Kilroy came from a household that was steeped in a love of Ireland. His father, Michael Kilroy, was the legendary leader of the IRA West Mayo Flying Column during the War of Independence and later represented Co. Mayo in Dail Eireann as a Fianna Fail TD. He was also chairman of Mayo Co. Council on many occasions.
Joe attended St Jarlath's College in Tuam where he captained the college to a provincial colleges' title in 1944. He made his debut for the county senior team in a challenge game in 1944, a year when Mayo crashed out of the Connacht championship at the hands of the reigning All-Ireland champions Roscommon.
In 1945, Joe scored four points in his championship debut against Leitrim and another four points in the Connacht semi-final in Sligo as Mayo deposed Roscommon, the reigning two-in-row All-Ireland champions. It was an entirely unexpected victory for the Mayomen with midfielder Henry Kenny - a veteran of the '36 team - delivering one of his most majestic displays. Joe was proud to line out alongside his boyhood hero.
"It is a great memory because [the win] was so unexpected and I feel privileged to have played with Henry Kenny that day," Joe told this writer in 2011. "He was truly exceptional,' the greatest man that ever played midfield I would say"
The Mayo supporters greeted the surprise victory with unbridled joy carrying the players shoulder high from the field. The memory stayed with Joe Kilroy long into his old age and was the highlight of his Mayo career. It was made all the more special because his elder brother Peadar was also a member of the winning team.
Unfortunately, the joy was shortlived after Mayo came a cropper against Galway in the Connacht Final. Galway came within four points of the eventual champions Cork in the All-Ireland semi-final, and the Mayo players were convinced that they could have gone all the way had they emerged from Connacht.
Joe featured on the Mayo team during the National League campaign of 1945-46, a series of games that saw the emergence of the incomparable Padraig Carney who was still only 17 when he made his debut for the Mayo seniors in August 1945. Joe Kilroy took great pride in the fact that he laid on the pass that allowed Padraig Carney kick the first of many glorious points in a Mayo jersey.
Joe was at full-forward for his side's Connacht championship victory over Sligo in Ballina in June 1946, scoring a goal in a fine performance. That victory set up a provincial showdown against Roscommon who were determined to avenge the defeat of the previous year. The game was played in Ballinasloe and ended in a one-point win for Roscommon after captain Jimmy Murray scored a notorious goal, having struck the ball into the net after it bounced back into play from the foot of an umpire. Murray took it upon himself to raise the green flag, prompting a near riot amongst the Mayo following.
The controversy surrounding the goal prompted the Connacht Council to order a replay in Roscommon, which the homeside duly won. It proved to be Joe Kilroy's last championship game for Mayo. He emigrated shortly afterwards but continued his football career in America.
When this writer was researching The Road to 51, Joe Kilroy was immensely helpful in providing information on the so-called barren period between 1936 and 1950. Although he never won a Connacht senior medal - let alone an All-Ireland - Joe was immensely proud to have played alongside so many great players.
Colleagues from that era described Joe as an imposing full-forward who had immense physical strength. He won a county junior title with his native Newport in 1945, and played a major role in the club's senior campaign the following year.
Joe Kilroy was predeceased by his brothers Paddy and Dominick and sisters Marsey and Sr Margaret Joseph. He is survived by his brothers Jim (Chicago) and Peadar (Newport) and sister Maeve (Newport).,
May this proud son of Mayo rest in peace.
Courtesy of the Western People. Tweet
