The late Jimmy Murtagh - An appreciation from Simonstown GAA
May 10, 2024
The late Jimmy Murtagh
When the famous galvanised shed at the bottom of the 'old' pitch, that served as headquarters for Simonstown GFC for so many years, was first lit, the power supply came from the adjacent Murtagh household. When the first floodlight was tied high to a tree in the corner of the same 'old' pitch, allowing Simonstown players to train for the first time at night in the 1970s, again the power supply came from Murtaghs. That was the connection and dedication in those formative years that Jimmy Murtagh, who has passed away this week, had to the club that was, quite literally, in his backyard. He was a great 'neighbour' for the club.
Jimmy was always a man who went about his work for Simonstown in a most understated way. He had involvement as a player in the mid to late 1960s and into the 1970s when home was two different fields down Simonstown Lane. But Jimmy played a central role in moving that home closer to Navan and to the current site which he helped negotiate, along with Joe Clarke, an agreement with Reggie Casey for at the time.
Originally from Proudstown, close to where the racecourse and the town of Simonstown meet, Jimmy was always willing to lend his effort and expertise to whatever needed to be done, whether it was the construction of the shed or the development of the old field. He was a key contributor to the renowned Simonstown sports where his 'handiwork' and construction skills helped to create so many of the novelties that were synonymous with that summer day which routinely drew hundreds to the field each year.
When the time came for expansion again Jimmy inevitably played his part as the first phase of the existing clubhouse was constructed in the early to mid 1980s. Jimmy was able to use his rapport and friendship with his neighbour and local bank manager Robin Wynne to procure a loan to advance the project when money wasn't forthcoming from other financial institutions.
And again, when Simonstown began developing the second pitch in the late 1990s, Jimmy was on hand to provide his guiding hand.
Intermittently he was a committee member but invariably those in officerships through the years knew they could count on him to put his shoulder to the wheel of any project. Simonstown GFC is grateful for the rich contribution that Jimmy made to the club's development at key moments as it went through its various phases of growth and expresses sympathy to his family on his death.
May he rest in peace.
