The late Jimmy Murray Name: Jimmy Murray Born: May 5th, 1917 Achievements: Club football -six county senior titles with St Patrick's between 1941 and 1951 -two county titles with Knockcroghery in 1936 and 1938 -winner of several Conlon Cup (league) and Crean Cup (seven-a-side) Intercounty football -All-Ireland junior title 1940 -All-Ireland senior titles 1943, 1944 (captain of both) -Connacht senior titles 1943, 1944, 1946, 1947 Oireachtas medal Club hurling -two junior titles with St Patrick's -senior title with St Coman's Intercounty hurling -winner of the four county championship on four occasions Schools GAA - schools championship with De La Salle College, Roscommon Official Roles -Club Secretary -Club President -Mid-Roscommon Board Secretary -Connacht Council member -Central Council delegate -Roscommon County Board President The late Jimmy Murray Jimmy Murray was carried shoulder high for the final time to the local cemetery adjacent to St Dominic's GAA pitch. Supporters, friends and neighbours turned out in force to celebrate the life of the county's most famous GAA some at his funeral Mass in Knockcroghery. To the football nation, he was a legend. To the people of Knockcroghery and those who knew him, he was much more than that. "I fought a good fight. I finished the race. I kept the faith, he would always say," his brother Canon Paddy Murray recalled during the funeral Mass. Jimmy told his family that he didn't want his Mass to be a circus when he died. "He wanted us to celebrate and thank God for the life that he had. He didn't want a big show. "He had a long life but, more importantly, it was a good life. It was full and happy. He was a leader who showed the way and others followed. He really led by example at all times. "I remember when his wife Ann died in 1992. Jimmy had fallen while doing something in the shop. He had hurt himself. He went through the three days of the funeral meeting people and then he went to the doctor and found out he had broken a rib. He sacrificed himself for others. We're here to celebrate the life of a good man, not just a good footballer" he continued. Canon Murray described how kind Jimmy Murray was to his parents and family. The eldest in the family, he worked with his parents in the business and on the farm. "He always knew that his All-Ireland medals weren't going to get him a passport to heaven. He was a good footballer because he was a good man. He did everything as best he could and led by example. It's hard to do justice to him. In every way he was truthful, he was fair, kind and generous. He never went around with his head in the air. His goodness was rooted in the faith that he had." Faith was something Jimmy Murray placed enormous belief in. Indeed, he was a very religious man. Canon Murray told the congregation that he always said the rosary and visited Lough Derg while he would carry out his hour of prayer in Vita House. He led a good Christian life. "He was that kind of man. He had a deep, deep faith and I think that's what made him what he was. "Jimmy had time for everything. There's a time to live and a time to die but there's never a time to hate. There was not time to hate in Jimmy's timetable. There was time for everything else. There was time for all the other usual things, a time to help people, a time to make peace. All of those things were in his timetable. "I can remember when I was a kid, there was some row between Ballymurray and Knockcroghery over two teams. It was ruining the whole football life of the parish. The breach was broken and they won several county finals after that. He had a generous spirit." Canon Murray added that the Lord showed the way and Jimmy knew that way. "He tried to look for the truth and for what was genuine and sincere. And he lived that life right to the end and he was never afraid." Given Jimmy's big profile, Canon Murray explained that even back in his college days he was generally known as 'Jimmy Murray's brother', something he said became a bit annoying. He was just himself, always Jimmy's brother, he explained with a smile. Bishop of Elphin, Christopher Jones, offered his sympathy to the family during the Mass. "To his extended family, the greater the love the greater the sorrow. Jimmy was loved, not only by his own family, but throughout the family." The Bishop said that Jimmy Murray was "a man of great faith" recalling the many times he travelled to Lourdes. "He was a man of faith and prayer; great devotions to Mary and also a man of fun who would entertain us with his beautiful songs and his beautiful singing voice." Bishop Jones acknowledged that Jimmy was a great family man and was "a ;legend in his own lifetime." Jimmy Murray is survived by his sons John, Michael and Jimmy; daughters Mary (Dwyer) and Susan, sisters Sue Casey (Castlebar) and Maura (Dublin); brothers Canon Paddy (Athlone) and Ollie (Neagh); grandchildren Eoghan, Claire, Ciara, James, Hugh, Ann Marie, Seamus and Michael; daughters in law, son in law, brothers in law, sisters in law, nephews, nieces and friends. Pride in the 'little village' The pride Jimmy Murray had in his "little village" of Knockcroghery was highlighted by Canon Peadar Lavin, PP, and St Dominic's chairman at the All-Ireland winning senior captain's removal. Hundreds of mourners, including surviving members from Roscommon's golden era in the 1940s, paid their respect to the late Mr Murray and sympathised with his family before remains were removed to St Patrick's Church, Knockcroghery. Chief celebrant was Mr Murray's brother, Canon Paddy Murray, who is based in Athlone. St Dominic's GAA Club formed a Guard of Honour for their club president and hero. Club members also brought floral tributes to the altar. Canon Lavin paid tribute to Knockcroghery's most famous parishioner by recalling the simple lifestyle that Murray and his Roscommon colleagues had back in the days when they made GAA history in winning the county's only two senior All-Ireland titles. "Jamsie's wish was that no one would get hurt. He understood the struggle of his neighbours and empathised with them. His generosity was everywhere." The respect that the late Paddy Bawn felt for Jimmy Murray was also highlighted by Canon Lavin. Stories of his reaction to roscommon; All-Ireland defeat against Kerry in 1946 were shared at Brosnan's funeral. "He was a gentleman in 1946. That quality had lasted and left an impression on so many people. "Yet the locals were as important to him as the greatest players. The pride he had in the little village inspired many people," continued Canon Lavin. A story told to Canon Lavin an insight into Murray's ability to inspire his colleagues. "Roscommon were no one when they played Galway in Tuam back in 1943. But Jamsie said that we were going to win even if he had to be carried off on a stretcher." Another story was relived about a game in Knockcroghery when Murray brought oranges in to the home team's dressing room at half time. St Dominic's hadn't played well and he duly asked the players had they any backbone for the challenge of the second half? However, true to his generous nature, he kept half the oranges for the opposing team. "Do you remember the fire lit at the crossroads in Knockcroghery?" Canon Lavin asked. "That fire was lit by Jamsie for all walks of life in the village," he stated. "Have you ever seen a hand shading a candle from a draft? Well Jamsie was life that with his family. His house was full of welcome and friendship. It was the house of The West's Awake. That house was Jamsie himself," he concluded. Great company, great man There's a sign on the front window of Murray's pub advertising a music session that was scheduled to take place. It reads: "come along, you'll be in good company". When Jamsie Murray spoke or sang, one was in great company. Time seemed to freeze as one became immersed in the world of a double All-Ireland winning senior captain. And what a world it was. Full of simplicity and fulfilment. Knockcroghery is stunned again. For the third time in as many weeks. Walking through Jamsie's pub, the famous ball from the All-Ireland success in 1943 was suspended - almost motionless. Its master was gone. The man who made it famous, the player who could do wonderful things with it on a football field, the gentle man who adored his family and everything about his native village. There have been many great things said about Jamsie since his death. His loyalty to Roscommon had been well documented. However, his unwavering commitment to inspire so many players and members of his native club, St Dominic's, was more important. A few years ago, when St Dominic's were having difficulty finding a manager, Jamsie wrote to every player in the club asking them to attend the next training session. He talked to them, probably even trained them and filled the player's veins with inspiration in the process. Jamsie was die to celebrate his 90th birthday in May 2007. How ironic that he was born at a time when Ireland was experiencing unprecedented change because Jamsie revolutionised the image of Roscommon football on the playing fields. He was the childhood hero hero for many great players that followed. The baton he carried with such pride and distinction moulded a template from which Roscommon's good name in GAA circles had been maintained over the years. Never was it more evident than in the performance of the minors in 2006. They were never going to pass Murray's in Knockcroghery without calling in to see Jamsie Murray on the night of September 23rd, 2006. So farewell Jamsie. There is an onus on everyone in Roscommon GAA circles to promote the values you've held so close to your heart. Roscommon will soldier on with your memory very much to the forefront in everything that it does. Continued, please see Murray, Jimmy contd Tweet

Most Read Stories