Weeshie's Week

Dr. Eamonn's story has found a new home in Croke Park

July 12th, 2011
by Weeshie Fogarty

Four years ago my book on the life of Dr Eamon O Sullivan the legendary Kerry trainer/psychiatrist was published and was very well received as a historical record of his amazing life's work in so many areas. The idea of the publication came about initially when one of his four son's Tony whome I had befriended very kindly offered to hand over to me a historical previously unseen document his late father had completed in 1965 shortly before his death. Entitled "Self-Outline of Biographical Details" it comprises of twenty three foolscap pages. It was typed with blue ink on an old fashioned hand button type writer. Tony told me he had vivid memories of his father sitting by the fire in his rooms in St Finans Hospital during long winter evening with sheets of paper on his lap writing his notes in pencil with rubber at the ready to correct any mistakes.  He would later transfer these notes via his little typewriter to printed form and this eventually resulted in the finished document.

Sadly Tony has since died but when he gave me his father's  written work I promised him that it would be well guarded and a permanent home would eventually be found for it.  He was happy with this. Every word of the document was include in a special chapter in the publication "Dr Eamonn o Sullivan A Man Before His Time" printed by Wolfhound press.  And now another chapter of the story has been completed as two weeks ago Eamonn's Biographical Account so meticulously and beautifully written has now found a permanent and richly deserved home in the GAA museum in Croke Park. And how it got there is another story in itself.

I have been fortunate to have spent many memorable days in Croke Park as a player, referee, broadcaster and trainer of St Finans Hospital Connelly Cup winning teams and of course as a spectator. However a recent afternoon spend there with over eighty good Kerrymen and true (and two ladies) was as memorable as any of my previous visits. And it all resulted from an invitation to join the squad as a guest of a new wonderful arm of the association, The GAA Social Initiative responsible for this visit to Croke Park and its magnificent museum.

This outstanding scheme arose as a result of President Mary McAleese and her husband, Martin, noticing an absence of older men in attendance at official functions during their many visits to local communities over the years. She came to the conclusion that many men, because of the changing patterns of life, were falling through cracks in the system and either risking or already experiencing isolation and loneliness. For instance, there are approx 200,000 men over 65 in the country, of which as many as one third are living alone. The President referred to those "who have lost the threads of regular and meaningful social contact and who would welcome the chance to revive their social lives again in ways they would enjoy". Arising from her concern, the President established a Forum in 2007 consisting of selected older men – leading academics, health and social care professionals, service providers and local and national representatives - to explore the problem.

Subsequently, the President invited the GAA to implement some of these ideas arising from the Forum resulting in the scheme launched in 2009. The Initiative began with four county-based projects in Mayo, Fermanagh, Kerry and Wexford. These projects co-ordinated, respectively, by Dr Mick Loftus, Tom Boyle, John Pierse, former CEO of The South Kerry Development Partnership, and Tony Dempsey provided vital experience and information to develop the concept and, arising from the lessons learned in that first phase, the final form of the Initiative has been agreed. It was later re-launched as a club-based, island-wide project, utilizing the GAA club network as a vehicle to achieve the greatest reach into all our communities. The President's commitment is clearly illustrated by her willingness to serve as Patron to the Initiative. In addition, Dr Martin McAleese will serve as a Director of the Trust established to implement the Initiative.

And so at the invitation of Kevin Griffin and Joe McCrohan exemplary workers in The South Kerry Development Partnership I made the journey with a great GAA activist John Kelly of the Spa club. We were joined by Michael o Muircheartaigh who copper fastened a superb occasion. Lunch in Croker, a guided tour of the stadium and a visit to the museum. Nearly all of these exemplary Kerrymen included in the party had during their lives attended big games in the stadium stretching right back to the early forties and to see the joy and happiness on their faces as they walked around the hallowed sod was for me a little emotional in many ways. The debates, discussions and at times arguments re Kerry football and their massive debt of knowledge would as the fellow said "put you to shame". It was fascinating listening to the real grass roots of Kerry and of the GAA in this county.

And it was there in the museum in the company of Micheal O Muircheartaigh I handed over the o Sullivan historic document to the curator. They were delighted and grateful to have this historic account of the great mans life. Extracts from it will shortly be available on their web site and students and historians seeking information in relation to Eamonn's remarkable life in which he achieved so much will eventually have access to its full contents. It's a pity more clubs in the county will not come aboard and make this Social Initiative available to their older members. Think seriously about this and contact Kevin or Joe and the South Kerry Development Partnership.

It was one of the most memorable days I have ever spent in Croke Park and to cap it all I had the great privilege of interviewing Donal Keating whose uncle was Con Keating after whome the St Mary's pitch in Caherceiveen is named. That of course is a historic story in itself but having Donal there was for me a powerful poignant link between the men of 1919, Kerry football and Croke Park. So you asked "What's the  Secret of Kerry"?



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