Memories of school days, GAA, and the Macra hall

As part of its efforts to highlight the need for a new community centre on the site of the old Macra Hall in Killeigh, the development committee has been putting together profiles of local people. SEAN KINNARNEY is the latest to be featured.

I was born in Killurin in 1959. My father was Andrew Kinnarney and my mother was Kathleen Kearney from Tully, Rahan. There were seven of us in family; myself and my twin sister Dolores, Pat Joe, Kathleen, Phylis, Pauline and Andrew.

Myself, Dolores and Andrew attended our first four school years in Killurin school until it had to close in 1966 due to the dwindling number of pupils.

"Eggs and rashers for the Killurin dashers / Hay and oats for the Derryadd goats / Chopped up furs for the Gurteen curs." This is how the chant went in Killurin school in the late 50s and early 60s as kids ran out from Killurin school.

Bikes were hidden at the back of Maudy Kelly's thatched house. There was the great camaraderie of football and hurling at lunchtime, or swinging on the trees near the drain. We had infants, first, second and third with Miss Dunne. Mr Bracken took the rest.

I remember helping Miss Dunne to light the fire in the fireplace in the classroom by rolling up balls of old paper. We ate our lunch very quickly as we didn't want to waste our precious playtime, which was usually hurling with the hurleys we got from a barrel in the turf shed at the back of the school.

We then attended Killeigh NS. Bedding in was hard but it all worked out in the end with Mr Higgins and his team of teachers. A new prefab was put in place but there was no hurling for the third class boys who had to wait back with the girls knitting and sewing. One day ructions broke out in the new prefab as it was destroyed by disaffected boys in a muck-throwing contest with the girls.

September was a great month as my friend and I were asked to go down to the brook to get water to make the ink. A nice day in the sun followed and before we had to head back we tested the apples in an orchard.

We always had a concert at Christmas and my claim to fame was rising a fork with a straw while the song 'There’s a hole in the bucket' was sung. My role improved with time as the bigger children moved on.

I continued my education in Tullamore CBS and the National University of Ireland in Maynooth. In Maynooth I qualified as a teacher and came back to teach for a while in Offaly, eager to catch up on friends who were out in the world.

On securing a teaching post after graduating I went back hurling with the Killeigh juniors and scored four points on my first outing. "He might make a senior," was the word but this didn't last long, I was called in for Intermediate football and did a year at it but then got injured, and that was that. The hurling training consisted of tough internal matches.

Killurin went out on their own in 1985. The eggs and rashers worked well, as our hurling teams dashed all before them, winning Junior B and Junior A championships, two leagues in Offaly and two Leinsters. They even reached European glory in a golden era. As numbers faded Clodiagh Gaels were formed, a follow on from Na Fianna at underage.

My goal on returning from college was to restore Killeigh Macra to prominence among the elite branches in Ireland. In the early years, Killeigh Macra Hall was the social place to be, it was thriving with dances, bingo, and cards at the back of hall.

I met and married Elizabeth Bergin from Kinnitty in 1990. We have four in the family: Sean Catherine, Eilish and Claire.

It was with a tint of sadness that people in the Midlands and further afield heard of the passing of the broadcaster Donncha Ó Dúlaing in the last couple of weeks, just a week after his wife Vera passed away. RIP.

I remember the time when I got involved with Macra na Feirme in Killeigh as chairman. It’s 40 years since Donncha and his crew lit up and entertained in the Killeigh Macra Hall as myself and my committee invited him to present his roadshow series 'Highways and Byways' on New Years' Eve in 1981.

It was later broadcast on RTE Radio One and was one of the last major full-house shows in the hall which was held in aid of the Irish Wheelchair Association. His show brought together a number of local variety acts, storytellers, singers and dancers.

There was great excitement and activity around Killeigh and Killurin and the surrounding area as personalities were head-hunted to be interviewed. Local stars that played on the night included the great Nicky Rackard and the Long Ridge Céilí Band along with dancers who performed reels and jigs.

The committee consisted of Catherine Kidney, Bernadette O'Grady, Eamon Walshe, Sean Bracken, T Russell, James Kelly and Secretary Martina Dunne along with many locals who were busy preparing for the show.

Local playwrights young and old were busy; Christy Murrary RIP, Mick Murray RIP, PJ McDonald and the Kellys. Willie Coonan organised the painting of the hall along with many other volunteers who worked to have the heating and decorations put in place.

As the night approached the tickets were much sought after: 'Sold Out - Full House'. Four hundred people filed in on the night into the resplendent hall, photographs were taken, interviews were given, and there were refreshments for the audience and cast.

The year 1981 was taken out at midnight by a sixth class student, and 1982 was seen in by a junior infant student both from the national school. Both children held decorated signs with the years 1981 and 1982.

Later that year, Killeigh Macra won the county quiz and light entertainment competition, qualifying for the Leinster finals.

In later years, the community was treated to the Macra na Feirme Superstars in Killeigh. Men and women participated in numerous events, athletics, chin ups, penalty taking, tug of war and tractor balancing. Gerry Walsh, Killeigh, was the overall winner with the Killeigh club winning the club events. Later in the evening presentations were presented in the hall followed by a dance - this drew another large crowd through the doors.

In those times it was difficult to find a Sunday for field days, as Offaly were kingpins in hurling and football. Killeigh were also proving to be top dogs in hurling.

Reminiscing on the past endeavours of young local people from the parish in various organisations, and the many friends that were made, it would be lovely to leave behind us a hall in which the community could develop and build on their dreams.

It's great to see the hard-working Community Development Committee putting in place a way forward for the building of the proposed Killeigh Community Centre. With these plans in place, Killeigh is evolving into a place to be and will continue to fulfil its role in a bright future.