Wonderful memories of growing up in close-knit Killeigh
PROFILE: BRIAN DALY
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. Brian Daly is the latest to be featured:
"I was born in the 1970s. My father is Paudge Daly, originally from Coolraine on the Clara Road, Tullamore, and my mother is Sheila O'Brien from Fenter, Killeigh, born and reared just across from the graveyard. There are six lads; Ollie the oldest, then Aidan, myself, Joseph, Gerard and Damian. All boys, no girls, what a handy life my mother had! We are all living locally and never had a reason to leave.
My father came from a big musical background and his sisters were masters at playing the accordion. The musical talent completely missed all of us for some reason. My grandfather, Joe O'Brien, used to dig all the graves in Killeigh, and worked all his life for Frank McDonnell on the farm, and now Aidan continues it.
School days began in the old school, where the GAA grounds are now, and we moved to the new school in 1988 when I was in third class. I remember the old school, the lunchroom with big long benches, and Ms McElduff the teacher everyone loved.
When we moved into this brand new school we thought it was brilliant. Tom Flynn, a man from Ballyfin, was the principal at the time. I then went to Tullamore College briefly. I only did a couple of years there, as one day I was in the village and I met Pat Hinch and asked him was there "any chance of an 'ol job?" He came up to the house the next day and said, "as long as you can wear a pair of boots, you can have a job with me."
The following week, I packed in school and started my job with Pat in 1994, and stayed there until he retired in 2007. I then moved on to Tullamore Pipe & Drainage Cleaning, and am there ever since.
Growing up, I best mention how we made a few pounds: Jim Plunkett's farm on wet mornings picking spuds, or John Howell's up in Killurn, and a good few of us also picked daffodils for Stewart Wallace down in Annaharvey and out on the Clara Road. Most evenings and weekends, if we weren't picking potatoes, we were picking daffodils. That was a big part of my introduction to work and also gave us a few bob.
I played a bit of GAA but because I had bad asthma, I couldn't train much or play a full match. GAA was a big part of Killeigh and I just wanted to be part of it, but my breathing wasn't the best. One of the unusual hobbies I had growing up was making and flying model airplanes and that still is a hobby of mine today.
We used to cycle to Tullamore on a night out, leave our bicycles where Heffernan's shop is now, and head down town for a while. Many a time you'd come back and the bike would be gone, some other lad from Killeigh would take it to get home and you might end up walking but you'd always get the bike back the next day, no harm done. Camping also was a great part of our life, growing up going into the fields and having mighty craic, or cycling up the mountains.
Another memory is when my Granny died. Back then not everyone had a house phone, so our relations contacted Joe Plunkett at the post office and I remember so well Joe coming up and knocking at the door. That's how a lot of people got news back then, ring the post office and Joe would deliver the news.
Jimmy Moran also used to deliver the post in Killeigh, on a Honda 50, with a box on the back for all the letters. When he stopped, he'd put the bike up on the stand but the back wheel would still be spinning. As a child I was fascinated by this and I guess that was the start of my love for motorbikes. I have had an interest in vintage and modern motorbikes and over the years have gathered a little collection, maybe spending more time and money than I should on them but it's a great passion of mine.
The phonebox in Killeigh was also very important before mobile phones came. I remember one time something happened to the phone and word got around that it was letting people make calls for free. Us young lads were sitting on the Green and then a queue of people formed, all waiting to use this phone. I can still picture it today - I think some of them rang America and even as far as Australia!
I met Claire in 2003 and was renting a house in Tullamore for a short time when I met Liam Gleeson and he told me he was going to sell his house in Hillview Crescent. We bought the house and are here ever since. We have 3 children, Lorna, Kevin and Aoife, the youngest, who is the boss of course!
This estate is great, lovely people and everyone watches out for one another. It's kept by the residents and the council used to cut the grass but now we look after it ourselves.
I want to congratulate Killeigh Soccer Club on their development - so many kids are involved now, including my own. One man that must be mentioned and is Frank Mc Evoy; not only his involvement with the soccer club but also as a neighbour and friend. Frank was the first person every child met when they started in the club and overall he was just a lovely person. He is solely missed.
My involvement in the village over the years would be getting the defibrillator into Killeigh. Having been made aware some years ago of the importance of one in Tullamore, where a life was saved, myself and a small group got together and organised a vintage run fundraiser. The proceeds raised enough money to buy two defibrillators - one is located at the playschool wall in Killeigh village and the other one is mobile one held by Cora Brady. Hopefully they may save a life if required.
Another achievement was in 2019 myself and Claire decided to go into the Harriers. With the help of another local, Pauline Curley, we started off walking and in no time she had us jogging, then lead me on to a 5km. Then in the same year, I did a 10km and a 15km and finished off with running the Tullamore Half Marathon. I couldn't believe that it was possible for me, as my asthma has always held me back, so if I can do it anyone can.
I am so looking forward to the development of the new community centre as I know what it will do for the youth in particular, and if they have half of the memories I had growing up, well, it will be brilliant for them. It will bring the whole community together again and the village has been missing that for some time."
* Killeigh Community Centre Development Association needs your support! If you would like to be in with a chance of winning a fantastic new three-bedroom house in Enfield valued at €355,000, or €300,000 cash, visit: www.winahouseinmeath.com