In 1959 Kerry defeated Galway in the All Ireland senior football final and the local Kerryman newspaper published a full-page black and white photograph of the team to commemorate that historic victory.

A next-door neighbour, living in Abbeyfeale Hill, carefully cut out and framed the picture and hung it in a position of prominence over the open fire. There it remained for many years, gathering soot and dust, and gaining iconic status as the legends and the myths surrounding that famous panel of footballers grew and multiplied.

The woman of the house would shake holy water around the kitchen at the end of the family rosary each night. She made sure that Mick O’Connell, Dan McAuliffe, Johnny Culloty, Sean Og Sheehy, Tim Lyons, Dave Geaney, etc, each received a liberal sprinkling of the blessed liquid

Football back then was like a second religion in Kerry.

As children, we gazed in awe at that smoke-stained photo and dreamed of one day representing our own county in Croke Park. However, as we were born in Limerick, this seemed a very remote and unlikely possibility.

Three years after the photo was placed above the fireplace, we finally got to see some of our heroes in the flesh for the first time.

In 1962 Kerry played Cork in a challenge match in Abbeyfeale. That Easter Sunday was a day none of us would ever forget. It was as if the players had suddenly stepped out of the picture frame and taken on human form.

The game was refereed by our own Moss Colbert, and the match officials were drawn from the local Fr Casey’s club.

Mick O’Connell trotted onto the pitch looking bronzed and fit, and received a rousing reception. Kerry defended the town goal in the first half and played into the teeth of a howling gale. They trailed by 2-6 to 1-0 at the break.

However, following the restart, the game changed dramatically. Sports writer, Eamon Horan, takes up the story;

Kerry eventually won the game by 3-6 to 2-7 and we raced out onto the pitch to salute our warriors and queue for autographs. O’Connell attracted by far the largest crowd. He appeared aloof and withdrawn but, like all true heroes, he refused nobody.

Kerry went on to beat Dublin 2-12 to 0-10 in the All Ireland semi-final later that year. It was the first championship match televised live by RTE. They also beat Roscommon in the final.

Three years later, in 1965, our allegiance to The Kingdom was severely tested and found wanting when Limerick defied the odds and qualified to meet Kerry in the Munster Final in Pairc na nGael.

We travelled to the Gaelic Grounds that day and applauded Kerry onto the pitch, but our hearts weren’t really in it. However, when the green and white of Limerick emerged we stood and cheered them to the echo. Like St Paul on the Road to Damascus, we had experienced a sudden and miraculous conversion! Some of us have managed to keep the faith ever since.

Helped by a goal from Mick Tynan (whose mother hailed from Kilconlea) Limerick led by 2-5 to 0-6 at half time. The Kerry crowd were stunned. The Limerick crowd were even more stunned.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man. It was an ironic twist of faith that saw our former hero, the mighty Mick O’Connell, step up to the plate and save the day for Kerry. Switched to centre-field, Micko gave a superb second half performance during which he contributed 5 points while leading Kerry to a famous victory.

It would appear that the holy water applied to his picture by the woman of the house in Abbeyfeale Hill may have worked after all!

Next Sunday we will watch with a mixture of admiration and envy as our neighbours from across the river face Dublin in the 2011 All Ireland football final. It is said that West Limerick owes much of its great footballing tradition to living next door to The Kingdom. Others will argue that it is Kerry who have derived the greater benefit from its proximity to Abbeyfeale! The truth is probably somewhere in between.

We wish Kerry the best of luck and hope that they will perform their usual lap of honour through the town with “Sam” on Sunday night, as they have done on 36 previous occasions. Main Street is draped with green and gold banners. The sandwiches are made and there is plenty of fresh porter on tap.

And up in Abbeyfeale Hill, the woman of the house is getting a little older and a little frailer these days. But she still recites the family rosary each night and continues to shake the drop of holy water. However, it is The Gooch, Donaghy, Paul Galvin, Darren O’Sullivan, etc who are now receiving the baptism of fire.

“If it worked for Mick O’Connell and his men all those years ago,” she claims, “it will surely work for the present lot next Sunday!”

And who would dare argue with that?

*Kerry are 8/11 to win on Sunday. Dublin are 6/4. The draw is priced at 8/1.

LISTOWEL RACES

The Listowel Race Meeting started on Sunday and continues all week. High winds and heavy rains have failed to put off the punters, and according to stories eminating from the bars and shebeens around Abbeyfeale, huge fortunes are being made and lost. Let us hope that the ECB do not get to hear about this or the Troika could be visiting Abbeyfeale looking for their pound of flesh!

ABBEYFEALE AND DISTRICT ASSOCIATION LONDON

The annual reunion takes place at the Chiswick Catholic Centre, 2 Dukes Ave, Chiswick, London on Saturday, October 15^th. Music will be by the Eugene Doonan Band and all proceeds of the night will be donated to charity. Everyone welcome

ABBEYFEALE BRIDGE CLUB

The club has resumed activities each Thursday night at the Railway Bar at 8pm sharp. New members welcome. Contact Sec; Mary O’Sullivan on 068 31119 for further information.
GAA
West Junior A Semi-Final; Fr. Casey’s Vs Glin – Saturday September 17th in Athea at 5.00pm. County Minor Championship; Fr. Casey’s 1-12 St. Patricks 0-03. The minor footballers have now qualified for the county semi-finals.

RUGBY WORLD CUP

Ireland’s Rugby World Cup campaign got off to a poor start in New Plymouth last Sunday morning. Declan Kidney’s men beat the USA 22-10. Tommy Bowe scored two tries and Rory Best added another but it was a disappointing performance by Ireland.

They dominated in the scrum and the lineout but failed to translate good possession in to scores. The less said about this match here, the better. They face Australia in Auckland next Saturday (9.30 am Irish time) and will need to do a whole lot better. At least there will be no complacency within the squad following this opening debacle. Expect team changes and a big improvement from Ireland on Saturday.

And we have received the following from Lesley Ann Daly, formerly of Abbeyfeale and now resident in Christchurch.

“Hey all you Abbeyfeale and Ireland supporters. If any of you are passing through Christchurch NZ during the world cup drop in for tea or maybe something stronger and if your lucky the odd aftershock.” lesley_ann_daly@yahoo.ie

Be sure to call to Lesley Ann if you are in Christchurch – and tell her we sent you!

SOCCER

The Republic of Ireland were thrown a Euro 2012 lifeline following Armenia’s 3-0 win over Slovakia last week. With just two rounds of the qualifiers remaining, Russia top the group with 17 points followed by Ireland on 16 points. Armenia and Slovakia are both on 14 points. If Ireland win their last two games they are guaranteed at least a play-off spot, and if Russia fail to beat Slovakia away, Ireland could top the group!

Next up is an away game against Andorra on the 7^th October, followed by the vital home game against Armenia in the Aviva Stadium on the 11^th October.

Like Napolean’s generals, Trapattoni may be a good leader – but he is also a lucky one!

Results; Abbeyfeale Utd A 0, Bunratty Utd 1. Abbeyfeale Utd Ladies 4, Ballingarry 1.

Fixtures; Saturday 17th September. Abbeyfeale Utd U/19s V Ferry R’gers (H) 2.30

Sunday 18th Septembe.r Abbeyfeale Utd A V Askeaton (H) 10.30. Abbeyfeale Utd B V Knockaderry (A) 1.00.

SONG FOR DEV.       (from Tales Out Of School)    The new community college, Coláiste Íde agus Iósaef, opened in Abbeyfeale this week. However, fond memories still remain of the four post-primary schools that it replaces; St Ita’s College, St Joseph’s Secondary School, The Vocational School and Miss Woulfe’s. In 1963 Mainistir na [...]

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We have received numerous messages and greetings from all parts of the world during the Christmas period and we thank you for your comments and your good wishes. Many people returned to Abbeyfeale to spend the festive season with family and friends and were made very welcome. Timmy and Teresa Dee arrived in from New [...]

Abbeyfeale was busy over the August Bank Holiday weekend with heavy traffic passing through on its way to Killarney, Dingle, the Ring of Kerry and all points south. We are now in the height of the busy tourist season and visitors seem to have increased slightly from last year, with a fair sprinkling of foreign-registered [...]