ANTHONY

 They Came In Their Droves To Say Goodbye
For Anthony Curtin, He Had To Fly,
His Time Had Come, It Was The End
And A Lot Of People Had Lost A Friend

 A Man Who’d Fight For Those In Strife,
In Politics Or Ordinary Life.
He Helped So Many And Gave His Time
When All Seemed Lost, He Was At His Prime

 Just Think Of All The Things He’s Done,
Organisations That He’s Run.
So Involved In Many Ways.
For All Those, The Funds He Raised.

 A Farmer, Leader, At Times The Boss
And Yes Sometimes He Could Get Cross
But Always Cause He’d Want Things Right,
For The Under-Dog, He’d Always Fight!

Republican From Head To Toe
And Not Afraid To Tell You So.
Trade Unionism Through His Veins
And How He Loved His Football Games.

 Clounmacon Were His Heart And Soul
He Proudly Cheered Their Points And Goals
They Started Out With Grass And A Ditch
But He Helped Them Build, What Is Their Pitch.

 In Listowel Town He Was Their Mayor
Where One And All Were In His Care.
He’d Always Chat To Those He’d Meet
Be It In The Creamery, Bog Or Street.

 He’d Give Advice, He’d Help You Out
And Yes He Had A Bit Of Clout
A Mighty Fella To Make A Plan,
But Above All Else, Was A Family Man

 Unselfish, Unwavering To His End
On His Way, We’ll Send Our Friend
So Long For Now, Anthony
Happy In Heaven, May You Always Be.

John Walsh 6/04/2013

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It is indeed with a very sad and heavy heart that I pen this tribute to John O’Halloran who passed away in the early hours of December 8^th after a short illness. John, originally from Church St, Listowel played his underage football with Listowel Emmets and later joined local club Gale Rangers and at midfield helped them to win two junior ‘b’ championships in 1994 and 1995.

John transferred to Clounmacon in 1998 and played is first game for his new club on the 20^th April that year against Beale in the North Kerry League.  Clounmacon entered the Knocknagoshel tournament that summer though there were very strong teams in opposition, they emerged as the eventual winners.  John scooped the player of the tournament that summer of 1998.  Also in 1998 he went on to steer Clounmacon to back to back junior championship titles and he cleaned out all midfield opposition on their way to victory.  At this stage of his football career, it was plain and simple to the Clounmacon players and management – it was vital to have John in the dressing room for all games.  When he was ‘on song’ you knew you had a chance of winning.

In 1999, Clounmacon reached the league final having beaten a fancied Beale team in the semi final in Moyvane.  Anyone there on that sunny afternoon could tell you the master class display that O’Halloran gave, fetching the size 5 from the blue sky’s above. 

Duagh were in opposition in the final but disaster struck for Moloney’s boys when O’Halloran sustained a nasty shoulder injury after only ten minutes.  It was game over for John and Duagh were victors on this occasion.

But, as they say, the wheel is always turning and the same two teams met in the Championship Final that year in Ballybunion and Clounmacon wrote themselves into the history books after a titanic battle and claimed their own 3-in-a-row.  John came on as a sub that day and so got his reward for his years exploits

In 2002 John playing at midfield with Brian Carty helped the black and amber with their first North Kerry League Title since the 60s against St. Senans; 0-8 to 1-3.  Later that year John again “ar lar na pairc” with Aidan Carey scored a goal that proved to be the winner against Ballyheigue in the Urban League Semi Final getting there in the end 2-9 to 2-6.  Because of the terrible winter, the urban league final against a strong Tarbert team was played by the banks of the Shannon in Glin, Co. Limerick.  It was the 9^th of November and just a few weeks after the untimely death of one of our former players Brendan O’Carroll.  Emotions were high but Clounmacon persevered and a goal fitting to win any final was scored yet again by John O’Halloran that drove them on to win a tight game; 1-7 to 1-5.  It was Clounmacons first ever County title and Johnny Hogan’s boys celebrated in style.

From 2003 onwards John didn’t play a lot of football but always kept himself in shape.  He was a member of the 2005 panel that won the North Kerry Intermediate Final against Asdee, and he won a North Kerry Novice Championship medal in 2009.  He was often seen doing laps at Pairc Na Gaeil on his own on many evenings after work up to 2010.  He climbed Mount Brandon on several occasions and had a great love of the Dingle area.  He did the Ring of Kerry cycle in 2010 and 2011.  When asked to describe John as a footballer, both John Moloney and Johnny Horgan his coaches during his peak years would say; he had a fierce swing for a ball; he was undoubtedly senior standard; he was a superb athlete; a very clean player and a fitness fanatic. 

Socially John was quiet but great fun also.  He enjoyed many trips away with Clounmacon and travelled frequently to Anfield with the Liverpool Supporters in Listowel. 

Work was important to him and his family even more-so.  It was in July of this year just a few short months ago that John was diagnosed with leukaemia.  It was only a few days after doing the 112 mile Ring of Kerry Cycle with is close friend John O’Carroll.  It was a total shock but John saw it as a challenge and met it the same as he would any challenge, head on.  He was a very positive and extremely brave all through his illness and treatment and right to the end.  I was proud to have known him and to be able to call him a great friend and to have been on the same field as him was an honour.

John generated massive respect and that was acknowledged by the huge amount of people that turned out to pay their respects at his removal and burial.  Sincere sympathy to his wife Nora, daughters, Riona and Aisling, Mother Mary, Father Paddy, his sisters Leann, Josephine, Maura, and Louise and his extended family.

 Be sure in the knowledge that Heaven is in safe hands now; may you rest in peace John

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The untimely death of Brendan O Carroll on the Saturday of the races both saddened & shocked the entire North Kerry community. Brendan had a very long football career and in fact came out of retirement in the summer of 2002 to help out his beloved Clounmacon in a County league fixture.

During his footballing days he played with three different clubs and played in every position, but it was between the sticks where he was best known for and excelled the most.
Born and reared in Tullamore, he started at under age level with Ballydonoghue, playing in all grades up to minor.

While working in Listowel, Brendan joined Emmets and played with them at both senior and junior level for a number of years, it was here that he won a County league medal in 1985 playing in goals. He also played in both North Kerry league and Championship finals that year but unfortunately Emmets were defeated on both occasions.

After some coaxing by his brothers Brendan joined Clounmacon in 1991. He was the fourth member of his family to play with the club, with Brendan playing in the middle of the field that year, he guided his new team to the Junior Championship Final but were defeated by Ballydonoghue. Clounmacon went through a lean period after this but with John Moloney at the helm, they found themselves in the North Kerry Junior Championship final of 1997, with Brendan between the posts where he had a superb game. Clounmacon won for the first time in over 30 years and the club again won the Championship in 1998 and 1999,for those years Brendan was a very reliable and inspirational no 1.

Brendan retired in 2000, but always made himself available to the Club if ever needed. When Clounmacon stepped up a gear and won the North Kerry league in June 2002, Brendan could be seen on the sideline with his son Stephen, giving encouragement and instructions to all the players.

A few weeks after Brendan’s untimely death Clounmacon played Tarbert in Glin Sportsfield in the final of the Urban League. This was a competition Clounmacon had not won before, in a highly charged dressing room before the match John Walsh stood up and declared" We are going to win this one for Brendan". Clounmacon won it in some style. When Captain Mike Sheehy accepted the cup from Chairman of the County Board Sean Walsh, in the presence of Brendan’s wife Betty and family, he held it up to the Sky, it was a poignant and proud moment for everyone.

As an individual Brendan had many strong points, on the field he was cool, level headed and a superb motivator. When socialising, a great man to sing a verse and he was a fine dancer, Brendan was very dependable and a tremendous family man.
The Clounmacon club organised a seven a side football tournament in 2005 in Clounmacon sportsfield in honour of the great service Brendan gave to the Club. It was a wonderful tournament in which Brendans family was very proud of.

Brendan is a great loss to all his GAA friends in Clounmacon and North Kerry but nothing compared to the loss he is to his wife Betty and his children, Christine, Stephen, April, Danielle and David, his mother Margaret, his brothers, sisters, relatives and many great friends.
The no 1 jersey was one he frequently wore. He was certainly a number one guy. Our loss is Heavens gain.