The second article in Volume 3 looked at the men who nursed and fostered these games through the troubled and turbulent years 1916 – 1922 and its aftermath.
Through the efforts of these men, Gaelic games, especially football, claimed the hearts of the parish and had become, by the late 1920s, a vital part of its culture and social infrastructure. This third article continues in the same vein and deals with the years 1928 – 1936.
Mr. E. Rochford was elected President, Charley Fitzhenry Secretary and Paddy Quigley Treasurer. Messrs. James Codd, Phil Parle, Richard Cleary, James Bogan and Wat Murphy were elected onto the club committee.
The hurlers fared considerably better. In May, they had a facile 7-5 to 2-1 victory over Ballymitty and in August, they travelled to Lambstown to play in the district semi-final against Screen. While this game was described as a tame affair overall, it took a lively turn near the end when William Parle was sent off for striking. Taghmon got through to the district final on the score of 4-2 to 1-3.
The final, played at the end of October, turned out to be very disappointing. Played before a very small crowd, it was tame and fell far below the standard. Rosslare proved the superior side and ended good winners on the score of 6-1 to 1-1.
Senior Footballers: James Codd (Captain), Patrick Crowley, Patrick
Codd, William Parle, Philip Parle, James Bogan, Patrick Culleton,
James Boggan, James Kelly, Martin Cooper, James Pender, Charles
Fitzhenry, Peter O'Brien, Peter Deegan, Richard Cleary, Patrick
Redmond, Nicholas Cleary, Micheal Lynham, J. Colfer, James Breen,
Thomas Reilly, Patrick Reilly, John O'Brien, John Donovan, William
Cosgrave, Philip Doyle, James Kelly.
Junior Footballers: J. Doyle (Captain), J. Pender (Goal), J. Walsh, P.
Redmond, P. Donovan, R. Brereton, J. Doyle, P. Hogan, J. Donovan,
M. O'Leary, M. Crowley, J. Condon, P. Furlong, N. Brady, M.
Crowley.
Taghmon: C. Fitzhenry (Captain), W. Cosgrave (Goal), W. Parle, P.
Parle, J. Doyle, J. O'Brien, D. O'Brien, P. Redmond, P. O'Connor, P.
Codd, J. Codd, T. Donovan, M. Cooper, J. Boggan, A. Murphy.
The successive run of defeats must have disheartened the players because they failed to field for their next engagement against the Starlights at Barrett's Park, New Ross, thus failing to qualify for the knock out stages for the second successive year.
The hurlers were fixed to play Na Fianna at Murrintown in March. Bad weather, however, caused its abandonment and when they met again they drew 4-1. This was a surprise as it was expected that Taghmon would have an easy victory. Taghmon were short some of their best players when they clashed for the third time in August and the town team scraped through on the score of 1-4 to 1-2.
Tomcoole, meanwhile, fielded teams in 2nd junior football and hurling. It was reported that the footballers provided 'tame enough' opposition to the Volunteers at Ballyregan, Castlebridge in March, losing 3-3 to nil. The hurlers proved to be even tamer, losing to the same opposition on the score of 9-3 to 3-1.
Senior Football v. Gorey: James Codd (Captain), Patrick Codd (Goal),
John Fane, William Whelan, James Bogan, Martin Cooper, Fergus
Coughlan, Philip Parle, Willie Parle, Richard Cleary, Patrick
Redmond, Thomas Reel, Micheal Lynham, Charles Fitzhenry, James
Murphy.
Senior Football v. Gusserane: James Codd (Captain), Patrick Codd
(Goal), James Bogan, Martin Cooper, Fergus Coughlan, John Fare,
William Doyle, Philip Parle, Willie Parle, Richard Cleary, Patrick
Redmond, Thomas Reel, T. Reid, Charles Fitzhenry, James Murphy.
Junior Hurling v Na Fianna: C. Fitzhenry (Captain), R. Cleary
(Goal), P. Sheehan, J. Boggan, M. Cooper, P. Codd, L. Butler, J. Kelly,
P. Redmond, T. Codd, J. Doyle, P. Reilly, R. O'Connor, J. Donovan.
Junior Hurling v Na Fianna Replay: J.Codd, N. Cleary, R. Cleary, M.
Doyle, N. Furlong, P. Redmond, J. Byrne, W. Parle, P. Parle, R.
O'Connor, P. Reilly, M. Cooper, L. Butler, P. Sheehan, J. Boggan.
Junior Football v Rosslare: J. Doyle (Captain), H. Seery, J. Donovan,
P. O'Brien, A. Murphy, T. Codd, F. Coughlan, W. Waters, J. Walsh, M.
Brady, P. Furlong, M. O'Leary, L. Doyle, W. Fitzpatrick, R. Brereton
(Goal).
Tomcoole hurling v Volunteers: J. Codd, T. Doyle, J. Doyle, W. O'
Brien, J. O'Brien, D. O'Brien, M. Glynn, A. Cullen, D. O'Leary, W.
Hornick, P. Hornick, L. Walsh, E. Power, N. Clancy, M. Donovan.
These concerns and other matters were ventilated at a special meeting of the club in January. Mr. Phil Parle, chairman, in explaining the purpose of the meeting, pointed out that their teams had not met with the anticipated success in 1929. Through unavoidable failure to fulfil one fixture in senior football, they had been deprived of the bonus due to senior clubs and the fact that they had no worthwhile fixtures at home left them in a very critical financial position. He then drew the meeting's attention to certain statements in the press that had claimed that the Gaels of Taghmon were occupying their minds with soccer and boxing. He went on to explain that the boxing was organised to pass away the winter evenings and was above criticism. With regard to soccer, he said that he would like to state definitely that the Gaels of Taghmon had no tendency in that direction, and if they failed in their endeavours to play Gaelic football they would not resort to soccer as a pick-me-up. Mr. E. Rochford was in agreement with the Chairman's sentiments and added that if they decided to play soccer in Taghmon, it would not be to ventilate a grievance that they might have against the G.A.A.
The hurlers, meanwhile, had a very good 5-4 to 1-0 win over Cathal Brughas at Murrintown in late February. They were fixed to play Glynn at Lambstown in the district semi-final in May. Taghmon objected to this venue and the issue remained with the district committee for several weeks until it emerged that the other side of the draw had failed to produce a semi-finalist. The match against Glynn, now designated the district final, was eventually played at Wexford Park in mid October. The Taghmon boys were no match for Glynn who ran out comfortable winners on the score of 6-1 to 1-3.
Taghmon v Cathal Brughas: Charles Fitzhenry (Captain), William
Parle (Goal), Nicholas Cleary, Richard Cleary, John Byrne, Richard
O'Connor, Thomas Reel, Patrick Redmond, Patrick O'Reilly, Laurence
Butler, Philip Parle, James Codd, Martin Cooper, Patrick Codd, James
Boggan.
Taghmon v Rosslare: P. Crowley, H. Leary, L. Ennis, J. O'Connor, T.
Doyle, P. Donovan, J. Roche, J. Kelly, W. Martin, E. Kendrick, J.
Donovan, E. Murphy, A. Murphy, P. Furlong, J. Condon.
In June, at a meeting, the chairman put the blame for the delay in playing the games with the clubs, who couldn't agree on suitable dates, and upon the Co. Board who hadn't yet issued the necessary permit. In November, it was reported that still no game had been played. In March, 1932, 18 months after the idea was first mooted, the gold medals for the tournament were presented to the committee by representatives of the late Edward Brennan. When no game was played by the following June, a member of the committee suggested that they abandon the project altogether. Another member suggested that the medals be put forward for the upcoming Wexford v Kildare challenge. Some games were played in the tournament later on in the year and finally in April 1933, Mr. E. Rochford presided over the presentation of the medals to unknown winners.
Meanwhile the hurlers went down badly to Screen at Lambstown. Reports suggested that the 'over the water' men were far too skilful with the hurl and the raw recruits from Tomcoole were no match for them.
Tomcoole v Mayglass: W. Murphy (Captain), P. Crowley (Goal), T. Doyle, M. Crowley, W. Sidney, J. Kelly, E. Kendrick, W. Sinnott, A. Murphy, T. Cogley, M. Kelly, M. Donovan, J. Donovan, M. Doyle, M. Crowley.
In March, to the delight of locals, the newly formed club had a good win over St. Martin's in the first round of the Junior Football Championship on the score of 2-5 to 1-3. They then went on to meet the Harriers in the district semi-finals. This game was described as a slow motion affair and won easily by the Harriers on the score of 3-1 to 0-3. Reflecting the paucity of the players at this level, 'King' Pender, a veteran of the 1915-1916 championships was drafted in to mind the goal. His display won rave reviews in the papers and he maintained that he would never have let the Harriers score had he not become disorganised. He claimed that his knees were as black as pots and himself as stiff as a poker from his efforts. It was said that he 'kicked the game' from Carroll's petrol pumps to Ned Rochford's and back to the middle of the square again.
It was reported that Wat Murphy had failed to get the hurlers ready for their July clash with the Shelmaliers and had to give them a walkover.
St. Munn's v St. Martin's: W. Stafford, E. Stafford, P. Rochford, P.
Goff, P. Colfer, R. Lambert, R. Cleary, W. Grady, T. Sinnott, S. Sinnott,
P. Quirke, R. O'Connor, J. Maher, W. Connolly, L. Furlong.
St. Munn's v Harriers: J. Kelly, M. Lynam, W. Martin, M. Walsh, J.
Walsh, P. Furlong, J. Boggan, T. Doyle, J. Kinsella, L. O'Connor, A.
Murphy, M. Donovan, M. Kelly, P. Doyle, J. Pender (Goal).
Camross had a team in the 1927 parish league but were scratched after six rounds because they were so low on points. A team from the locality took part in the silver medal tournament of 1932 and in late September of that year, played an exciting 1-2 draw with Growtown. At a subsequent meeting of the organising committee, Micheal Crowley lodged an objection, claiming that his team had in fact scored 1-3. Two of the umpires agreed with him and the game was refixed. The replay also finished all square at 1-2 each. The issue was finally decided in late November, when Camross, handicapped by the absence of several injured players, succumbed to a 0-4 to 0-2 defeat.
Their display in these and in other games began to attract the attention of the sporting public in Camross and the spirit built up among the players whetted their appetite for more worthwhile games. Meanwhile, Fr. Kelly, the curate in Caroreigh at the time, was working behind the scene in an attempt to unite sectional differences in the parish and he encouraged local Gaels to seize upon this growing feel-good factor and form a club locally. The move towards the formation of a club and affiliation of teams was laid by Tommy Murphy, Paddy Grannell and Peter Fox during an impromptu meeting on the Bullaun in Camross, opposite Rochford's Public House, sometime between December '32 and February '33. The new club under the leadership of Tommy Murphy (Chairman), Jimmy Kelly (Captain and Secretary) and encouraged by the drive of near veteran, Andy Doyle, set about preparing for their championship debut.
In April, apparently dissatisfied with the prevailing status quo, T. Cogley, W. Kelly, T. Doyle, P. Doyle, and M. Donovan switched their allegiance to the newly formed club in Camross. Also in April, it was reported that efforts were being made by Jem Boggan to organise a football team in Trinity and that the young men there had taken up the game with enthusiasm. The outcome of these developments was that an Intermediate football team as well as Junior football and Second Junior football teams were entered in the Wexford district championships and Junior hurling and football teams entered in the New Ross district championship (Camross).
The St. Munn's junior teams contained many young players who were making their debut in competitive fare and both teams made their exit from the championship on the same day in late May. The junior team went down to the Volunteers in a slow and uninteresting game by 1-5 to 1-1 and the second juniors were no match for the more experienced Sarsfields and lost 1-6 to 0-3. The intermediate team also made a first round exit going down 2-7 to 2-4 to Murrintown in September after a dour struggle in which the football was of a dogged nature.
Junior Football v Volunteers : J. McCann, M. O'Connor, P. Hogan,
H. Hogan, J. Kelly, N. Hanlon, J. Kinsella, M. Lynam, D. Murray, M.
Leary, J. Condon, M. Walsh, J. Walsh, W. Walsh and J. Walsh.
Second Junior v Sarsfields: W. Stafford, N. Furlong, R. Cleary, T.
O'Grady, E. Stafford, L. Furlong, J. Culleton, J. O'Meara, R. Lambert,
P. Goff, W. O'Grady, W. Redmond, J. Moran, P. Walsh, N. Moran.
Intermediate v Murrintown: J. Byrne (Captain), E. Stafford, W.
Stafford, P. Parle, W. Parle, R. Cleary, W. O'Grady, D. Murray, J.
Dillon, M. Furlong, L. Furlong, L. McCann, P. Rochford, J. Maher, T.
Sinnott.
A week after the demise of the intermediate team, the Taghmon Notes correspondent referred to yet another special meeting of the club. This time Mr. J. Kelly presided over the proceedings. At the meeting a selection committee was appointed who then went on to select a team to play in the Kilmannon tournament. He also declared that football was more or less dormant in the locality.
Meanwhile in the New Ross district, Camross were showing their mettle. Aided by the Taghmon men, they gained a narrow 1-2 to 1-1 victory over Sean Finns in the junior football championship at Scullabogue in April. According to the Taghmon notes, the victory was hailed with delight all over the Camross area and Tommy Murphy was the recipient of warm congratulations.
They received a walkover from Fethard in the next round in July. In October, fielding a much changed team at The Knockatore, Adamstown, they crashed out of the championship when they were decisively beaten by the Geraldines of New Ross on the score of 5-3 to 0-1. The hurlers, too, made an early exit, failing to raise a flag in the first half when they slumped to an 8-5 to 1-1 trouncing by St. James, Ramsgrange, in June.
Camross v Sean Finns : James Kelly, Willie Kelly, John Kelly, Mike
Kelly, Mike Donovan, Thomas Cogley, Ambrose Waters, Phil
Waters, Andy Doyle, Aidan Morrissey, Wat Sinnott, Peter Doyle,
Frank Sheehan, D. Nolan, Pat Lambert.
Camross v Geraldines : J. Kelly, J. Morrissey, W. Kelly, A. Doyle,
A. Morrissey, T. Cogley, W. Sidney, J. McDonald, W. Sinnott, M.
Kelly, P. Lawlor, M. Donovan, J. Kiely, A. Waters, F. Sheehan.
Camross v St. James Hurling : Micheal Donovan, Thomas Cogley,
Joseph Bradley, Laurence O'Grady, Patrick Lambert, John Doyle,
Matthew Doyle, John McDonald, John Redmond, Peter Doyle,
Walter Sinnott, Frank Sheehan, Thomas Doyle, Joseph Whelan.
In early May, before a large crowd at Cassagh, the footballers got the better of Cushinstown on the score of 2-1 to 0-1. Cushinstown objected to the result on the grounds that John Murphy of Glynn had played for Camross under the name of John McEvoy. The game was refixed for the 3rd June. Cushinstown refused to travel and Camross went on to meet Adamstown in the district semi-final at Raheen in July. Both teams were described as being well matched and finished level after a game of swift, clean football. When they met again at Courthoyle in September a brace of goals by Tom Butler helped Adamstown to an easy 4-6 to 1-2 victory. They advanced to easily win the Co. Championship, beating Tara Hill in the final by 3-4 to nil.
Camross v Cushinstown : James Kelly (Captain), John Morrissey
(Goal), Aidan Morrissey, Andrew Doyle, Philip Waters, Ambrose
Waters, John McEvoy, Thomas Cogley, Micheal Donovan, William
Kelly, John Kelly, Martin Carroll, Micheal Whelan, Francis
Sheehan, Walter Sinnott.
Camross v Adamstown : J. Kelly (Captain), J. Bradley (Goal), W.
Kelly, J. Morrissey, A. Morrissey, J. McDonald, A. Doyle, T.
Cogley, P. Donovan, M. Whelan, F. Sheehan, P. Waters, W. Sinnott,
J. Kelly, (Moses Kiely transferred from Adamstown).
Taghmon v Geraldines : C. Fitzhenry, M. Lynam, J. Walsh, John
Walsh, W. Walsh, M. O'Connor, L. O'Connor, P. Hannon, R.
Martin, W. Parle, W. Martin, E. Doyle, H. Hogan, P. Dooley, P.
Furlong.
During the meeting, unease was expressed about the club's financial position and the lack of worthwhile 'gates'. Mr. S. Stenning proposed that the club run a parish league and the meeting discussed dividing the parish into four quarters. Aidan Sullivan said that he was sure of organising his area of Coolcull, Ardinagh and Coolraheen as the youth there were very eager. 'That's the spirit' said the Chairman, 'think of what we did last year with a "scraped up" team. We want no more "scraped up" teams. Let us put good, trained hurling and football teams in the field next season and if we do, I'm certain that victory will reward our efforts'. 'Hear, hear'.
The hurlers were first into the field. After about twenty minutes of play in their match against Bannow, some of the spectators protested that Taghmon had sixteen players on the field. Upon lining up the sides, the referee found this to be correct and J. Kelly had to retire. Hardly surprising, Taghmon won the game easily on the score of 2-3 to nil. Naturally, Bannow objected and in the inevitable replay at Rack's Cross in July, Taghmon barely scraped through on the score of 1-1 to 1-0.
Hurlers must have been thin on the ground around this time because in spite of this good result, the team made no impression in the league and Camross didn't even enter a team in the Ross district.
The momentum that started at the club's A.G.M. and built upon in the practice field continued in April when the footballers also beat Bannow in a robust affair on the score of 0-3 to 0-1. This match had to be played again in May at Whitechurch because it had been one hour late in starting. Taghmon, who were described as a 'light, young crowd' won the replay with the same score, 0-3 to 0-1.
Their next match was at home against Glynn. Despite trailing 1-3 to 0-1 at the interval, they rallied in the second half and emerged winners by 0-9 to 1-3. They then went on to meet St. Annes in the final of their group at Rack's Cross in June. In an unusual action, the referee ordered two of the St. Annes players off the field as they lined up waiting for the game to start. The two players were wearing trousers and St. Annes had to play twenty minutes of the first half with thirteen players, as messengers had to go several miles to procure a few pairs of shorts. Taghmon, taking advantage of this situation led by 2-0 to 0-1 at half time. It was reported that though the first half was good, the second half was a thriller as a reshuffled St. Annes tried to make up the leeway. Indeed up to the final whistle it was anybody's game. However St. Munn's got through on the score of 3-1 to 2-2.
Their displays were now attracting both fans and notice and they were accorded a noisy welcome on their return to the village. The 'I hear' man (the non-de-plume of a writer in The Free Press newspaper) reported that a member of the St. Annes club had begun canvassing for empty flour bags to make togs for their next match.
During the early 30's, Racks Cross and Whitechurch emerged as the most popular venues for Gaelic games in the south of the county. When Taghmon met Rosslare at the former venue for their district semi-final tie, they attracted the largest crowd ever to assemble there. Rosslare were warm favourites, but Taghmon, playing what was described as fast attacking football, banged in five goals in the first half to lead 5-0 go 0-2 at the break. The tacked on a further 1-4 in the second half to book their place in the district final on the score 6-4 to 2-3.
The following week, the 'Taghmon Notes' correspondent compared that Sunday in Taghmon to Goldsmith's 'Deserted Village'. He stated that there was nobody present in the village except the pump in the square and that bikes, cars, motor lorries, 'shank's mare' and 'hikes' were used to get to Rack's Cross. He described how Nicholas Brady, at a club meeting soon afterwards, had instructed the team to take up road running in the evenings to get their wind and stamina right for the tussle with the Wexford Volunteers. In the weeks leading to the final, he kept his readers informed of the teams preparation. He pointed out that even though they were having a tough time getting in the hay and harvesting the corn, that the team was in good order as a result of James Kelly's training regime and he described how the team's 'physical cultural exercises' had become a popular attraction for many spectators. Near the end of August the big day finally dawned and Taghmon followers set out for Whitechurch confident that they would see off the Volunteers' challenge. As often happens after a big build up, the game turned out to be an anticlimax as Taghmon, despite scoring and early goal from a 50, became totally disorganised and allowed the Volunteers to win in a canter. Final score, Volunteers 3-4 Taghmon 1-1.
Meanwhile New Ross district continued to play their championship on a knockout system and in June, Camross footballers played a 1-3 each draw with St. James in a very lively and exciting first round tie. The replay two weeks later at Newbawn was again a ding-dong affair with the experience of St. James proving the decisive factor seeing them through on the score of 0-4 to 0-1.
Camross v St. James: J. Kelly, J. Morrissey, W. Kelly, A. Morrissey,
A. Doyle, J. Foley, M. Whelan, A. Waters, T. Cogley, A. Kiely, W.
Sinnott, J. McDonald, K. Whelan, F. Sheehan, J. Bradley, F. Doyle,
E. Foley, E. Redmond.
St. Munn's Hurling v Bannow: C. Fitxhenry (Captain), J. Walsh, W.
Waters, W. Walsh, T. Cogley, H. Hogan, M. O'Connor, L.
O'Connor, R. O'Connor, J. McCann, P. Pender, A. Murphy, W.
Parle, J. Walsh, R. Martin, J. Kelly.
St.Munn's v Bannow Football: C. Fitzhenry (Captain), W. Parle, J.
Kelly, P. Hannon, P. Furlong, W. Walsh, J. Walsh, J. Walsh, R.
Martin, M. O'Connor, W. Waters, H. Hogan, S. Stenning, J.
Stenning, A. Murphy.
St. Munn's v Glynn: C. Fitzhenry, P. Furlong, J. Kelly, J. Walsh, H.
Hogan, M. O'Connor, J. Walsh, P. Hannon, S. Stenning, M.
Quigley, W. Parle, J. McCann, L. O'Connor, R. Martin, J. Pender.
St. Munn's v St. Annes: C. Fitzhenry (Captain), W. Parle (Goal), W.
Walsh, J. Walsh, Jas Walsh, J. Hannon, M. O'Leary, M. O'Connor,
L. O'Connor, H. Hogan, J. Kelly, P. Culleton, R. Martin, S.
Stenning, J. McCann.
St. Munn's v Rosslare: C. Fitzhenry (Captain), W. Parle (Goal), W.
Walsh, J. Walsh, Jas Walsh, P. Hannon, M. O'Leary, M. O'Connor,
L. O'Connor, H. Hogan, J. Kelly, P. Culleton, P. Furlong, R.
Martin, S. Stenning.
St. Munn's v Volunteers: C. Fitzhenry (Captain), W. Parle (Goal), W.
Walsh, J. Walsh, J. Walsh, P. Hannon, M. O'Leary, M. O'Connor,
L. O'Connor, H. Hogan, J. Kelly, P. Culleton, P. Furlong, R.
Martin, S. Stenning.
In March, the new combination had an easy win in their first outing against O'Hanrahans at Newbawn scoring 4-5 against the Barrowsiders 0-2. Following this encouraging start they went into hard training under Tommy Murphy, Shanoule before beating Raheen Heartbreakers at Scullabogue on the score Camross 2-6, Raheen 1-4.
Gusserane were their opponents in the district final and the game was played at Clongeen in October. Both teams were reported to be evenly matched and also about equal in knowledge of the finer points of the game. The game itself was described as a fine display of football, clean, swift, and not wanting for thrills. Gusserane won the game on the score of 2-3 to 1-5. Camross objected to the result, however, and the match was replayed at Barrett's Park, New Ross in November. The game didn't live up to expectation and Camross showing better combination ran out easy winners by 3-4 to 0-1.
'Cormack', who wrote the Gaelic gossip column in the Free Press, thought that Camross gave an attractive display of football and although they had been defeated, their spirited style marked them as a team to be reckoned with for Co. honours before very long. He considered them a team of wonderful physique and that they had failed only because of a slight inferiority in the finer points of the game. He went on to advise readers to watch out for Camross and suggested that training, especially in forward play and experience, could mould them into the best Junior 15 in the county. Camross had trained for the match in Parle's field, near Kendrick's Cross, and unfortunately the pitch only had one goalpost. The team kicked many wides against the Volunteers and it was said that if they had two goalposts while training they would have won the match. A fragment from a poem that was written about one of the players, many years later, illustrates this:
Or are you the Aidan Morrissey we met when we were young,
In Parle's grassy little field in the Parish of Taghmon,
And in that little field you trained and sweated blood and tears,
If you'd had another goalpost, you'd have beat the Volunteers.
(Tom Williams)
Camross v O'Hanrahans: J. Morrissey, J. Kelly, A. Morrissey, W.
Kelly, J. Kelly, J. McDonald, M. Whelan, S. Stenning, T. Cogley, M.
O'Connor, W. Walsh, J. Walsh, J. Kelly, H. Hogan, R. Martin.
Camross v Raheen: J. Kelly, J. Morrissey, A. Morrissey, W. Kelly, J.
Kelly, T. Cogley, M. O'Connor, R. Martin, W. Walsh, D. Nolan, S.
Stenning, M. Whelan, J. McDonald, H. Hogan, J. Walsh.
Camross v Gusserane: John Morrissey, John Kelly, James Kelly,
James Walsh, William Kelly, John McDonald, Thomas Cogley,
Martin O'Connor, Micheal Whelan, Laurence O'Connor, Henry
Hogan, William Walsh, Stanley Stenning, Aidan Morrissey, Micheal
Whelan, Daniel Nolan.
Camross v Volunteers: James Kelly, John Morrissey, Aidan
Morrissey, William Kelly, John Kelly, Robert Martin, Henry Hogan,
James Walsh, William Walsh, John McDonald, Micheal Walsh,
Martin O'Connor, Laurence O'Connor, Thomas Cogley, Stanley
Stenning.
These sentiments were penned by the Gaelic games correspondent of the Free Press in May 1936 on the occasion of Jack Fane's retirement. Letters to that paper and comments by other scribes suggest that the sentiments reflected accurately the affection and esteem in which Jack Fane was universally held.
Jack was born in Taghmon in 1902 to John Fane, master baker, and Mary Kehoe, from Clongeen. He started his football career when he was very young and captained the Trinity Stars when they lost to Dr. Dwyer's, Wexford, in 1919 at 17 years of age. He then moved into Wexford town to begin his apprenticeship to the grocery trade at the 'Irish House' owned by Pat Whelan.
In 1926 he won a senior football championship medal with Wexford United. He returned to help Taghmon in 1929 and for the remainder of his career he lined out with Young Irelands, Pearses and the Sarsfields whom he captained to win the first two of their three in a row championships in 1934 and 1935. He became a member of the Co. Senior Football team in 1925 and was their captain for several years during which they played memorable championship games against Kildare, Dublin, Laois and Louth. He played with Leinster in 1933 and 1934 and was a member of the Irish team that defeated America in the Tailteann games in 1932 and the medal he won that day was perhaps his proudest possession.
He was described as one of the great footballers of his era and certainly Wexford's most consistent player. He generally played at midfield, where his immaculate skill, grace and style were a delight to watch, as was his placekicking, punting and general all round play.
He broke his collarbone when playing against Dublin in the drawn Leinster final of 1932 and nursing a bandaged shoulder, sadly watched his teammates go down in the replay from a seat in the Hogan Stand. He was also a hurler of repute and won intermediate championships with Glynn and the Geraldines. In addition to his hurling and football prowess he was an athlete of outstanding class and he won innumerable honours and prizes for sprinting. In 1931, he won the 100 yards Championship of Wexford. He was the first president of Wexford Athletic Club, a position he held for many years. On the 1st June, 1936, he opened a grocery and licensed premises on Wexford's Main St.(where The Tack Room is now situated) which over the years became a popular meeting place for parishioners when in town. He retired from the business on 1st June, 1974, and passes to his eternal reward on 5th August, 1985, aged 81 years.
