Stand Named after ‘Mr Inniskeen’
At half-time in the Monaghan v Armagh Barrett Sports Lighting Dr McKenna Cup tie, the Stand at Inniskeen was named after local gael Paddy O’Rourke who served club and county with distinction for more than half a century.
Paddy O’Rourke was the second born child into a large family home in the heart of Inniskeen village on the 25th July 1923; the house being the one time manse of the local Protestant Minster. His first educational establishment was Inniskeen National School around the corner.
Probably his first introduction to kicking a ball was a sponge one, kicked on the road during the mid-day break when invariably the ball landed (uninvited) in Barney Duffy’s field or Quinn’s meadow or even the river. It was almost customary that the youngest was bullied to retrieve it and it was at this juncture that Paddy showed his metal and refused to be pushed around, strong willed determination that was to be his hallmark throughout his life.
To further promote his education he was established as a boarder in St. Macartan’s Seminary in Monaghan. Here he kicked a real ball with real players so his natural skill was tuned to a fine art. After a stint in Monaghan he transferred to the Christian Brothers School in Dundalk which promoted the Gaelic language and Gaelic football in particular.
Now that he was residing back in Inniskeen he was available to tog out in Parish Leagues and minor games. His ability came under notice and he was knocking on the door of Senior Football. At that point he was serving his time as a fitter in the Railway works in Dundalk, necessitating the long cycle to and from work which built up stamina. He was not alone for there were quite a few others similarly employed. It is not deemed appropriate to dwell on his record on the field of play wearing the Red and Green, suffice to say that he wore it with pride and distinction for twenty one years. In 1946 he was selected to play for the county, a place he held for eight years and if honours eluded him here, the blame could not be placed on the shoulders of the doughty man from Inniskeen.
Paddy and his peers at the time pioneered the transition from the boot’er up the middle tradition of the past to the more constructive team work of the present. He was also the precursor of the O’Rourke dynasty that power infused the football of that era. To his eternal credit it must be said that he never became big-headed or a prima donna but rather a modest man, proud to wear the Red and Green of his club. In January 1946 he was appointed secretary of the Inniskeen Grattans club, a position he held until shortly before his death, a staggering fifty six years, surely a record un-paralleled in any business or organisation.
When his father Packy relinquished his post of treasurer to the local club in 1958, Paddy was duly appointed. Later on he was given the post of Public Relations Officer. He was now the holder of a triple portfolio. When he took over the top posts, the club had literally nothing, no playing pitch and scarcely a decent set of jerseys. Indeed it was known that players fielded with odd boots.
With dances and carnivals and other fund-raising ventures, an amount of wherewithal was mustered to enable the acquisition of some land and eventually to develop a playing field to match any in the county. It is not claimed to be a one man job, but it goes without saying that Paddy was the main architect and a prime mover in the entire project. It now stands as a lasting monument to his honour.
At his last Club meeting on the 27th March 2003 Paddy expressed his view that the club should not move from its present home. Monaghan County Board recognised his administrative talent and appointed him Assistant Treasurer in 1961 and later in 1970 full treasurer position a role he held until a few weeks before his death. The County Board being cognisant of his efficiency awarded him numerous honours including the prestigious Co. Board Hall of Fame award. On many occasions he was made the subject of interviews from the media. The prestigous glossy magazine, Hogan Stand, did an elaborate feature on him.
Paddy took to the whistle around two years before he ceased playing football and he refereed an Ulster Semi Final between Tyrone and Down in 1960 and many National League games including a famous National League game in Dundalk between Galway, the All Ireland Champions and Louth plus a County Senior Final in 1960 between Scotstown and Castleblayney. Being an officer of the County Board he had to relinquish his post as a club official, so he returned to football or rather the root and branch activities of the club and concentrated on the youth of the parish.
Over the following years he promoted Gaelic Games at all levels from ten to minor. How does one attempt to do justice to any individual who undertakes to take charge of screaming youngsters, piling them into cars, mini buses or whatever, togging them out, controlling them, taking total responsibility and making certain sure they were left home safely.
That man was the redoubtable Paddy O’Rourke. At committee level it was mooted that hurling be introduced to the club at juvenile level. Initially Paddy did not embrace the idea, but later adopted it whole-heartedly and threw his weight behind it with the typical energy of a human dynamo.
He attended his beloved Grattan Park with the critical eye of dedicated green-keeper, cut the grass, fixed the mower when it occasionally broke down, marked the pitch before a match and then donned his P.R. hat and welcomed the visiting team.
Being the out and out GAA man by virtue of the number of hats he wore with the Association, he attended regular meetings, seminars, committee business and other functions. Yet throughout his life he remained a staunch teetotaller. This was proof, if proof was needed, of his resolute determination. This strength of character was particularly manifest during the onset of his illness when he stuck to his guns until he eventually had to succumb to a greater force.
His death sent shock waves reverberating through-out the County. The funeral, speeches and Guards of Honour bore testimony to the respect and admiration the man was held in. The excellent and well chosen words of Fr. McGuiness at the Funeral Mass lauding the Christian and God-fearing path that Paddy trod during his entire life-time, the oration of the graveside by Garry Carville gave a resume of the life of an outstanding man and his dedication to all things that came under the auspices of the GAA.
Information courtesy of: http://inniskeen.monaghan.gaa.ie/
The stand at Iniskeen is named after local Gael, ‘Mr Inniskeen’ Paddy O’Rourke:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpkdD1MSjfM[/youtube]
