McKenna, Gabriel
August 12, 2009The late Gabriel McKenna 1927 - 2009
On Monday night, July 20, 2009, Gabriel (Gabe) McKenna, Knopogue, Ballyduff died peacefully in the excellent care of the staff of the Kerry General Hospital, Tralee.
The third son of the late Paddy and Kathy McKenna (nee Pierce) he was born in Knopogue and lived there throughout his lifetime. In truth it can be said that he was a quintessential Ballyduff man, and it was no great wonder that all its affairs and fortunes had such a high place in his heart.
Its land, its river and its sport were all infused into his life and spirit and gave to them an important purpose and meaning which at different times helped him to cope with and adapt to many changes he experienced over the years.
In our present recessionary problem we would do well to remember that Gabe's childhood and teenage years saw the worst of times; the global aftermath of Wall Street Crash, an 'Economic War', World War 2.
In the midst of this gloom, sport produced much necessary relief, and in his teenage years Gabe won two North Kerry minor football championship medals with Ballyduff in 1944 and 1945.
He won a North Kerry Intermediate Championship medal with Ballyduff/Ballyconry combination in 1953. He was very proud of this Ballyduff/Ballyconry and Sarsfirelds connection and was for many years secretary of that club during its existence.
Hurling however, was his first love. He was a member and player in the hurling club from a young age and these early years were lean indeed in terms of victories and trophies for Ballyduff teams. However on Sunday October 20, 1955, Ballyduff defeated Kimoyley in the final of the Kerry County Hurling Championship - a trophy they had not won since 1891. He was a team selector and one of the chief architects of this momentous occasion for Ballyduff hurling.
Many more victories were to follow in the years ahead. He had the astonishing achievement of being a selector of 19 winning County Championship teams (senior). He might not say very much about it but you knew somehow that it meant very much to him; not just for himself but for the players and the club. The appreciation of the player's club members was clearly shown by their splendid attendance and guards of honour on both days of his funeral.
He was a Kerry senior hurling selector for many years and could point to some notable success achieved during his stewardship - Junior All-Ireland and Senior B All-Ireland hurling championship. He was always eager to praise the effect of Kerry hurling teams and firmly maintained that the county had players as good as there were in the strong counties but did not have enough of them at any one time due to restricted numbers.
His services to the county hurling teams were acknowledged by the large numbers of Kerry hurlers past and present at his funeral, many of them joining in the guards of honour.
At the time of his death he was President of the North Kerry Hurling Board as well as being Vice-President of Ballyduff GAA Club. He was a member of the Divisional Board for many years and at different times served as chairman and vice-chairman.
Salmon fishing eventually became very much part of his life pursuits. While he always had an interest in it - natural enough for any Ballyduff person! - he was not a teenage practioner. His brothers Patsy and then Jimmy were involved in fishing before him, it could be said he followed in their Wellington steps and went on to become involved in the governance of the industry by being a member of the Shannon Regional Fisheries Board for many years.
His fishing colleagues and fellow Board members showed their esteem for him by their strong representation at his funeral.
Of course we should not forget that Agriculture was an important part of his life since he was born on a farm and lived there until his death. His teenage years were spent in pre-mechanised farming; the era of the Shire and Clydesdale horses and Shorthorn cows, when hay saving, corn harvesting and threshing, turf saving, sowing, weeding and saving root crops and hand-milking really deserved the description of 'hard labour'.
In those days he was particularly adept at making ricks of hay, corn, straw and turf and he was no mean hand at the craft of thatching. In later years on the farm he confined himself to a supervisory and often critical role as his brother Denis got on with the work with the capable assistance of his wife Anne and their family!
Though a staunch Fine Gael political supporter, he never allowed political differences to interfere in his friendships and was respected for this by people of all political persuasions and none; this too was exemplified at his funeral. While there was a visibly strong Fine Gael presence there was also a strong presence from other parties.
On July 23, 2009, a sunny and breezy day he was placed in his final resting place in the burial ground at Rahela after an impressive send off from his peers, colleagues and friends.
It was fitting tribute to a dedicated GAA servant, fisherman, farmer, thatcher, political activist and shrewd card player.
Gabe, a life long bachelor, in his immediate family, was predeceased by his sister Eileen at a very young age and by his brothers Sean and Mossie. He is survived by his sister Mary; brothers Patsy, Gerald, Denis and Jimmy; sisters-in-law Anne, Violet and Helen; nephews and nieces and grand nephews and grand nieces.
May he Rest in Peace.
Courtesy of the Kerryman
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