The Late Garry McMahon Garry McMahon was laid to rest last Friday week in his home town of Newcastlewest. A huge crowd of mourners braved the cold March winds and intermittent rain showers falling from a leaden sky as his coffin was lowered to his final resting place in Calvary cemetery. His long time friend and former Kerry team mate Mick O'Connell, Kerry's legendary midfielder helped lower the coffin into the earth and later rendered a beautiful grave side oration as he recalled their great friendship both on and off the field. They had first played together as Kerry minors in 1955. Then in 1962 both men helped Kerry as they recorded All Ireland senior victory over Roscommon and it was in this game that Garry wrote himself indelibly into the pages of history. Thirty four seconds following the throw in Garry had the ball in the Roscommon net and as he later told me himself in one of our many interviews, 'From Mick O'Connell boot to my fist and it was a goal for Kerry. I was seated high on the Hogan Stand that day and I can still vividly recall in my mind's eye referee Eamon Moules from Wicklow throwing in the ball to begin the fame. Roscommon attacked, the great Tim 'Tiger' Lyons gained possession and booted the ball to Timmy O'Sullivan. He was fouled under the Cusack Stand . Mick OíConnell trotted over and his beautiful flighted free landed into the canal goal. Two of the Roscommon defenders, Oliver Moran and John Lynch got in each others way and Garry handball style using his right hand fisted the leather past Aiden Brady the legendary Roscommon goalkeeper. Thirty four seconds has elapsed. In our many discussions we often recalled that split moment in time and he revealed to me years later what selector the late Johnny Walsh had whispered to him just before they left the dressing room. 'If any high ball comes into the square watch for the break because your man Moran has a habit of contesting every thing that lands around the goal and a mistake is bound to come.í Prophetic words indeed from the Ballylongford great. At the funeral mass one of Garry's sons remembered his father in that special way that only a son can and one of his memories brought laughter among tears to the packed congregation when he recalled, 'Every year we would sit with dad at the All Ireland final and when thirty four seconds had elapsed and no goal had been scored he would turn to us an say, with a great laugh 'My record is safe for another year'. That ë62 final is also remembered because Roscommon scored just one point from play during the whole hour and something happened, which I never saw before or since. Jimmy Lucy fielded magnificently in the middle of the field and then lashed the ball long and high towards goal, his own goal, and the Kerry goal. It was a momentary lapse of concentration but as Jimmy later said, 'It didn't do any harm. Completely forgotten, however, is Garry's great goal against Dublin in the semi-final that same year. Just before half time he flashed the ball past Paschal Flynn in the Dublin net and later added a point from play. Kerry won 2-12 to 0-10 and it was the first game ever televised live by RTE. Now forty eight long years have passed since that September day in 1962 and Garry has gone to join many of that superb Kerry side who has pre deceased him. Jimmy Lucy, Seamus Murphy, 'Tiger' Lyons, Dan McAuliffe, Timmy O'Sullivan, Paudie Sheehy and Kevin Coffey. Also gone to their eternal reward are the men who trained, selected and guided then to that victory. Dr Eamonn O' Sullivan, Paddy 'Bawn' Brosnan, Fr D Curtin, Johnny Walsh and John Joe Sheehy. The exemplary County secretary of the time Tadge Crowley has also answered the most final whistle of all. A native of Listowel, the local Emmets was Garry's first club. He was the son of famed writer Brian McMahon and it was of course from his father that Garry brought his magnificent gift as a songwriter, singer, poet, storyteller and gentleman of the highest order and he often spoke to me very lovingly of his mother who imbued in his gentle nature many of those special attributes. He was educated at the local St Michael's College with whom he won a Kerry college's medal. In 1955 he was corner forward on the Kerry minor team and also played that year for the Kerry minor hurlers. Two years later he donned his beloved green and gold at senior level for the first time in a tournament game against Kildare in Naas. Out of the team for a period he returned for the Munster championship in 1958 against Tipperary and in the final against Cork he scored the goals that gave Kerry back the provincial title and his first Munster medal. He won the first of his two All Ireland medals in 1959 coming on as a substitute against Galway and the following year was on the side beaten by Down in the final. In the semi- final against Galway that year of 1960 Garry scored the goal that separated the sides at the final whistle, 1-8 to 0-8. Work prevented him form appearing during 1961 as Kerry suffered another defeat by Down in the semi-final. He returned the following year for that historic 1962 victory. Garry McMahon retired and never again appeared in a Kerry jersey following that final. All his energies and time was now focused in his work as a solicitor. In an unofficial top Kerry goal scorers list compiled some years ago and covering the period form 1955 upwards and headed by Mickey Sheehy with sixty eight goals in all games with the county Garry is listed high up with the greats at number eleven with twenty eight goals. In 1965 Limerick reached their first Munster senior football final since 1923 beating Waterford and Cork on the way and the trainer of the Limerick side was one Garry McMahon, a fact completely forgotten. Following Garry's funeral Limerick hurling legend Eamon Cregan recalled for me that a great year for the county. 'Garry came in as trainer, Fr McCarthy was county board chairman and persuaded him to help out. We met Kerry in the Garlic Grounds in Limerick and Garry had put a huge amount of work into the preparations especially with the forwards. We were two goals up after ten minutes as Mick Tynan and Pat Murphy found the net and we were ahead at half time 2-5 to 0-6. Johnny Culloty saved two certain goals towards the end from Mick and me and Bernie O' Callaghan scored a last second goal to give Kerry a flattering win 2-16 to 2-7. I was fortunate to have spent many the happy hour in the company of Garry McMahon. A passionate lover of all things Kerry, his poems, ballads, recitations and story telling were for me a thing of beauty. He is in my opinion irreplaceable. Having spent time in his presence you would come away enriched, energized and happy in the knowledge that here was a man who was very special. One of those people you might be fortunate to meet once in a life time. Dare I say it Garry McMahon was one of the secrets of Kerry. To his wife Joan, children Gearoid, Treasa and Rossa and brothers Jim, Bryan, Maurice and Owen and other family members we extend our deepest sympathy. Courtesy of The Kerryman Tweet

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