Johnny be good
December 30, 2009To mark the 125th anniversary of the Association, Johnny Ross - like other members of Louth clubs - received his award from the President of the GAA in recognition of his memorable work for the St Marys club in Ardee - as a player, selector, groundsman and supporter of teams since he first put on football boots in the 1930s.
Johnny was born in 1927, on August 15, to Margaret and John Ross. His parents - from Slane and North Louth - gave him his love of sport and of life in general. Johnny attended the local De La Salle school and after national school he began his career in McGee's of Ardee training as a mechanic. He loved his work and became familiar with all aspects of motor and machinery problems. Later, he would begin a successful transport business.
He married Mary Sharkey of Knockabbey, Tallanstown and provided for eight children. Sorrow was visited upon the family when his second son, Philip, was tragically killed in an accident on the Ardee/Tallanstown road in the 1970s.
Johnny always loved gaelic games, both hurling and football, lining out for the local St Marys and St Colmcilles clubs. He represented Louth in senior football and also at junior hurling level. The legendary Kevin Beahan, who played at centrefield on the 1957 All-Ireland winning Louth team, once said of Johnny: "Myself and Johnny must have been the smallest midfielders ever for Ardee. Johnny was an action man - you could not find his equal anywhere."
Paddy Smyth of Cavan also paid tribute, referring to the Ardee man as "the toughest bit of stuff I have ever met". This goes to show the respect Johnny Ross had earned for himself amongst intercounty players of that era.
In 1903, the Ardee Volunteers won the Louth championship and in 1914 Ardee St Mochtas brought the title to the town for the second time. On September 15 1946, St Marys won the SFC for the first time, with Johnny as a sub that year at the age of 19. History would repeat itself when his son Sean - who was on the Louth minor team beaten by Dublin in the 1971 Leinster final - also collected a senior championship medal aged 19, lining out right corner forward against Cooley in 1972.
Sean went on to teach in Colaiste Ris, Dundalk and he trained teams in the Fair Green for almost 30 years, winning Louth and Leinster titles with that CBS nursery school for gaelic games in North Louth.
Johnny himself played for Ardee St Marys from 1946 until 1960, winning six Louth championships in 1946, '48, '51, '55, '56 and '60, as well as a plethora of Cardinal O'Donnell Cups, Old Gaels Cups and hurling championships galore with Naomh Colmcille, Ardee.
In the 1960 final, he was captain against Naomh Mhuire of Drogheda. His late son Philip featured in the team photograph for that match.
In 1959, Johnny was left out of the team that drew with Clan na Gael. He was Man of the Match in the replay but it was the Clans who won the championship that year, unfortunately. Johnny's omission for the first game was a real talking point afterwards. Aiden McGuinness - a medal winner in '57 and also a famous player with St Marys (as well as successful trainer of many teams) - said that the Marys would have won the first day if they'd had Johnny in their team. Aiden also stated that "Johnny was widely admired by footballers and supporters in County Louth. He seldom fouled but he was hard as nails."
After Johnny finished playing in the 1960s, he began a refereeing career which ended when he dismissed five players from one club in a very tough encounter. He had to escape the wrath of that club's supporters for trying to protect a Geraldines team that focussed on playing football. That turned out to be his last game as a referee as some players in the 1960s seemed to have no respect for authority.
He became groundsman for St Marys and won several awards including an All-Ireland award for the best grounds in Ireland - certainly no mean feat!
Johnny started a transport business and he was the chauffeur for St Marys teams up until recently. He never charged minor teams for transportation to matches, a wonderful gesture which was appreciated by the club he loved.
In the St Marys booklet of 1978 (which won the McNamee Award for the best club booklet that year), Tom Rice had an interview with Johnny. Recounting stories of football and life in general, Johnny said that after beating Stabannon in the junior football championship in the mid-40s, the club had a date with Philipstown in the next round (a match which, incidentally, the Dunleer parish side won). The story goes that when the Marys team assembled for the match, Louis Malone RIP asked the physio 'Bach' O'Brien for a rub-down. Knuckling down to the task, 'Bach' spent all of his time with Louis and the other team members received no treatment. The team was called out and Louis was a sub. Louis then said to 'Bach' that he "would be fit for the Tallanstown dance that night". This was to the sheer annoyance of the team physio - a man who incidentally had fought at the Somme in 1914.
As a midfielder, Johnny had many heroes - men like Mick O'Connell of Kerry. He always loved Offaly football with its catch and kick style. He never missed an All-Ireland final from 1957 up until recent times, when he was no longer fit to go due to his advancing years. He brought his sons to sit on his knee at those games, as was the custom back then.
Johnny also served on the St Marys committee, adding further to his lifelong legacy of involvement with the Ardee club.
Even today, Johnny's passion is watching gaelic football on RTE or TG4 and listening to matches on the radio. He also loves watching horseracing and Johnny Murtagh is his favourite jockey.
Johnny Ross's heart and soul belong to the GAA and there is no greater admirer of gaelic games to be found in Louth or further afield. Ardee is very proud of Johnny and Johnny is a proud Ardonian! Tweet
