Jim Timmons and An Gaeltacht football club have a long association. Since An Gaeltacht was formed in 1976 (the club began competing the following year), Jim Timmons has filled many positions and played many parts to help make An Gaeltacht the club it now is. Jim is not one to seek the limelight, rather the opposite. He is always glad to assist at the door at benefit functions on behalf of the club. He will also collect at the gate and afterwards be available as an umpire or linesman at all league games. Indeed when he retired as a corner back of note in the early 80's and when referees were a scarcer commodity Jim immediately offered his assistance and became a well known referee. Indeed players who played with him always felt that Jim was too neutral if ever a referee did not turn up and a toss was arranged. During the late eighties when videoing games became the norm An Gaeltacht once again turned to Jim to fill a live commentary on the games they had selected to video. It was often quite clear that the same commentator got carried away when the referee was not up to standard. Jim's byword for success was commitment and that motto stood to him in the many tasks he undertook on behalf of the club from vice-chairman to executive member for the last 24 years. Though born in Delvin Co. Westmeath, Jim's love of gaelic games was transferred to him through his father Tommy who played for Meath in the National League in 1938. His uncle Dick Timmons also lined out for the Royal County in 1937 and 1938. A source of amusement at An Gaeltacht is the fact that Jim has relations that line out with Athboy, Cortown, Dunderry, Slane, Rathkenny and Ballinlough to name but a few. Not alone was Jim Timmons a cousin of the great Irish scholar Brian Oh-Uiginn but he is also a cousin of well-known county footballer Jody Devine. He also admits that the well-known GAA administrator Barney Allen is a first cousin as well. Jim's love of the game ensured that his sons Tommy, Colm and Mikey would in the course of time don the Gaeltacht jersey. Tommy was right half back when An Gaeltacht defeated Bellewstown in Pairc Tailteann in 1983 in the Junior 'C' Championship (this competition was then confined to clubs that had only one team playing). This game also created history as it was the first club game broadcasted live on a national radio station, Radio Na Gaeltachta. Not alone was Jim a selector but he was also a trainer at that time. Both his younger sons Colm and Mikey joined Tommy on the Gaeltacht team in the late 80's when An Gaeltacht were strong contenders for outright honours at Junior 'A'. All three were valuable members of the team. A serious injury sustained while playing football curtailed Mikey's promising career, bearing in mind he was a member of the Meath minor team in 1991. He is now playing first team football once again. It would be remiss not to mention Jim's brother Larry who served as a Christian Brother in Kenya. His sense of duty to a downtrodden people led to his tragic death on January 22nd 1997. Larry's stance against state corruption led to many threats on his life and as headmaster of the local school in Lara, Makuru, Larry was shot to death by a member of the local police. If one asked Jim to nominate his greatest moments at club level he would reply the enjoyment he had in playing and selecting, and also the enjoyment of the success that a small band of players can achieve. The success in 1983 stands out along with An Gaeltacht winning two Comortas Peile na Gaeltachta tournaments in 1988 and 1993. His defining moment was probably the day he played in goals in a league match against Bellewstown in the early nineties when all three sons, Tommy, Colm and Mikey were playing. An Gaeltacht hope that Jim will continue to fill many roles on behalf An Gaeltacht GAA because they know that the calibre of his kind does not grow on trees. Tweet

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