The GAA has become synonymous with community spirit and that is evident in Inniskeen. We talk to Terence O'Rourke about his passion for Monaghan and his GAA links.

Inniskeen Grattans are a club steeped in history and one that produced arguably one of the greatest GAA men of our time in the form of Paddy O'Rourke.
Unfortunately, Paddy passed away in 2003, but he left behind a legacy that will certainly never be forgotten and for this year's Monaghan Yearbook, we speak to Paddy's cousin Terence O'Rourke about his interest in gaelic football, while he also talks about his role as Managing Partner of one of Ireland's leading accountancy firms, KPMG.
Terence admits his playing career was short to say the least, but growing up in Monaghan, he always had a keen interest in the GAA, which continues to this day.
Monaghan folk are passionate about the game and yearn for the glory days to return to the county. It's fair to say that the current crop of players have shown that they are as good as anybody in the country on their day, although luck has deserted them on more than one occasion in recent outings.
"I actually only ever played one game of football for the club to be honest," revealed Terence. "I was away at boarding school and college where rugby was the number one sport there. However, I always followed the fortunes of the club and county team.
"Of course, everyone in the county and beyond knows all about my cousin Paddy, who lined out for Monaghan alongside his brother Oliver. I'd imagine that Paddy holds some sort of record as being the longest serving club secretary in the country. He was in that position for an astonishing 53 years and it's hard to see that being beaten, certainly not in today's environment," he added.
"He also held numerous different positions at county board level, while he was an accomplished referee for many years too. My brothers and I wouldn't have been into the GAA as much as our cousins, but you always respected the passion and desire that they showed.
"The GAA is a unique organisation in that it epitomises the dedication and determination of the people involved. They are all willing to work for one another and its something special to see."
Paddy O'Rourke is an icon within GAA circles and his dedication to both club and county are unsurpassed. He always exuded a deep gra for all things relating to Irish culture and pastimes. Being involved in the Gaelic Athletic Association for him was like a lord to the manor born. One wonders who benefited the most from their coming together.
Unfortunately, Paddy was not around to witness the club's greatest day as they were crowned All-Ireland club intermediate football champions in 2006 and Terence admits that he would have been a proud man looking down on the side.
"That was an amazing occasion to say the least. It was a great performance by the players and they really deserved to win. Paddy would certainly have been a proud man if he could have been there, but I know he was watching on kicking every ball with the players."
The 2010 campaign is set to be an important one for the Monaghan footballers as many feel that it will be a make or break year for the Farney County. 'Banty' has improved his backroom team with the appointment of Paul Grimley as selector and hopes are high that success can be achieved.
"Monaghan have done us proud in recent years. They've shown against Kerry that they can match the best. Both games were very exciting matches and they have been involved in many games like that of late. One of the best games of football that I've seen for a long time was the clash with Derry this year. Monaghan actually scored 0-20 that day, but still lost out. It was quite a fascinating game and although they lost, they can be proud of their achievements.
"They have a great manager in place, while the players are exceptional. Everyone in the county would love to see them win something, because they certainly deserve it."
Terence has resided in Dublin for many years, but still makes the journey home to Inniskeen on a regular basis where his parents still live. He has never forgotten his roots and never intends too either.
"I'm a proud Monaghan man and I suppose that was instilled into me as a young man by my parents and family. Inniskeen is a relatively small community, but it has a proud tradition that everyone from the parish is keen to continue."
For the past three years, Terence is Managing Partner of KPMG Ireland having taken over from former incumbent Denis O'Connor who sadly passed away in 2006. The firm, Irish owned and part of an international network of KPMG firms, employs over 1800 people in Ireland and has offices in Dublin, Cork, Belfast and Galway.
Since joining the company in 1975, Terence has worked alongside some of the countries biggest businesses, while in 1988, he was elected Partner.
"I've worked with the semi-state sectors mainly and I'm a former President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland. Auditing would be an important area of expertise and as well as tax, we provide these and other services to a large client base."
Like a successful gaelic football team, KPMG are well use to picking up awards, as well as great talent, and were recently awarded the Business in the Community award at The Irish Times Living Dublin Awards ceremony, held on 1 December 2009 in the Science Gallery, Trinity College, Dublin.
These awards celebrate groups, individuals and businesses working to improve the quality of life in Dublin City and County. The aim is to recognise and reward these people, and to encourage others to follow their example. Tweet

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