Dear all, I'm researching a book I'm writing on my father, the actor T.P. McKenna, who in his college days was a keen football player. I've managed to obtain press coverage of the matches he mentions below, but I understand he also took part in an inter-bank final at Croke Park in 1949 when he was a junior clerk with the Ulster Bank in Trim and I'd be keen to get some hard information on that.
It was hardly a particular milestone in his life but it marked the swansong of his playing career, his passion for the amateur dramatics, and eventually a professional life on the stage, taking over.
TP (second left, bottom row) recalls: 'The main occupation we had was football, football and football. Cavan were in every All-Ireland semi-final for as long as I could remember right through my youth and so we kicked a ball up and down the main street, because cars were so scarce in those days. We would have one goal in one archway and the other goal in another archway. We made a ball out of paper tied with string and we would spend whole hours of the evening just kicking this ball around.
I was fairly useful at the football. I was on the junior team that won the Ranafast Cup when I was about fifteen and then I was on the senior team and won a McRory Cup Medal. I played in the All-Ireland Colleges Final in 1948 and a lot of that team formed the basis of the 1952 Cavan team that went on to beat Meath in the All-Ireland final in Croke Park.' (Speaking with John Quinn for the interview series: 'My Education, RTE August 1994)
I would try the Anglo Celt for this, Paul Fitzpatrick who writes for the Celt might know where to find what you are looking for. George Cartwright former County Board chairman would be another possibility if you made contact with the Cavan GAA county board they could put you in touch
Replying To facer4home: "I would try the Anglo Celt for this, Paul Fitzpatrick who writes for the Celt might know where to find what you are looking for. George Cartwright former County Board chairman would be another possibility if you made contact with the Cavan GAA county board they could put you in touch"
Thanks very much, indeed, for those names which I'll be sure to follow up with. I'm greatly obliged.