The late John O’Mahony
Great friends Tommie Gorman and John O’Mahony, who died within 12 days of each other at the end of June and beginning of July, had set personal targets to be present and involved in an event to coincide with the Ballaghaderreen Arts Festival next weekend.
‘Johnno’ had arranged with former Dublin manager Jim Gavin to be the guest at a discussion entitled ‘Saving Gaelic Football’ in St Nathy’s College in the town where he taught for many years.
It followed on from a football debate that was part of last year’s festival involving former Derry All-Ireland winner Joe Brolly, Mayo ladies legend Cora Staunton, former Mayo footballer Andy Moran and former Roscommon footballer Seán McDermott, in addition to ‘Johnno’ himself.
O’Mahony had arranged with Gavin to take part in the discussion much earlier in the year, just as Gavin was getting the work of his Football Review Committee under way.
The original plan was that Tommie Gorman would conduct the interview with the six-time All-Ireland-winning manager who heads the committee, which is looking at making rule ‘enhancements’ in the coming months to improve Gaelic football from a playing and spectator point of view.
The event will go ahead, however, as much in memory of the two friends who achieved so much in their respective fields, and the interview with Gavin will now be conducted by former RTÉ presenter Seán O’Rourke, who was a great friend of Gorman and an admirer of O’Mahony – who of course delivered two All-Ireland titles to O’Rourke’s native county Galway in 1998 and 2001.
Their memory will be very much on everyone’s minds as the event goes ahead in the college on Friday night at 7.30.
The Gavin-led FRC has been trialling potential rule changes at specially arranged games in the hope that they can make concrete proposals for a Special Congress now expected to be in late November.
Further details are available at Details at ballaghaderreenartsfestival.com and Ticket Tailor.
