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People like Jimmy Phelan must never be forgotten

ON SATURDAY, August 21, the ashes of an iconic Kilkenny man who really did make a contribution will be returning to his native place in Inistioge to be interned, spread among his own people. Because the Parish Church is unavailable presently in Inistioge, the Clodagh Church will be used for the occasion (2pm).

Jimmy Phelan left his home place, like many thousands, myself included, in the late despairing, nothing-to-live-for 'fifties. Jimmy Phelan left a country in which the word Depression had not been crafted. The buzz-words then were 'tough times'.

The leaders of the country, Eamonn De Valera and latterly Sean Lemass, were grateful for the 'Maud', the 'Cumbria', the 'Inisfallen' and so on. The fiscal straits of the country were greatly eased by the exportation of some of the finest young people to foreign parts.

From a land that never offered anything soft to anyone, Jimmy Phelan and a support group of many thousands boarded one of the above ships to cross the Irish Sea.

Terrible uncertainty

Informed opinion led us to believe that what happened to our young compadres at immigration in New York and Boston was even worse than what happened to lads like Jimmy Phelan and his ilk at the points of entry in England.

Let me tell you of the terrible uncertainty, the dreadful trauma faced by those young teenagers in the tough 'fifties. As was conspicuous at the time in Kilkenny where 'no Catholics' need apply for jobs, in the Liverpools, Manchesters, Rugbys, Leeds, Birminghams, Coventrys and many more places, signs of 'no Irish need apply' were common place.

Sure, Paddy was great for 'diggin' it deep and fuckin it high', but Paddy had to run the gauntlet of rows of British Bobbies at Holyhead, Fishguard or Liverpool, who unwittingly terrified so many young Irish people, boys and girls. Their travel bags were scraped with the ubiquitous chalk mark like the raddle mark on the rump of a beast being purchased at a fair.

" Right Paddy, you're OK". We all heard it!

Jimmy Phelan would have rattled across the North Wales coastline in the darkness of the night in a British Rail non-corridor carriage at a frightening speed. He knew that he wasn't travelling through familiar lush green countryside through places like Attanagh, Ballybrophy, Kildare or Newbridge to Dublin on his way to Croke Park to cheer for his friend and fellow townie, Eddie Keher or Fr Tom Murphy and his brother, Willie, in a Leinster or All-Ireland final.

It would be many a long day before Jimmy Phelan, and many other Jimmy Phelans', would be back in Croke Park to cheer on anybody.

Very bright, extremely sharp

He was born and reared in a house close to the present location of Footlights Restaurant on the corner of the Main Street in Inistioge. He was educated in the Inistioge Academy under the excellent tutelage of Mr Martin Walsh, an educator of an impressive list of very accomplished young progressives.

"I remember him well even at those early days," said Eddie Keher. "He had a reputation of being a very bright, extremely sharp young student. He was a few years older than me, but I will always remember him playing hurling on the square in the village with the bigger lads.

"When they were finished, us younger fellows would start. I remember well that we were only three or four years of age. We were not catching the hurl correctly and Jimmy and Fr Michael Noonan would play around with us showing us how to catch the hurl properly. But when they went away, we reverted back to our old habits. Eventually though, we got it right after much coaching by Jimmy and Fr Michael."

Some boast on a night you might be in a pub talking about how you taught the great Eddie Keher to hold the camn right!

"He helped win the first Roinn B under-14 county final Inistioge ever won. That was in 1948. He was a smashing hurler. He played at full-forward and he was a goal-getter of a very high calibre. He was known as 'Chunky' Phelan after the famous Kilkenny All-Ireland full-forward that won the 1947 All-Ireland final against Cork," said Eddie.

Rural life in Ireland at the time was less than entertaining or exhilarating. Invariably young men would congregate round a street corner, or in a particular shop in the village. It was no different in Inistioge in the 'fifties/sixties.

Mrs Keher's shop on the square was very much a focal point for many in the village. Joe Gaule, a life-long friend of Jimmy, would meet on a nightly basis there. The chat was good; the company was better.

Up to date on news

Even when Jimmy and Joe immigrated to Manchester (Joe went first), they religiously wrote to Mrs Keher, who kept the lads up to date with all of the local news.

No skype, i-Pods, text or even telephones. The only mobiles at the time were the yokes built on wheels and pulled by an Irish draft (upper class traveller) or a jennet (lesser class traveller).

The contact with Mrs Keher never waned in its intensity, or suffered in any way with the progress of modern technology. The lads made a beeline for Mrs Keher's shop the moment they set foot in their familiar surrounds.

They were first at her obsequies, God rest her.

The Irish diaspora in England earned respectability the hard way. Even in simple things like going through the job selection process, we knew that we could not afford to be average, we could not contemplate mediocrity. Eventually the common 'Paddy' – I never answered to it - was replaced by Peter, Joseph, Michael, Sean, Christopher - Barrie even.

It went further in many cases. The 'Paddys' were eventually the leaders of industry and commerce. They were addressed as Sir.

That happened in Jimmy Phelan's time.

The Irish led the great bastions of English medicine, banking, engineering, science, art, music, construction, Government even, law and corporate development eventually. They became civil leaders.

They were welcomed into establishments like Rotary, Lions, Catenians and Knights. In Manchester, Irish Associations were sprouting all over the patch.

A most prestigious Irish Club was opened in Chorlton-cum-Hardy on the outskirts of the city, not too far from Old Trafford. I remember being at a table as an invited guest at a function with some 10 people. Nine of the 10 were declared millionaires, and the other one was the iconic Matt Busby.

Paddy was moving in good company!

Married Mayo woman

Jimmy Phelan from Inistioge moved in those circles.

He married a young Mayo girl, Kath (Kathleen) from the Neale. She too was a young Irish emigrant. She trained as a SRN. She too rose to greatness in her chosen profession.

Together they set up home in Sale, an upmarket suburb of Manchester, where incidentally, many affluent Irish families live to this day. They reared a delightful family, James and his sister, Eimear. Eventually they became a loving doting grandad and granny to Joe, Caren and Ciara.

Jimmy worked with the CIS Insurance company in Manchester, advancing to the lofty elements of top-level management. Many, many times he was instrumental in acquiring jobs for fellow Kilkenny lads looking for a job. His efforts in that regard never waned.

Like many around him, Jim Phelan's entrepreneurial skills changed his lifestyle onto a different tack. With wife Kath and life-long friends, Tommy and Bridie Galvin, they identified a niche market where the emigrant Irish became the immigrant Irish.

They set up a Travel Company specialising in moving huge numbers of Irish, first and second generation back to the mother sod. The business prospered even though they initially operated from their own home in Sale.

Eventually pressure of business forced them to open Aran Travel on the High Street in Stretford. Its main trust was in surface transport, and in 1996 they ferried more passengers on Stenna Lines than any other independent travel agency.The Kilkenny Men's Association was birthed – no pun intended - on the ferry returning from the 1978 All-Ireland hurling final according to Joe Gaule.

Emptiness

"On the boat back to Liverpool we were rmaishing, particularly about home, and losing to Cork," Joe recalled. "I remember Joe Gordon (Knocktopher) and the late Tommy Kelly (Thomastown) on that bus. We were down, as we always were when that boat pulled away from the North Wall.

"That emptiness, that feeling, born from an earlier experience, never leaves an emigrant. We decided that we, as Kilkenny people, needed our own identity. There were associations all over Manchester from Galway to Mayo, to Roscommon, to Donegal, to Armagh and to Derry, but there was no Kilkenny Association.

"We (Irish) attended functions at all the others, because we knew them all, but we had none of our own. On returning we formed the Kilkenny Men's Association. We held our first dance in the Holy Name Club in All Saints, and we had our first visitor, Liam McCarthy that very first time."

Over the years the Kilkenny Men's Association has made an enormous contribution to the Kilkenny diaspora. They were never found wanting when assistance or placement was a priority.

Jimmy Phelan led the movement from the front. Not a hen's kick behind him was his schoolmate, Joe Gaule. They were to officiate as chairmen and Presidents over many of the formative years of the 'Association.

Other great people came on board. People like Maureen Aylward and her husband, Pat from Windgap. Jim Hynes from Bennettsbridge was there; Steve Sommers too. So too were the O'Shea brothers, and James Kennedy from Tullogher. Jim O'Shea is living still in Loughsullis, hale and hearty with his wife Patricia of fifty years.

We got to speak with the quiet Jim about the early days.

First chairman

"Jimmy was the first chairman and I was the first President," he told us. "Jimmy Phelan was a terrific organiser. He knew what he wanted to do, and he dedicated his entire being to accomplishing it. He was a very smart guy, who had tremendous abilities.

"There would never have been a Kilkenny Man's Association but for Jimmy Phelan and the energy he brought. 'Twas only last week Maureen Aylward was over visiting. She told us that five donations of 5,000 (sterling) were made to five different charities from the proceeds of the last dinner dance.

"I remember our first one. We had Eddie Keher and his wife, Kay over with the 'Cup. Senator Mick Lannigan was invited with his lovely wife, Dor. There were many more whose names I cannot remember including the Kilkenny People. It was a memorable occasion. It was a great night to be a Kilkenny man," said Jim.

Fr Michael Noonan married Jimmy and Kath in Galway Cathedral 47 years ago. He officiated at his funeral mass in Sale a couple of weeks ago. They were life-long friends.

" I remember him so well hurling around the Square," he told us. "As he grew up he involved himself in the very progressive Inistioge Tennis Club, and he was also involved in the local Dramatic Society. He had tremendous talents even at that early age.

"I remember him playing in the Inistioge brass band. After he finished his schooling under Martin Walsh, Jimmy got a job with Frank McConville, a Thomastown bookie. He was extremely clever with figures.

"I went away to Maynooth and Jimmy emigrated, but we never lost touch. I went over to Manchester on numerous occasions to himself and Kath. I remember being there with Bishop Laurence Forristal, John Power, D.J. Carey and others. They were a delightful, homely family, with a warming welcome at all times.

Valued him as friend

"He would take me to Old Trafford if there were a game. I valued him as a great friend and I know from talking to Mancunian Kilkenny men, that he did amazing work for the Association and much more besides. Because that was the kind of guy Jimmy Phelan was.

"His passing has left a great void in a huge number of people's lives. I was terribly proud of the fact that he had reached such heights in his working life, and I was hugely proud of the contribution he made to his fellow Kilkenny men; and to think that he came from my own place, little Inistioge on the banks of the Nore. They threw away the mould that made him," said the holy man.

We missed Maureen and Pat Aylward when we were penning this article. They had been on holidays visiting colceathars in Windgap and Knockmoylan.

We spoke with her in her delightful home in Lynn in Cheshire, which would be familiar to many who might have attended the annual Kilkenny Association event. Traditionally on the day after the 'Association's dinner at the Lancashire Cricket Club's grounds in Old Trafford, Maureen would host a dinner at her home for all attending guests.

"Jimmy was so full of energy and ideas. Of course he wore his Kilkenny colours on his forehead. For sure he was a Kilkenny man first, and an Irishman afterwards. I got involved as an ordinary member originally when Jim O'Shea asked me to go along for the inaugural meeting, but the first secretary, Rose Hynes found that she was returning home and I was implored to take over her position," Maureen explained.

Plank the Cup on the table

"After much persuasion, I agreed, for a while. That was in 1979. That while lasted up to two years ago. We had marvellous people involved, but the best nights were the ones when all you people came over with the Liam McCarthy. We were one of the very few, if any 'Association who could plank the Liam McCarthy Cup in the middle of the top table with any degree of regularity.

"Jimmy was so central to the continued success of our 'Association. He was utterly dependable, very loyal, courageous and adventurous. It is an unquestionable fact that the Kilkenny Association would never have materialised but for him. He was hugely popular within and outside of our Association, and he had a brilliant rapport with all other Irish Associations in Manchester.

"He had tremendous contacts in the business world, and he was never too slow in exploiting many of those contacts for the overall good of our 'Association. Of course we will all miss him, because he was such an integral part of our lives and by association our Kilkenny people's club. He was too young to leave us.

"He had so much more of himself to give. We can now just be eternally greatful for what he did for us all. The flame of his passion, loyalty, enthusiasm, and friendship will eternally blaze in all of the minds of the many people whose lives he touched," she said.

Ollie Ryan from Inistioge, a schoolboy colleague, was a loyal friend of Jimmy for many a long, tough day in Manchester. Their friendship blossomed as a result of the Kilkennymen's Association. Even when Ollie returned after many years in Manchester, he never lost contact with his trusted and loyal friend.

Personal grief

Jimmy passing will have caused a very personal grief for the Tullogher man.

Maybe nobody has captured the value of Jimmy Phelan's life work and its impact on other peoples lives like his son, James at his dad's funeral.

He said: "At one of my birthday parties, I said to my mum and dad that if the only thing I ever said to them again was "thank you", I still couldn't say it enough times to express the gratitude for everything they had done for me."

Jimmy Phelan made an enormous contribution. He did so much for so many people who needed a leg up.

I hope they said Thank You!

There is an old Irish saying that reads: "N heaspa go dth carad (There is no need like the lack of a friend)."

With Jimmy Phelan as a friend, your every need was satisfied.

Funeral Mass: August 21 (2pm) in St Brendan's Church, Clodagh, Inistioge.

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