Exile John’s kind gesture to his former G.A.A. club

ST. JAMES’ G.A.A. club recently completed the building of an extension to their complex in Mersheen, Ramsgrange.

As part of the construction the new home team dressing-room was officially opened on Thursday night.

John Murphy, originally from the Monastery, Ramsgrange, but now living and working in New York with his wife Carly and sons Nathaniel and James, made a donation to the club to fund the new home team dressing-room.

John, who was successful at Under-14, -16 and Minor level with the club and also an All-Ireland ‘B’ Senior football winner with Good Counsel College (New Ross), has never lost his love for the G.A.A. at home and abroad and brings his children to Rocklands G.A.A. club in New York weekly for training sessions.

He was a member of the county Minor football team in 1993.

John dedicated his sponsorship of the dressing-room to his mother Breda and his father Paddy, who is one of the trustees of the club and has been an ever-present down through the years on the field, on the sideline and at committee level for the club.

The official unveiling took place on Thursday night in Mersheen to a huge surprise to Paddy and Breda, with all of the Murphy family due home this weekend for a family reunion.

St. James’ G.A.A. Chairman Noel Holohan thanked John and all the Murphy family for their contribution to the club over the years and also thanked the building committee, fundraising committee and club committee for all their hard work over the past few years in helping to realise the dreams of putting a new complex in place.