Jimmy Mullen - GAA man for all seasons

FEELINGS of shock and sense of loss throughout the GAA world, and particularly in his native Louth, as the news spread on Monday of the death of Jimmy Mullen, 33 North Road, Drogheda.

A pillar of the GAA extending right back to his schooldays at the local C.B.S., the deceased was a polished footballer cum hurler at club and inter-county level, a top class referee, a dynamic legislator, a gifted linguist, historian and raconteur. Further, he was a wonderful father and husband, and an ornament to his early calling as a national teacher and likewise in his subsequent working life with various government departments.

Like so many exceptional figures of his time, Jimmy Mullen was modest to a fault. On many occasions that most endearing trait shone through and through. And none more so than in March of this year when at the Louth Past and Present Players Association dinner function in the Fairways, he was presented with his ‘Hall of Fame’ accolade.

In his reply, Jimmy expressed the view that the award could well have gone to a much more worthy recipient. However, he was deeply appreciative of the honour.

Peter Woods, former chairman in presenting the award summed up everyone’s feelings in the comment that it had been his pleasure to have known Jimmy Mullen for close on half a century and “a finer gentleman it would be impossible to meet.”

During Jimmy’s five year service as county committee leader, two All-Ireland titles came this way, the big one in 1957 when a long unbroken gap of 45 years happily ended with that famouse S.F.C. victory over Cork.

Nobody was prouder when the launching of Fr. John Mulligan’s edited “The GAA in Louth—an Historical Record” was made last December at a function in An Grianan to coincide with the GAA’s centenary year of 1984. Assisting Fr. Mulligan in this vert well received history were two other very close friends of Jimmy over the years Drogheda’s Sean Murray and Dunleer’s Patsy Mulroy.

The second All-Ireland football success during Mr. Mullen’s five year tenure of office came in the 1961 victory over Yorkshire in Leeds in the junior championship. For both the 1957 and 1961 homecomings, James McArdle picked up the tabs for receptions held in the White Horse Hotel which he owned until recently. And in keeping with the man. Jimmy never omitted an opportunity of remarking on such kindness.

His spell as County Board Chairman might well have been longer but for the fact that his work took him to Longford for a spell.

For that reason he did not seek reelection at the December 1961 convention and we read that “in recognition of his services to the association” he was unanimously elected an hon president of the GAA in Louth.

But at the 1962 convention the deceased again threw his hat in the ring only to be beaten by Brendan Breathnach. In no way, however, did he allow such decision to detract from his GAA involvement.

He was a key member of several sub-committees in subsequent years and also gave considerably of his spare time in the promotion of the O’Raghallaighs club across the road from him, just as he had done in earlier days with clubs such as Owen Roes, St. Dominies and Wolfe Tones hurlers.

One of his abiding regrets was that the Gaelic Athletic Grounds did not keep pace with the times. As a teenager attending the CBS, he had turned out with the Drogheda school against Crokes United (Dublin) in one of a three match programme in conjunction with the official opening of the venue in April 1926. In the presence of the then Defence Minister, Peter Hughes, as well as local T.D., Seamus E. Murphy, and the Drogheda Mayor of the day, Luke J. Elcock. In addition to the hurling match, Louth junior footballers beat Armagh 1 -6 to 1-3, and the Louth seniors accounted for Dublin 0-6 to 0-2.

As a member of the Owen Roes club, Jimmy was winning an All-Ireland junior football championship medal at the same venue six years later when Louth had a two points victory over London. And we read that “Jimmy Mullen, Peter Byrne, Jem Moonan and Jim Tiernan caught the eye in attack.”

Jimmy Mullen the player Jimmy the legislator, Jimmy the humorist, we have more or less dealt with. But it would be remiss in this newspaper to end out little piece without saying a bit more about the deceased’s prowess as a chronicler of the passing scene. He was a most valued contribution to the D.I. over several years.

In addition to his lucid reports of matches, Jimmy Mullen had no equals in these parts as a calligraphist. Again in keeping with the man, anything which he was called on to tackle had to be done well or not at all.

Thanks for the memories. Jimmy will be tremendously missed and in a particular way by his wife, son, two daughters, grandchildren and lifelong companion, Jack Carr. Ar dheis laimh De go raibh a anam dhilis.

Following tributes on Monday night, the business of the County Board was adjourned as a mark of respect.