Sadness as St Patrick’s GAA lose a great stalwart with the death of Seamus Kennedy
There was widespread sadness and a sense of loss in St. Pat’s GAA and also in the Shalon end of the Julianstown-Stamullen Parish and over the wider East Meath area on the death of Seamus Kennedy who passed away recently after a prolonged illness bravely fought.
A staunch GAA man born and reared in Tarmonbarry Co.Roscommon, Seamus played full back for the Roscommon County team in 1953.
Seamus arrived in Shalon in 1954 at the age of 19 to set up the farm his family had aquired. His next task was to seek out the local GAA club, St.Pats Stamullen, who had just aquired their new club grounds Whyte Park called after co founder the late Joey Whyte. St. Pats were a senior club at the time, having won the intermediate championship in 1951. Due to a deep recession at the time many players emigrated which left the club struggling. Seamus was immediately slotted in at full back, a position he held for over a decade. St.Pats were relegated to junior championship in 1958. In 1959 with a young team they reached the junior final but were defeated after three hectic matches. Playing alongside Seamus in those matches were All Ireland Medal holders Kevin Lenehan and Pat Red Colier. In the early sixties Seamus had disappointment again as they were defeated in the intermediate final by a good Athboy team. In 1962 the team went in with renewed vigour but were very unlucky when two drawn matches forced them out. Seamus and the team made up for all the disappointment when they went on to win the Intermediate final, beating a very good Kells team. Many maintain this was the best game Seamus ever played in a Pats jersey. When the team came under pressure in the final minutes his high fielding and lengthy clearences were a feature.
Seamus left the club in the mid sixties to form a club in his native Shalon. It was an amicable seperation.
After the disbandment of the Shalon club, Seamus returned to St.Pats where his heart always was. He helped out at the bingo organised by St.Patricks GAA and St. Josephs Athelic club. His son, John also played underage for St. Pats before emmigrating. Seamus’s link with the club goes on as his grandchildren curently play and his son in law supplies the transport for the juveniles. Also his name name will live on for many years in ‘Kennedy’s pumpkin Patch which is known country wide.
On Saturdy 17th February at 10.30am, Seamus left his home in Shalon for the last time to make the familiar trip to St.Marys Church in Julianstown. His coffin was draped in the green and white flag of St.Pats and the number three jersey proudly displayed along with the Pioneer Flag, as Seamus was a long term member of the Pioneer Assosiation.
Seamus’s cortege was met at the church by a guard of honor made up of past and present players and committee members of St.Pats. Funeral Mass was celebrated by Fr.Declan Kelly PP assisted by Fr.Philip Smith, retired PP of Balymore Co.Westmeath (who played alongside Seamus in his younger days). Cremation took place afterwards in Dardistown Crematorium.
St.Patrick’s Gaa club extend sincere sympathy to his wife Mary, son Sean, daughters Angela, Anne and Josephine, sons in law, brother, sisters, grandchildren, brothers-in-law, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends. Ar Dheis De go raibh anam. St.Patrick’s Gaa Club.