Jack was an innovator in soccer was happiest with Mollie by his
JACK and Mollie. The names have a certain rhythm to them, like the slightly varied names of the popular song.
Jack and Mollie had their own rhythm. The husband and wife were always together as they ambled along the streets of Dundalk, with seemingly not a care in the world and never pushed for time.
Invariably well dressed, Jack was usually in a bright coloured suit with a top hat on his head. Molly was always well turned out and they walked happily side by side.
Jack with a beaming smile greeted fellow pedestrians as they approached and he would break into his characteristic he-he laugh, as the pair gladly stopped to engage in chat.
Their journey on the streets was comprised of these meetings and greetings and talk in between dropping into the different places they had cause to go on their trips into town from their home in Readypenny.
In case you haven’t guessed they were Jack and Mollie McGuinness, who are happily together with their Maker.
They were well known, liked and respected, with Jack known widely from his farming profession and his active involvement in the Dundalk and latter Louth Agricultural and Horticultural show and the Ploughing Association, but most of all from his deep interest and engagement in soccer in which he was a pioneer and an innovator and was largely responsible for the growth and popularising of the sport in Mid Louth.
Darver Stars was Jack’s team, and he had two very close allies in Joe Dorian and Jim Nixon who played an invaluable part in the running of the Darver Mid Louth League. Joe and Jim were the two main referees and among duties that Jack faithfully undertook was to publicise the league, personally delivering in writing or sending in by telephone notes to be included in the weekly newspapers.
There was a Mid Louth schoolboy league under-17 which Darver won, but the Darver League was started by Jack and his buddies and took over as the main focus of competition and they ran it for years.
Jack’s land across from his home at Readypenny was the venue, and the league was highly successful attracting teams from all over Mid Louth and further afield, including Dundalk, with under age and adult competitions.
Multiple pitches were set up with several games taking place at the one time. The games were small sided; seven-a-side comes to mind.
Adult games were played also later at Jack’s land, off the Ardee Road further down from Readypenny.
Following on from Jack’s lead, other successful soccer leagues sprung up such as in Louth and Knockabbey and were greatly enjoyed by players and highly competitive, attracting top players who played in the League of Ireland and the Irish League.
In the case of the Louth sevena-side league the selfless devotion and dedication of Gerry Connolly and Anthony Rooney in refereeing the matches, ensured that the action in the 70s and 80s went on every Sunday throughout the autumn, winter and spring in frost, hail, rain and snow, with the Shield final played on Saint Stephen’s Day and the Challenge Cup final on Saint Patrick’s Day, the latter date marking the end of the season.
Hugh Hernon generously provided the venue at Monvallet.
However Jack was the one person singularly identified with soccer in Mid-Louth, who was ahead of the times with regard to the use of substitutes in games.
The first substitute in English football was introduced in the 1965-1966 season, with one player then being allowed only to replace an injured player.
Anecdotally there were humorous stories told of Jack and how he would inventively overcome a handicap his team might have and advance the chance of success.
He and great pal Joe Dorian travelled the length and breath of the country supporting Dundalk, and Jack maintained his support for the club and the team over a long number of years.
He lent his support in other tangible ways in making available the land further out the Ardee Road for the playing of Dundalk Youths matches. He also facilitated the highly successful Bank Rovers junior club to play home matches in the Leinster League on his land.
Jack’s input to society in Dundalk and Louth and the enjoyment of life through soccer and other cultural and social events was immense.
He was president of the annual Dundalk /Louth Agricultural show, which provides an outlet for farmers, sheep, cattle breeders and horse and pony owners to enter competitions, along with gardeners to proudly exhibit their vegetables and flowers, and the home bakers and jam makers to show off their skills, and provide
a day of varied entertainment and enjoyment for urban and country dwellers alike.
Mollie was a staunch support to Jack and served as PRO of the Show Society.
Jack also was a leading member of the Ploughing Association in Louth, holding I recall the position of chairman.