Billy Magner - past chairman, past secretary and more
Twice now, within 2 short weeks, and on a wet and blustery cold March Day, club stalwart Tom Deane has had reason to lower the tri colour and lower the adjacent club flag to half-mast outside Killavullen GAA grounds, as we bade farewell to one of our best, in Billy Magner. Last week, it was one of the founders of the reincarnated juvenile club, Owen O’Neill.
The club would like to extend its condolences to Catherine, his wife of 52 years, and to his children, Mary, Ann, John, James, Liam, Triona, Nichola, Maurice and the late Jacynta. Also to his sisters Marie, Ella and Anne, his brother Maurice, grandchildren, nephews, nieces, relatives, great neighbours on the main street, and many, many friends.
Many of those friends would have celebrated in Springfort Hall only a short two years ago, with Billy and Catherine and their close family on the joyous occasion of their 50th wedding anniversary.
Billy was a long serving trustee of the club, and a long serving club secretary from 1977 to 1984. Billy was also a past chairman of the club in 1990, our North Cork board delegate for a large number of years, and a member of the GPC, of the division. Billy, from the Main Street in the village will be forever interred, where he can look down on us all, in Monanimy cemetery, overlooking the playing pitch in Killavullen that he was such a key figure in developing.
When Billy was club secretary, big decisions for the club were taken and steady hands at the top table were essential. The Mill Field pitch was acquired, and it was acquired from three distinct land owing families, the Browne, Linehan and Hayes families, so no doubt a good listener was required, and a skilful negotiator, and Billy was that and so much more. Billy, Sean Nagle and Noel Brosnan took on the onerous responsibilities of being club trustees then, when each had young families and a myriad of other commitments. Without trustees there is no way to draw down a loan, and without loans of some sort there would be no pitch.
From behind his bar on the main street, all facets of Killavullen life were observed, and Billy was great at letting the conversation flow and would only ever intervene if you were well out of order in your facts or behaviour. Billy was a hardworking man who worked hard to provide for his family and appreciated likeminded people.
He took immense interest in Killavullen, in the matters of the GAA club, in the matters of fishing, indeed he was instrumental in securing the fishing rights for the local community on the river in Killavullen. He had an affinity to the place, a grá, and to its people and was proud of anyone from the parish. He was generous to a fault to people if they ever wanted a lift to a game, but it was a speedy lift - no dawdling about with Billy, if the blues or Cork were playing!
His bar was a pleasant bar, a mixed bar where the conversation was easy, varied and interesting. Billy supported numerous clubs in their requests for premises for meetings and functions, and was quite involved with the Killura Gun Club, in hosting functions for them.
The back bar in Magner’s, The Forge, was often thronged and heaving with people, and never more so than in the winter of 1983/84 when Killavullen was involved in the Tops of the Communities. Many a late and gallant social night occurred there, and especially when the Killavullen participants, with his own children Ann and John on the stage, won out against Castletownroche, in the county final, above in Connolly
Hall. Billy loved all that, and was a great supporter.
We thank you Billy, within the GAA Community, for our fine grounds, your work in our name was and is very much appreciated.
SPRING CLEAN-UP
The annual spring clean-up of the roads in our parish will occur on Saturday, March 20 at 10am. We would gratefully appreciate the support of the people of the parish, if they were to come together with others to pick the litter on their own roads.
All participants are to wear high viz vests, use disposable gloves and observe social distancing. Each road will have a coordinator and the coordinators will arrange for all rubbish to be brought to the GAA grounds in bags provided by Country Clean only, which will be provided in advance. Strictly roadside rubbish only, no garage clean outs please and the Country Clean bags must be used.
Road coordinators will be contacted by John Magner. If anyone is available to cover an area outside of their own please contact John as some roads are less populated than others, yet need a clean-up.
Country Clean bags can be collected in advance by arrangement from Marion O’Regan (0852181887) or with John Magner (0861591585).
Killavullen GAA Club are very grateful for the assistance of Dave O’Regan and his company Country Clean, from Ballygown for their assistance with this clean up. It is a shame that this clean-up is even necessary in the first instance, but a small cohort of people are spoiling our beautiful environment for the majority. Some prosecutions are definitely needed to stymie this plague in our countryside.
REBELS’ BOUNTY – FINAL WEEKS
The Rebels’ Bounty GAA draw has been a tremendous success for our club, and we have increased the number of participants substantially. If anyone is still interested in participating in the draw, kindly make contact with any committee member and we will facilitate. The initial 3 draws will take place on March 25, and all tickets purchased must be on the Rebels’ Bounty portal, by 5pm on that day. Sharing of tickets between two participants is facilitated and we have numerous payment options also. Your support, in the absence of our local lotto is greatly appreciated.
IRISH LIFE – EVERY STEPS COUNT CHALLENGE
Killavullen GAA Club, or indeed Killavullen Ladies Football
Club, both reached the threshold of 4,000kms to be in with a chance to share in the prize fund of €20,000 worth of O’Neill’s vouchers which was split out per province. That seven week program has now concluded, and the winners in Munster were Beale GAA Club wins €2,500. Beale are a club in Ballybunion, Co Kerry. Ballybacon Grange GAA Club wins €1,500 – Tipperary Club. Emly GAA Club wins €2,500, a club in Limerick. Congratulations to the winners, and it is a nice bonus picked up for these clubs. The real winners though were everyone who got out to enjoy the fresh air and participate. Well done to our local healthy club co-ordinator, Helen Cagney, who was not shy in cajoling us all to participate.
CLUB SPONSOR Howard Farm Feeds.