Dromtariffe bids farewell to 59er Pat Joe Neville
DROMTARIFFE GAA learned with regret on the passing of one of the finest players of his era on the death in New York of Pat Joe Neville.
A sportsman of exceptional talent, his Dromtariffe career was short because of emigration, yet Pat Joe maintained a tradition on coming from a family immersed in the affairs of a proud GAA club. His father Paddy figured on the 1935 Dromtariffe team to win a County IFC and was one of thirteen Dromtarriffe players that started on the Duhallow West team to win the 1936 County SFC.
Former club chairman Charlie Drake spoke of Pat Joe and his family that is synonymous with Dromtariffe and his passing caused widespread sadness.
“Pat Joe was a born athlete from the day he was able to walk, we had many a long summer’s evening running cross country around the late Luke Philpot’s fields jumping ditches and drains and dodging furze bushes and he leaving us all in his wake. They were the days back in the early 1950s so it was no wonder he was some footballer as were all his brothers,” said Charlie.
“Those special memories of Pat Joe will always bring a smile and I only wish we could have him back again even for just a little while. Then we could sit and talk just like we used to do, he always meant so very much to us,” he said.
“Since Pat Joe’s passing I have spoken to two members of the O’Keeffe family that lived close to the Neville home Hanna Mary (Mullane) and Eileen (Bradley), discussed fond and joyful memories of those long hot summer evenings spent in the company of Pat Joe and his brothers and sisters, those memories have brought tears to our eyes,” he said.
Current Club President Vincent Collins and one of the founder members of Dromtariffe Juvenile Club in 1949 referred to Pat Joe starting his playing days back in 1954/55 as an under 15 player.
“Pat Joe Neville was one of the very best that ever wore a Dromtarriffe jersey but unfortunately we didn’t get to see enough of him because he went to America at the age of 19 years,” he said.
Pat Joe burst onto Dromtariffe Junior A team in ’59 and delivered some outstanding displays and emerged deadly accurate from frees. He also had an eye for goal as he showed when he sent an unstoppable shot all the way to the net against Kilshannig in a county semi final with 2-1 added in the Final against Dohenys.
Pat Joe intended to depart for America after the Kilshannig game but with the intervention of team captain Tom Meaney and club officers, a successful visit to his home pleaded with him to stay with the team until after the final.
“Pat Joe was recognised throughout Dromtarriffe and Duhallow as a first class footballer and only for emigrating, he would have gone on to play for the county senior team. He possessed a special football intelligence and an extraordinary eye as a forward to create and execute a goal scoring opportunity and a most amazing body swerve,” said team captain Tom.
Colleague Mick Byrnes applauded the efforts of the late Pat Joe stating “his surperb balance and a keen eye for the posts made him one of the great forwards in Cork and New York”.
Pat Joe went on to play football with his adopted club in New York and on one such occasion he found himself against a cousin on an opposing team. So fierce was the battle between the two, Pat Joe sustained a broken nose but played on and it didn’t stop him from scoring.
The triumphant 1959 Dromtariffe panel included James Noonan, Paddy Murphy, Tom Meaney, Gerald O’Connor, Bernie Dillon, Din Joe Kelly (RIP), Bill Whelan (RIP), Tim Joe O’Connell, Mick Byrnes, Pat Joe Neville (RIP), Dan Shine (RIP), Con O’Connor, Connie Moynihan (RIP), Con Duggan (RIP), Patsy Barry, Dan Joe Buckley (RIP), Denny Duggan (RIP), Donie Murphy (RIP), Denny Noonan (RIP), Sean Murphy, Ted Murphy, Seamus Hayes (RIP), Dan Joe Cashman (RIP).
Dromtariffe regrets the passing of one its great players with sympathy extended to Pat Joe’s family.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.