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Jimmy Murray Knockcroghery, Co. Roscommon. 1917 - 2007 |
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James Murray (Jimmy as many people knew him and Jamesey to everyone else) was born on 5th. May 1917. His parents were John S. Murray and his wife Susan (from Magherafelt, Co. Derry). They were farmers, shopkeepers and publicans, in the village of Knockcroghery in South Roscommon. John S. had moved there from Rahara in 1915. James was the eldest of ten children, his siblings were Michael, Maura, Tony, Phelim, Emmet, Malachy, Sue, Oliver & Paddy.
His interest in football was kindled at a very early age and he recalled that his first letter to Santa was for a football, which was duly delivered. In "Football Captains. The Great All-Ireland Winners" by Brian Carthy (see below) he tells how his parents always insisted that he and his brother Phelim, should attend training in the evening, even though it meant more work for them in the business. His mother, he recalls, never saw him play football.
Billhead of John S. Murray. Draper, Knockcroghery, from the 1940's.
Knockcroghery in the 1940's including J. S. Murrays Shop. At Inter-County level he won two All-Ireland Senior Football medals in 1943 and 1944, one Junior All-Ireland Football medal in 1940, four Connacht Senior Football medals in 1943, 1944, 1946 and 1947, two Connacht Junior Football medals in 1939 and 1940, and an Oireachtas Football medal in 1943
Photographs from the great All-Ireland winning years of 1943 / 1944.
Jimmy's feats on the field of play have featured in many books and articles over the years including two books about great GAA personalities. In "Football Captains. The All-Ireland Winners" by Brian Carthy (Wolfhound Press 1993) - Jimmy Murray Roscommon Captain 1943 & 1944 is on pages 298 to 305, and "The Best of the West" by John Scally (The Collins Press, 2008) - Captain Sensible, Jimmy Murray is on pages 32 to 35. Both are illustrated.
Jimmy Murray married Anne Costello from Headford, Co. Galway and they had a very happy life together until she was taken, at the early age of 58, in 1992. They had five children, John, Michael, Mary, Susan and Jimmy.
Some of Jimmy's many friends and some of his awards. Even when he was playing football for Roscommon and winning All Ireland medals Jimmy Murray was also involved in other things. In 1939 he became secretary to the Mid-Division of the GAA County Board. In this role he kept meticulous minutes of the goings-on at the various meetings of this committee and, thankfully, they have survived for present and future historians to use. (We have a photocopy of the original in our GAA collection).
He was also involved with his club St. Patricks (later St. Dominic's), training various teams, and over the years he held many positions on various committees which culminated in his being President of St. Dominic's GAA Club at the time of his death in 2007. He was awarded many tributes over the years, in recognition of his achievements and his contribution to the GAA and to the local and wider community. His pub was used by many local groups, including the South Roscommon Singers Circle and Jimmy even produced his own CD The West's Awake which he sold for charity. Jimmy was known throughout Ireland as a perfect gentleman. May he rest in Peace. Unless otherwise stated all photographs are © Copyright: Murray Family and are used with permission. NOT TO BE REUSED for any purpose unless permission is received in writing. Full size images are available. This is the material we currently have for Jimmy Murray. If you have more please contact us.
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Images not to scale. |
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Jimmy Murray was one of
a unique band of football players, only a handful of whom have
captained their county to two All-Ireland titles. But before those
heady days in 1943 and '44 he had already experienced the thrill of
winning.
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