Meath's 1949 All-Ireland win to be celebrated in Moynalty
Bench unveiling to mark 75th anniversary of first Sam Maguire win
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The Meath team from 1949, with Paddy Connell, second from left, back row.Image 2 of 6
The Meath team parading before the 1949 All-Ireland Senior Football Final in Croke Park.Image 3 of 6
Captain Brian Smyth and Peter McDermott with the Sam Maguire Cup.Image 4 of 6
Fr Packie Tully in New York for the National League final against Mayo in 1951.Image 5 of 6
The late Mattie Gilsenan with Sean Boylan, who will speak at the commemorative bench in Moynalty on Saturday. Photo: John Quirke.Image 6 of 6
A special event takes place in Moynalty this weekend to mark local involvement in Meath's first All-Ireland senior football championship success of 1949.
It was one of the greatest days in Meath sporting history - bringing Sam Maguire to the Royal County for the very first time, having beaten neighbours Cavan by four points.
Paddy Connell from Moynalty village was a formidable force in centre field and was described at the time as the "Meath midfield star" and as the "mainspring of the Meath revival" in the second half. Paddy later played in the 1954 final, securing his second All Ireland medal. He played with Meath until 1956. Apart from his two All-Ireland successes he won a national league medal in 1951 and was the holder of five Leinster SFC medals. He played club football for Moynalty, Ballinlough and Sean McDermott's, with whom he won a Dublin SFC medal. Paddy later emigrated to the UK in the late 50s but returned very often to his native Moynalty. He passed away in November 1994. Paddy remains the only person to have played with Moynalty and win an All-Ireland senior football medal.
Fr Patrick Tully, who served as curate in Moynalty from 1948 to 1975, was both the chairperson of the Meath GAA County Board and the 1949 team trainer. In fact, he had All-Ireland winning success as a coach with the 1954 and '67 Meath teams. He would go on to serve as chairman of the Meath County Board for 20 years. Fr Tully transferred to Duleek where he passed away in 1993.
Moynalty man, Matt Gilsenan, was also an important cog in the wheel acting as a selector to the '49 team. Matt played minor in 1933 before joining the senior setup in 1935 and was a critical element to that team for the following 11 years.
He was captain of the 1939 Meath team which lost to Kerry in Meath's first All-Ireland appearance. Matt was also the holder of three Railway Cup medals and was instrumental in securing the present grounds of Moynalty GAA. He passed away in 2013, aged 97.
The attendance on the All Ireland final day was 79,460 which was the largest ever seen with gate receipts of £7,057.
The following Wednesday evening after the final, there was a special homecoming gathering for Paddy in Moynalty village. According to a Meath Chronicle report from the time: “Paddy Connell received a tremendous reception in his native Moynalty when, it is claimed, the crowd was the largest seen in the village in living memory. He was met outside the village and hoisted on to a horse-drawn vehicle which was draped in green and gold. Members of the Moynalty team, wearing their football togs, formed a guard of honour. Preceded by Moynalty Newcastle and Mullagh Bands, he was carried in triumph to the centre of the village. Deafening cheers rang out as he mounted a platform on which were Rev P Tully CC, Con Sheridan, who presided; Mr Matthew Gilsenan, Cllr. John Bell, and Mr Paddy Gaynor. The chairman read an address of welcome to the Moynalty boy, to whom the rest of the platform party also paid tribute. Then a rare scene sprang to life. Mr JJ Carr , Kells, produced his accordion and soon thousands of feet were tapping out Irish dances. The dancing went on for hours. It was a memorable reception to a very popular and very modest young 'Gael.”
On Saturday next, 19th October, at 3pm in Moynalty village, a commemorative bench and plaque to the three men will be unveiled. Members of Connell, Tully and Gilsenan family will be in attendance. The keynote address will be delivered by Meath GAA legend Sean Boylan who enlisted Matt Gilsenan as a selector in his early days of managing the Meath team.
The event is made possible by a generous benefactor, Patrick Reilly, a Moynalty man now in his mid-nineties who emigrated to America in the 1950s and lives in Pearl River, New York, from where he has been a frequent contributor to the Meath Chronicle poetry pages over the decades. He wanted to see a permanent memorial to his boyhood heroes in his native village.
All with an interest are invited to attend on Saturday, where there will be a get-together and display of memorabilia in the Muintir na Tire hall afterwards.