Time was when soccer laboured in the shadows cast by the GAA in Keady – but not anymore.
A vibrant, go-ahead drive to revitalise the sport has paid dividends to the extent that the town now boasts three teams from the forward-thinking Keady Celtic club, with new players joining at regular intervals.
It was Jimmy Green, among others, who helped to give soccer a new image in the border town, and he is now hopeful that the sport can take even bigger strides in the locality.
The energetic Jimmy, who turned out for the Keady club perhaps longer ago than he might care to remember, is still fiercely committed to keeping the flag flying.
“Obviously, there is a big interest in the GAA here in Keady, but there is no doubt that soccer has considerable appeal,” explains Jimmy.
“We have two Keady Celtic teams and a youth side as well, and they are all progressing favourably. The sport is certainly playing a part in people’s lives here, and hopefully, it will go from strength to strength.”
The Youth Academy side has been making considerable progress under the baton of the very capable Michael Beattie, but he has been obliged to step away from his duties for personal reasons.
He is certainly taking very happy memories with him of a team that afforded him considerable satisfaction and indeed the opportunity to offer the community a team that they could support.
“I think the lads have been showing great commitment since the youth side was formed. They have been making headway, and I must say it is very heartening to see the degree of talent that has been coming to the fore,” explains Mickey.
“Mind you, the lads took great delight in Armagh winning the All-Ireland final last year. That created quite a buzz in Keady, as you can imagine.”
Jimmy Green, meanwhile, is still playing his role in helping to introduce fresh talent to the club in the hope that they can aspire to a high level and do the town proud.
“We have two teams in the Mid-Ulster League and another in the Newry League, so there is plenty to keep them going. It’s great to see the way the lads are responding, and I sincerely hope that this is maintained going forward. We recognise that soccer has huge appeal, and obviously, we would hope that we might just break new ground along the way,” smiles Green.
When the GAA reigned supreme on the sporting front in Keady, the Dwyers football team and the Lámh Dearg hurling club had the sporting scene very much to themselves.
The Dwyers produced a steady flow of good players, some of whom, indeed, were summoned into the Armagh county panel in the past, while hurling gained in popularity after the club’s foundation, and young players in particular underlined their ability in considerable style.
Indeed, the past feats of the footballers and hurlers have not been forgotten, and indeed some of the players attained the status of local heroes, as Jimmy Green can recall.
“Yes, sport has in general always been popular in Keady, and Gaelic football and hurling were revered sports. A surge of talent came through in both codes, thus persuading officials to place greater emphasis on the role that the two sports played in the community, and it came as no surprise afterwards that the sports soared in popularity,” points out Green.
l-r: Tommy Mone, Leo Rice, Oliver Harvey, Brendan Deveney, Joe Harvey, Jimmy Greene
The fact that facilities were good in the town offered players the opportunity to hone their skills, and indeed, in the past, it was common to see sizeable crowds attend games.
“Obviously, people took to the sports, but in more recent years, public attention has switched to the inter-county scene. Armagh’s capture of the All-Ireland senior football championship title in such stunning style last year captivated the town, just as it did many other areas of the county, and it has helped to trigger even further interest in the sport among young people,” states Green.
There is no doubt that with sport enjoying a comfortable role within communities throughout the county, the scope for progress and development is very much there.
When you think about the outstanding talents that former local greats such as Harry Loughran and Joe Mee brought to the table, and when you take into consideration the hurling skills of Stephen Renaghan, you can see why Keady gained a reputation for producing its share of star talent. Not to mention All-Ireland winners John Toal and Paul McCormack among the town’s alumni.
But it was playing for the pride of the club in football or hurling that was always prominent in the eyes of the participants themselves.
“Yes, many players took great delight in representing the town in their particular code, and that’s something which won them many admirers,” stresses Green.
“They derived great satisfaction from what they were doing, and we all tried to give them every support possible. Obviously, fundraising was always an important issue, but we usually managed to get the equipment and other elements that we needed to make sure that the teams were always able to take the field.”
With the growth of other clubs in the area such as Derrynoose, Ballymacnab, Granemore, and Clady, Green recalls the period when these and other teams stepped up to the mark to do the GAA proud in the area.
“Obviously, these clubs are still putting their shoulder to the wheel, which is very encouraging going forward, and I for one would like to think that this will continue to be the case,” muses Green.
“But I would also like to think that soccer will come to have a more enhanced slot, assuming that the local teams can manage to enjoy a share of success.
“There is undoubtedly new talent coming through all the time, and this is greatly encouraging. Young players, in particular, have much to offer from what I am observing at the moment, and I hope this continues to be the case.
“It takes self-sacrifice and effort to achieve success, but then the end can always justify the means in this respect. From what I know, the schools in Keady, like St Patrick’s High, are producing some good sporting talent at this point in time, and this certainly augurs well for the future.
“I think such talent should be given every encouragement, and if this proves to be the case, then Keady will have something to acclaim in the future.”
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