Amongst the inspirational quotes John O’Mahony used to rouse the various teams he managed, I noticed this one: “The opportunity of a lifetime needs to be seized during the lifetime of the opportunity.” (Leonard Ravenhill) Notebook
It was All-Ireland Sunday 2001 – Meath vs Galway. There are two men I am remembering today, one was in the thrust of the action, the other watching from his hospital bed. One of them died within days of the final, the other in recent weeks. Tim Fitzmaurice, a Roscommon Man was in hospital, and he watched the All-Ireland Final that Sunday, John O’Mahony, a Mayo Man, managed Galway to victory. May they both rest in peace.
I am not well versed in the intricacies of football and never wore colours of any kind, other than the supportive Black and White for my native Sligo. When Sligo bowed out of the championship, as all too often happened, I would support the Connaught Teams remaining. Tim must have been like that too. From his hospital bed, he watched the game, aware that a neighbouring county’s colours were on the pitch and a neighbour from another county had brought them there. He knew who he was supporting. As I understand it, the game was a low scoring event, and when Meath was awarded a penalty, the feeling was that it could turn the day. When Trevor Giles, a noted and lauded player, stepped up to the mark, the feeling was that he would “bury it in the back of the net”! As it turned out, he didn’t. I read afterwards that he received a lot of negative comments for this and, though I do not know him, I firmly believe that negativity has no place in life and often the most negatively outspoken are the ones who never lined out for anything but, maybe that is for another day!
Galway was victorious, the West was awake, and the homecoming was spectacular. As the team prepared for celebrations and as John’s family, prepared to rejoice with him, Tim’s family prepared for a funeral Mass.
John O’Mahony and Tim Fitzmaurice shared more than just a passion for sport, they shared faith and carried it well. For many years, Tim was a steward at Knock Shrine, leading and guiding people in prayer and procession. Prayer came easily to him, as it did to John. His daughter told me that she noticed that Tim, during his final days, did not seem to be praying – his Rosary beads left untouched on the bedside locker. Shortly before he died, she asked him: “Daddy, are you not praying?” He was always a droll man, he looked at her and though death was close enough, he smiled and said: “The last prayer I said was that Giles would miss the penalty!”
As for facing death, I think he knew he had his prayers said and clearly, he felt he could justifiably place his trust in the “Heavenly” manager knowing that he had left the best of what he had to give on the pitch.
Tim had nothing against Giles and, no doubt admired him and knew how incredibly skilful he was, maybe that’s why he felt the prayer was needed. He wanted to see Galway, the West and John to have the day and a missed or saved penalty would help secure that. The bigger prayers around life and death had been offered during his life, there was no need to be storming Heaven in extra time.
Both men have been on my mind in recent weeks. It is likely they never met and yet they were connected on that September Sunday in 2001. Life is strange that way, there are connections going on all the time that we are not aware of. There are people wishing us well that we must not forget, even if we are at a remove. There are people depending on us for that bit of kindness and support that is so truly within our ability to share.
In these few lines, as I remember two friends and a shared moment, maybe you might give some thought to people who have crossed your path and made a difference. Others can remember them, write about them, but the thoughts you have and the connections you can make, are memory’s gift to you. Let them speak.