A man like no other remembered in Claremorris

There was no big fuss in Claremorris on Thursday night and that's the way Sean McManamon would have liked it. Salthill Knocknacarra played the local lads in a nothing-spared challenge match. The football was good. The weather was excellent. The craic was mighty. McManamon would have approved.

Sean McManamon passed away on December 23, 2016. He left behind a rich treasure-trove of memories and many of those were recalled by those in attendance in Canon Gibbons Park on Thursday night. McManamon was born and reared in Claremorris to a Ballycroy father and a Gort mother. He joined the guards in 1960 and proudly served the nation for the rest of his working life.

As well as being a member of An Garda Síochána, he was a wonderful family man, raising four children, Ger, Mairead, Micheál and Aine, alongside the love of his life Kitty (Malone) from Westport.

Last Thursday night, the young men of Claremorris and Salthill Knocknacarra came together to play their annual match for possession of the Sean McManamon Cup, a trophy donated by Muintir Mhaigh Eo Gaillimh.

“Sean was an amazing man. He did so much for so many people and he wore his Mayo heart on his sleeve with great pride,” Declan Marley from Muintir Mhaigh Eo told The Mayo News.

“He was heavily involved with Salthill Knocknacarra and a central figure in Pearse Stadium too where he was Senior Steward for many years. We're very proud to have the two clubs play for his cup annually and it's a great warm-up for them with championship just around the corner,” Marley added.

His synopsis was correct, both sides spared nothing as players looked to impress management with the lure of championship just over the horizon. Kevin Beirne, Brendan Fitzpatrick and Val Kenny encouraged the young home team while just a few yards away Finian Hanley, Sean Armstrong and Gary Cox issued instructions to the visitors.

Behind the visiting management stood the substitutes and one John Maher. The young man had left every ounce of energy on the pitch for Galway in Croke Park just four days earlier, yet he was back with his club on Thursday night. Of course, he wasn't stripped for action but his presence illustrated his dedication to the cause and was very noteworthy.

The match itself was interesting and well-contested. The Galway men had played challenges against both Ballyboden St Enda's and Na Fíanna in recent weeks and were a little bit sharper than the home side.

The guests led 0-6 to 0-4 at half time. Niall Hurley had kicked a classy point for Claremorris and James Shaughnessy almost got in for a goal as Cathal Joyce and Matthew Mackin also caught the eye, but a Salthill Knocknacarra goal early in the second half stretched them away from the home lads.

McManamon would have enjoyed the evening and his son Ger and daughters Mairéad and Áine were there with some of his grand-children, experiencing the fun and friendship on offer.

Sean McManamon was a with a great drive for life, but it was in the genes. His father Stanley met a stunning McGrath from Gort one night in Claremorris and she made such an impact on him that he cycled from Ballycroy every weekend after that to meet her, until they were married and settled in Claremorris.

Their son, joined the guards in 1960 and went on to win county titles with Claremorris, O'Dempsey's in Laois and Castlerea in Roscommon. He became an inter-county referee and was instrumental in helping develop impressive GAA clubhouses in Castlerea and Salthill.

On top of that he coached Western Gaels in Roscommon and had many other sporting accomplishments, too numerous to mention.

Sean was a man of great wit and on Thursday night one of the stories recalled on the side line in Claremorris went back to a day he was refereeing a match between Kerry and Kildare. He awarded a free to a Kerry defender, but the fouled player still complained bitterly to Sean. The Mayo man retorted “what do you expect me to do, sure I can’t give you two frees.”

On Thursday night, the match ended with Salthill Knocknacarra beating the home side 1-12 to 0-8 and afterwards Declan Marley addressed the crowd as Ger McManamon prepared to present his father's cup.

Declan remembered Sean and also mentioned John O'Mahony and Ger Brady who had passed away recently. John was manager of Salthill Knocknacarra when last year's Sean McManamon final was contested while Ger was a talented and much-loved member of Claremorris until his recent untimely death.

Ger McManamon then presented the cup to the winning captain Mikey Culhane, who said he was very proud to play in a game remembering a “great GAA man.”

Afterwards both teams shared refreshments in the clubhouse. There was no fuss. McManamon would have liked it that way.