Remembering Jimmy Corbett

The late Billy Golden looked out the window of his home in Carnacon one day in June of 1986. He witnessed a most unusual site: a group of women playing football under the guidance of local man Jimmy Corbett.

It wasn’t unheard of at the time, but certainly frowned upon and, in some instances, laughed at. Little did he know, in the words of Councillor Al McDonnell, a long-time friend of Jimmy’s, that he was witnessing ‘a great seismic cultural change’ that marked the start of ‘a welcome cultural and sporting revolution.’ 

What Jimmy created over the next 32 years was a legacy nobody foresaw and one that will never be surpassed: six All-Ireland senior club titles, 16 Connacht titles and 22 county titles, 22 county league titles, as well as an All-Ireland U-14 Féile an All-Ireland 7s title and numerous underage crowns.

Today, that legacy is carved into the silver of the Jimmy Corbett Perpetual Cup, ensuring that it will never be forgotten.

Launched on a warm Thursday night in Carnacon Community Centre, the new cup will be awarded to the new Mayo senior football champions.

Bedecking the walls of the centre were a museum’s-worth of newspaper, photos and memorabilia from Jimmy’s 32-year-long association with Carnacon LGFA. A truly awe-inspiring canvas and fitting homage to a man woven into the green and red fabric of Carnacon.

“Jimmy Corbett was Mayo football. He was Mr Mayo and Mr Carnacon,” said Cora Staunton, recognised throughout the land by her first name alone.

Likewise, Jimmy Corbett was simply ‘Jimmy’ when it came to Carnacon - Sir Jimmy, by those who knew him best.

“He poured his heart and soul into Carnacon,” said Beatrice Casey, who stood on sidelines with Jimmy for decades.

“The club wouldn’t be where it is today without his hard work and dedication. He had made a lasting impact that will be remembered for years to come. He was the backbone of the club, always there when we needed him and never hesitated to lend a hand.”

Representatives from the seven other senior clubs gathered for photos with the cup one of them will hoist next month.

None of those clubs existed when Jimmy Corbett founded Carnacon LGFA where, from a bumpy field in this picturesque blink-and-you’ll miss-it village, emerged some of the greatest players ever to play for Mayo. Because Jimmy could spot potential in seconds and would willingly spend years developing it. 

Indeed, how many All-Irelands would Mayo have won without Cora Staunton, Claire Egan, Yvonne Byrne and so many others that were put through Jimmy’s hands? But Jimmy’s raison d’etre wasn’t just to produce county players and win county titles. 

“Jimmy wasn’t just a clubman. He was a county man,” said his daughter, Michelle. “He was PRO with Mayo and absolutely… his ideal was to develop ladies football, develop Carnacon but also to develop Mayo’s football and Mayo’s chances of winning All-Irelands.”

He was a father of nine, but a second father to hundreds. No player ever said a bad word about him: “Jimmy had a very good knack of getting on with everyone. No one disliked him - different to me,” said Cora Staunton with tongue slightly in cheek.

“He was the type of guy that, no matter what happened, he was always brilliant around players; every player, whether you played for Mayo at underage or you played for Carnacon, you played for Knockmore, for Hollymount. Every girl that I ever talked to through my years of football - that’s been a long time - they never had a bad word to say about Jimmy.”

Jimmy witnessed great and glorious days with Carnacon, but also some terrible, tragic times.  In 2003, the club was shaken to its core by the passing of promising young footballer Aisling McGing. She was just 18 years old. 

In 2018, Jimmy was left ‘heartbroken’ by a debacle which saw his beloved Carnacon thrown out of the championship. They were later reinstated and won the county title that year. And again the following year - with their founding father smiling down proudly from beyond the clouds - and again the following year.

Jimmy lives on in Carnacon and in Mayo, in every sense. Cora still watches out for him on the sideline, standing alongside Beatrice Casey and Michael McHale with his hat half-pulled over his ears.

But perhaps nowhere more is Jimmy more alive than in his daughter Michelle, who wears her father’s gleaming smile, his heart on her sleeve, and believes just as passionately in the true value of Gaelic football.

“Go to see your children play,” she told the large crowd gathered at the launch of her father’s cup. “Them days will pass, be there, be there when they have a bad game, don’t give out to them. Encourage them, support them, bring them. There’s nothing better than going out playing football, because when you’re out playing football you’re making friends for life. 

“Most of all, have fun,” she added. “Have fun playing a sport that ye love, because ye wouldn’t’ be doing it if ye didn’t love it. Make friends, make memories and keep playing and bring along the girls that are thinking about giving up. Don’t let them give it up. There’s too many girls giving up football from 16 on. It’s not fair. It’s not on. It needs to be encouraged. It needs to be supported.”

That’s what Jimmy Corbett started in Carnacon, and that’s what his family want to see continued. His likes will never pass this way again, but his legacy will live forever.