Article September Week 1 2005
Tom Lenihan. Fenit Honour a Kerry Unsung Hero.
By Weehsie Fogarty
Recently at a packed Oyster Tavern in Fenit the Unsung Hero of Kerry GAA for the month of July was toasted and honored by friends, family and club men. Jim and Margo McGrath of the Oyster were exemplary hosts for the night. Tom Lenihan of the Churchill club was nominated by the St. Brendan’s Board as their recipient for that month and like the previous six nominees Tom was a most worthy choice. In front of a huge crowd those two great servants of the board Chairman, J P Daly and Liam Cotter were lavish in their praise for the gentle and unassuming Aunascaul born Tom.
Aman not entrenched in the past when I asked him his views on the changes in the Association in latter years he very quickly replied. “The greatest thing that ever came in Weeshie was the doing away with the ban, I can tell you stories about that ban. When I was young man I was in the FCA and in the winter time we would be sent to Cork for training, and we would go to the rugby dances in the Imperial Hotel, and that time you would be constantly looking over your shoulder in case you would be seen and suspended from the GAA, you could get six months suspension for supporting –foreign games-. Now the first ever rugby match I saw was between Munster and Australia played at Cork, of course there was no TV at that time, we left at half time as we could not understand what was going on when they went down for the scrums, we thought they were whispering to each other and did not understand so we left and went into the Long Valley bar for a few points, we hadn’t a clue what was happening, it was all so new to us and we were in dread we would be seen coming out and suspended”.
Tom told the above story about their naivety at that time among great busts of laughter, this was typical of the man, a wonderful sense of humor, quiet spoken and seemingly embarrassed with all the fuss being made of him on the night. Indeed I must add that all the seven recipients of this Unsung Hero Award would all have one thing in common, each of the seven despite their massive contribution the Gaelic games in this county, (a life time of dedication), were all seemingly embarrassed at being signaled out, all were unassuming, easy to talk to and so exemplary in their own respective ways
And then I asked him about the upcoming All Ireland semi final between Kerry and Cork, remember this interview was conducted two weeks prior to the match and the long serving Churchill man has been proved spot on with his prediction. “Oh I thing they will win handy enough, they are far better than last year”. So who was the greatest Kerry player he ever saw. Without a moments hesitation he replied “Mick o Connell, he was class, he had everything, great natural ability, left and right legs both were the same, he never even had to place the ball for a free, he just threw it in front of himself, and the way he fed the forwards, razor controlled I would call it. I never missed on match he played in whether it was club, county, or championship I would always go down to Caherceiveen to seen him play. Paddy Kennedy, (legendary Kerry midfielder) was a second cousin of mine, Pat McCarthy was one of the great Churchill footballers and Martin Ferris was a great prospect also, he had a great pair of hands, a mighty pair of hands, he is here to night.
And so another most worthy winner in these Unsung Hero Awards, and the Aunascaul man who has devoted his sporting life to that great Churchill club joins the list of those whose faces and voices have been heard and seen for the first time in public. Sean McCarthy, (East Kerry), Tom o Connor, Kenmare), Michael o Riordan, (Mid Kerry), Batty Cronin, (West Kerry), Sheila Galvin, (Ladies Board), and Betty o Brien, (Scor). Reluctant heroes all, but nevertheless thrilled and delighted that a little bit of appreciation has been directed their way. Human nature been what it is every one of us in a quiet way likes being appreciated. The small things do really count.
Fogra: Next week on Terrace Talk, (Monday 7-9),a little bit of Kerry GAA history will be made when we launch a first ever GAA- CD. Kerry Years of Glory, All Ireland Victories 1903-1969. Narrator: Sean Lyons, Edited and Produced by Yvonne o Flaherty and music by Stupid Betty.A Terrace Talk Radio Kerry productions there are no plans as yet to put it on public sale. Also work has begun on a Christmas CD for charity. Voices of Kerry, My Sporting Kingdom
Weeshie's Week 
