THERE is a story told about Jim Plunkett (this year’s winner of the Cathaoirleach Award in Bagenalstown) that deserves to be retold.
It goes that, one day during Jim’s lengthy and wonderfully successful stint as St Andrew’s GAA secretary in the 1970s, he asked a player why he wasn’t training. The player replied that he was seeing his girlfriend. And Jim replied: “You can’t be in love and play for St Andrew’s.”
Jim Plunkett came to County Carlow in 1949 to live in Fenagh and work in Drea’s. A short while later, he moved to Bagenalstown to work in Connolly’s, and began playing for the local team in the half-forward line. A decade later, he married his wife Lily, and together they would have a family of two girls, Mary and Carmel.
“When I was considering nominees for this year’s award,” explained cllr Denis Foley, cathaoirleach of Bagenalstown Town Council, “I made up my mind after watching the intermediate final of 2009. Although St Andrew’s were beaten, the day brought back memories of the 1970s and the great success that the club enjoyed back then. We won county titles at minor, U21, junior, intermediate, and reached two senior finals, only to be beaten by Éire Óg in both. The club also won the league in junior, intermediate and senior; and one man, among others, who contributed hugely to that success was Jim Plunkett,” he added.
The Leitrim native came on board at a time in St Andrew’s history when a saviour of some sort was needed, as the club was dangerously close to being disbanded. He was regarded as a highly efficient club secretary who attended all training sessions and matches and was regularly seen patrolling the sidelines of the pitches of Carlow side-by-side with the chairman of the day, who, for the most part, was Jim English.
“Jim really appreciated the award,” said Denis. “When I approached Jim about the award, it proved to me that behind every good man is an equally good woman, because Jim shied away from it, but his wife Lily told him to go for it and he did.”