Clubs in the Under 20 football championship to play for the Jimma Rea Cup
The Rea family of Kevin, Angela, Anita,Caroline, Jackie, Terresina, Tom and Jimma present the Jimma Rea Memorial Cup to Jim Bolger, Chairman of Carlow GAA Photo: Pat Ahern
Members of the famous Rea family were present at the senior football championship launch which was held at Netwatch Cullen Park on Wednesday. They were there to honour the memory of their late father, Jimma Rea, who played on the Carlow 1944 team and featured for Leinster teams in the Railway Cup. While he won senior championship medals with Tinryland and O’Hanrahans he also won a junior football championship with Shamrocks. This was a revived name for a club which had gone out of existence for a spell. Shamrocks drew players from the areas of Closh, Green Lane, Pollerton and St Killian's Crescent and eventually amalgamated with O’Hanrahans. The late Jimma also scored three goals for Tinryland in the 1940 senior county final when they beat The Fighting Cocks by 4-2 to 1-5.
“It is lovely for the family and my father,” said Tom, a son of Jimma, who himself is a multiple senior football championship winner with Éire Óg.
“We had presented it 45 years ago for the minor but it got lost in transit. It is good to see it all back. It is good to have this on the night of the launch of the senior football championship.”
Most of Jimma’s sons went on to enjoy long careers with Éire Óg Caroline Kenny, a sister of Tom, has strong connections with Éire Óg now and is delighted her father is being remembered in such a manner.
“A lot of us didn’t see Daddy playing. It is important for us that he is remembered. His achievements are something we remember and dwell on,” she said while recalling an emotional day when Jimma went to his eternal reward.
“He passed away on the 20th November 1972, Éire Óg were playing in the under 21 final. It was lashing out of the heavens, Noel was playing and they were able to tell him that they had won. He passed away that evening.”
Caroline also pointed out that while her father won six senior football championship titles, most of them in O’Hanrahan colours, it never bothered him that his sons subsequently donned the red jersey of Éire Óg.
“He always said he didn’t mind who the lads played with as long as they were playing football. It is great he is still remembered,” said Caroline.
