“We’re only a handful of days away from the All-Ireland football finals, and Jim Carney admits he’s finding it challenging to keep pace with the GAA schedule. Despite his home county, Galway, being on the brink of potentially earning their tenth title against Armagh, it’s still a bit of a struggle to adjust.
Apparently, his focus is somewhat split as he’s still reliving Tony Kelly’s mesmerising performance from last week’s hurling finals, despite being the captain of Clare. However, he eventually finds a way to realign his mind with Galway’s football progress, a topic he’s quite passionate about due to his combined interest in sports and history, and an impressive ability to recall events spanning decades.
One phrase Carney often uses is “I’m slightly sceptical about this…”, usually dropped into conversation whenever a dubious opinion or shaky consensus emerges. Despite how this may sound, he isn’t a cynic. He considers himself more of a skeptic or iconoclast.
While he has been somewhat involved in the development of football and its triumphs and failings in the county and beyond, his engagement has been more observer-like than actual participant. With a career in sports journalism and other areas of interest, Carney joined RTÉ back in the 1970s and was the inaugural host of The Sunday Game, until a severe car accident necessitated a changed course.
His journey with the Tuam Herald included a return to broadcasting, serving as a selector for Galway’s football team alongside Tony Regan in the 1980s. He even penned a book last year about the luminaries of Galway’s 1956 All-Ireland, Seán Purcell and Frank Stockwell – he openly expresses his dislike for their combined nickname, The Terrible Twins, thus doesn’t mention it in the book. The book is a compelling study of their personal lives and occasional tribulations.
He also has an issue with his use of the phrase ‘deep in injury-time’. In his words, “Is ‘deep’ truly needed? I pledge, when I fully retire, to establish a society that will abolish adverbs!”
His expansive understanding of nearly all of Galway’s notable teams, their members, and their historical significance is articulated clearly with sporadic shifts in topic as if he’s engaged in a casual conversation while simultaneously performing tricks with plates.”
Beginning from the inaugural event, Galway’s first All-Ireland victory transpired in 1925, marking the final occasion for the championship to be determined within a committee’s confines. Research ventures by Carney pay tribute to a pertinent newspaper headline from that era: ‘Chicanery and skulduggery’.
A particular reporter from The Independent, nameless at that time, made a noteworthy contribution. The reporter queried Luke O’Toole, GAA’s first salaried official, surrounding a year-end wrap-up regarding the 1925 All-Ireland football champions. Disinclined to respond, O’Toole left the question unanswered. Carney divulged an interesting fact upon exploring some antique records dating back roughly seven decades, as shown to him by the late archivist Michael O’Donohoe. Two lists of All-Ireland champions referenced 1925 as ‘void’. In contrast, another record bracketed the winners by year, such as 1923 (Dublin), while 1925 had blank brackets.
Carney postulates his home county should relinquish the All-Ireland to Mayo, who were initially given the title that year. Ranked third in football’s honour compilation, Galway trails Dublin and Kerry, grasping nine titles in total, eight of which on the playing field itself, denoting a modest payoff for a century’s valiant efforts, as per Carney. This perspective doesn’t stretch the truth of Galway being a consistent staple. Out of 13 decades elapsed since the 20th century commenced, only in the last one, the 2010s, did the county fail to reach an All-Ireland finale.
Perusing the county’s experiences through the lens of familial lineage, Carney illustrates the oft-recurring disappointment when his team didn’t secure victory, most pronounced in the early 1940s. This was when Kerry outperformed them in two finals, followed by a defeat against Dublin by a meagre two points, despite thrashing Kerry in the 1942 semi-final.
The 1940s presented a challenging period for the Galway football team as they encountered three successive defeats. This period was particularly tough for various players, including Joe Duggan, a prominent figure in Galway football history. Not only was Joe a highly impressive athlete and a commendable discus thrower on a national level, but he also experienced all three of these unfortunate losses.
Often, the Galway football style has been regarded as a myth, a statement that was made casually in the past. Indeed, the team has performed with obvious excitement in significant matches, particularly the All-Ireland finals, which unfortunately resulted in losses.
Transitioning to 1966, Jimmy, Joe’s son, emerged onto the football scene. After successfully completing his final school exams, he immediately commenced his football career by setting up the decisive score in the Connacht final against Mayo. Despite performing remarkably in the All-Ireland final at just 18, he experienced three more losses in 1971, 1973, and 1974. Collectively, the Duggans participated in seven All-Irelands, celebrating victory just once.
Galway’s 1970s team almost mirrored their predecessors from the 1940s, but they ended up losing three All-Irelands in four years to different counties, including Offaly, Cork, and Dublin. September marks the 50th anniversary of the third final of this period. Despite these setbacks, this group still holds a special place in the heart of Jim Carney, who appreciates their determination and unique personality.
In darker times, two years after a close defeat to Kerry, Galway has made it back to the final. Under the management of Pádraic Joyce, they are set to play against Armagh in an exciting rematch. Upon taking up his role in 2020, Joyce pledged to introduce a more offensive style of play to Galway football. Although past experiences tempered this approach, the team successfully built the strongest defence in the game, yet still maintains a reputation for offense, likely due to the notable careers of players such as Finnerty, Comer, and Walsh.
Carney refutes the idea that the county has a distinctive creative, aggressive DNA. He supposes that the “Galway style” is merely a long-standing myth, particularly pointing to All-Ireland finals where this supposed style led to losses. Carney remembers the well-coordinated teams from 1956 and the three-in-a-row, describing them as methodical rather than haphazard.
Although the style of the team from the 1960s might seem chaotic, Carney insists that is an incorrect assumption. He cites the example of Noel Tierney, a superb player known for his ability to catch high balls even though he was merely 5ft 10in. Their kickball strategies may have appeared arbitrary, yet they were always purposeful. Their forwards were competent, with individuals such as John Keenan and Séamus Leydon providing valuable skills with nothing overly ostentatious in their playing style.
Television, in his opinion, is more damaging than helpful. Carney believes that older games, like the All-Ireland final of 1938, don’t stand up to the scrutiny brought by video replay technology. Seeing their techniques in that context, he suggests, might lead their modern descendants to question why the ball was dragged instead of being picked up.
He does highlight certain factors that influenced Galway football over time. One critical decision around a century ago to move Irish-speaking units from Dublin to Galway led to new participants from Dublin, Clare, Cork, and Kerry living in the city.
Among the influential figures in the history of Galway football were Joe Young from Donnycarney, Jack Kissane from Listowel, Billy O’Neill from Cork, and Dan Kavanagh, who hailed from Dún Chaoin in Kerry. Students at what was once UCG and local law enforcement officers also played a significant role. All these individuals were instrumental in capturing several All-Ireland victories.
In Kerry, it was contrarily suggested that the justification for playing in Galway was financial constraints, as the lack of transportation rendered it impossible to play for Kerry. Additionally, St Jarlath’s College in Tuam was a notable talent provider for Galway. During the early 1960s, under the novel leadership of Fr Brendan Kavanagh, the college won three out of four Hogan Cups.
Subsequently, Fr Kavanagh was invited by Tull Dunne, a stalwart in Galway football, to train the Galway minors, culminating in an All-Ireland win in 1960. Carney described this style of play as ‘combination football’ which remained influential, including the 1994 Hogan Cup victory under the stewardship of Fr Oliver Hughes and Joe Long, who was the first non-clergymen to lead St Jarlath’s to the said victory.
On Sunday’s panel, ten Galloway players were graduates of St Jarlath’s. Also, three members of the successful 1994 team: Joyce, John Divilly, and John Concannon, are now part of the county’s staff.
Jim Carney opines that the 1998 team, with its formidable forward line comprising of Joyce, Michael Donnellan, and Jarlath Fallon, under John O’Mahony’s skilful management, acted as a catalyst in sculpting the image of Galway football. The success and acclaim of the ’98 team eclipsed that of the 2001 team, and the impact was felt long after John’s demise.
The unexpected passing has imparted a sense of purpose within the team, a motive sparked by Joyce and coach, John Divilly’s participation in the victorious All-Ireland teams over two decades ago. Prior to the semi-final, the squad assembled in tribute to the previous manager.
“One of my last communications with John O’Mahony was at the revolving door of the Galway clinic where we chatted pleasantly,” Carney recalls.
“Johnno had an immense fondness for Galway. I recall an incident when Frank Burke’s father-in-law passed away. Unable to make the journey, Johnno reached out to me to guide his spouse Ger on the best route.
“Not even Tom Crean and Shackleton could have found it, but Ger managed to”, he shared, shedding light on Johnno’s deep affection for Galway.
This Sunday, the county stands on the precipice of adding another narrative to Galway football’s chronicles – another notch in history for Jim Carney to dissect and classify, and yet another opportunity for Sam Maguire to be sprayed by the Atlantic.