Tributes have been paid following the deaths of two All-Ireland winning footballers, Dublin’s Jim Crowley and Down’s Eamon (Eddie) McKay.
Born in New York in 1930 to Cork parents, Crowley lived in Dublin from an early age and played minor in 1947 with Kevin Heffernan, who encouraged him to join St Vincent’s. He went on the represent the county juniors in 1950, reaching the All-Ireland final against Mayo and made his championship debut later that year against Offaly.
A powerful, central player, he lined out at full-back for the junior team before providing a strong presence at midfield and centre back as his senior career developed. Dublin’s first impact at senior came in the 1953 league final against All-Ireland champions Cavan – having lost the previous year’s final against Cork.
Apart from goalkeeper Tony O’Grady, who played with the Air Corps, the rest of the team were from St Vincent’s, and they won Dublin’s first national league before going on to add further titles in 1955 and 1958.
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Disappointment followed with the famous defeat by Kerry in the 1955 All-Ireland final, the match that crystallised the modern rivalry and drew a then-record crowd of 87,102 to Croke Park.
Redemption followed three years later against Derry with the county’s first All-Ireland since 1942, in which Crowley lined out at centre back.
Jim Crowley worked with Dublin City Council, formerly Corporation, and was an honorary vice-president of the Royal Dublin Golf Club.
He married Mary O’Leary, a sister of Dublin team-mate Cathal, and best man at their wedding was Mick McCaffrey, grandfather of current Dublin footballer Jack.
The couple are survived by their seven children; Donal, Sheila, Helen, Gerard, Micheál, Conor and Clare.
Meanwhile, Down GAA has paid tribute to two-time All-Ireland winning goalkeeper Eamon (Eddie) McKay following his death.
Born in the 1936, the Dundrum clubman kept goal for the team that won three successive Ulster titles from 1959 to 1961, winning back-to-back All-Ireland titles in the latter two years.
From the parish of Tyrella, McKay worked as a mechanic, making his county debut in 1957. After the success of the early 1960s, he retired in 1962.
A tribute to McKay from Down GAA read: “History will show that Down defeated Kerry by 2-10 to 0-8 in the All-Ireland final of 1960, yet the story of 1960, tells us of a goalkeeper who kept three clean sheets in the three major finals that year in Croke Park, a clean sheet as Down won a first National League once again defeating Cavan on a score line of 0-12 to 0-9 and then a clean sheet in the All-Ireland football final, as on more than one occasion, Eamon McKay denied the great Mick O’Connell a score, followed with a clean sheet against New York in the St Brendan Cup Final, an achievement not matched by many.”
