Members of Cooley Kickhams GFC

Michael Boyle, Harry McCarthy and Jim Thornton discuss in detail the history of the Cooley Kickhams club and of the GAA in County Louth. They recall the early days of the club, when street leagues were popular and members of the clergy played a vital part in promoting the GAA in the area. All three played football at some stage in their lives and they discuss their own individual GAA careers and administrative involvement with the Association. They remember the area being prosperous in the 1940s, with a port, railway and different industries thriving locally. The Louth team was successful in the 1950s and they talk about their memories of that time and of trips to Croke Park to watch games. Soccer is a popular sport in Louth, and they discuss about how this affected the GAA and what role was played by the Ban when it was in effect. They also talk about what it was like to live close to the border with North of Ireland and how they negotiated the various problems this created for them. All three are committed GAA men, and they also talk about what the Association has meant to them and about their hopes for the future.