Fear ann féin: A tribute to Jim Bob O’Brien by Eamonn Fitzgerald

from KILLARNEY ADVERTISER WK21 2023

NCT

Flick back to Munster final day in Killarney July 1972. Having beaten Cork one could savour that very special walk down Lewis Road among a sea of green and gold supporters.

The first stop was always Brien’s, not for any libation but to meet and engage with the solid citizens who were reliable evaluators of the game and the individual performances.

experts ráiméising, not seeing the wood from the trees, and then Jim Bob excelled. Collecting those empty glasses was his ploy to put an end to such nonsense and sealed the lips with that wink.

Paddy Kavanagh, the former Inniskeen goalkeeper and wonderful Irish poet, captured the essence of Jim Bob in those wonderful lines: can push her into second gear now Dad; there isn’t any sign of a guard or speed van out here.”

I never knew Jimmy O’Brien with the ‘O’ and Jim Junior was simply Jim Bob. They’re together now to discuss the fortunes of the Kerry team. Jimmy always appreciated Jim Bob’s take on games, so the good Lord called Jim Bob to his eternal home last weekend before the defeat of Kerry.

But 1972 was different; Brien’s door was shut. Only later did we realise that the good Lord was thinking of calling Jim Bob ashore.

Thankfully, Jim Bob was needed by all of us who appreciated that friendly smile, the hearty laugh and the “how’s it going there”, sealed with that mischievous and roguish wink?

Sometimes you’d find some so-called

“And there's the half-talk code of mysteries, And the wink-and-elbow language of delight.”

What a joy it was to meet Jim Bob anywhere, and he travelled far and wide co-piloting in that trademark red Merc. No need for GPS or Google Maps, Jim Bob was the resident Sat Nav.

Jimmy would be resurrecting some old Sliabh Luachra tune from his vast repertoire until Jim Bob intervened. “You

Jim Bob knew the lore and lilt of the pub and was a great judge of people. God knows he met all kinds: famous musicians, sean nós singers, story tellers, buailim scíths and plain country people, the rogues and the rascals, the sound people and those who were inclined to be airy.

Thanks for all the memories of the past half century, Jim Bob, the warm glow of friendship, affection and the fáilte isteach.

Is fada a bheidh cáil agus cion agam ort im chuimhne. Bhí tú i gcónaí gnaíúil, grámhar, cineálta agus suailceach. Fear ann féin, Jim Bob. Slán abhaile; beidh fáilte mór romhat ar Neamh.