Looking back: An interview with Jimmy Lyons

You don't notice the time passing when you're in the company of Jimmy Lyons. The Taughmaconnell man is a warm and engaging conversationalist with an abundance of tales stemming from his experience of farming, sport, family, music, and the local community.

Jimmy lives in Bellfield, in the 200-year-old house where he was raised. He worked for the Irish Sugar Company for 35 years, advising farmers in South Roscommon and East Galway about producing sugar beet.

He is also known for his involvement in athletics, which he coached up to international level, and for helping to establish the Community Centre in Taughmaconnell.

The eldest of seven children born to Nora and Michael Lyons, he used to walk three and a half miles each way to attend Attyrory National School.

“We would walk there in hail, rain or snow, and some walked further than I did,' he recalled. “There were times in the winter when you'd be drenched. We didn't have the great rainwear that's out today!” 

His happy memories of his childhood include Roscommon's only two All Ireland football championship wins, in 1943 and 1944. Radios were very scarce at the time, but Jimmy's father had a set, which meant the local community would congregate at the family's house to listen to the big matches.

“They’d come here in droves. Only a fraction of them could get into the house, so they’d be outside. All lads with hats and caps. Senior men! I remember that. I was only eleven or twelve. We knew every player that time.”

A national school teacher, John Flynn, helped spark Jimmy's lifelong interest in athletics. “He had a gadget which he could use to show films – you’d hear them whizzing around.

“He would put a sheet up on the blackboard and he had a number of films. One film we saw an awful lot of, and I’ll never forget it. It was the 1936 Olympics in Berlin (when Jesse Owens won four gold medals), and Jesse Owens was my hero.

“The teacher would get the newspaper from the postman and would read headlines to us about sport and about (World War Two). He used to show us on the map where the war was taking place.”

Jimmy then went on to secondary school in Garbally College in Ballinasloe. It was there that another teacher, Kerry native Fr Kevin Ryle, furthered his involvement in athletics.

“He was a genius... I don’t know why he was so madly into athletics but he was supposed to be a great footballer and probably would have played for Kerry only he was (in the seminary) in Maynooth and wasn't let play. But he brought athletics in Ireland to a new height.

“He was a great coach and a great administrator. He went on to become president of Irish athletics, the national body, for three years. He inspired an awful lot of us to do athletic coaching courses, and to start coaching.”

Jimmy coached athletics both locally and internationally. One of his greatest days in sport was when he coached three Irish women's relay teams (under-15, under-17, and under-19) to gold medals in a Celtic International competition against teams from Scotland, England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

“It was like the grand slam!” he smiled. “I was scared that day that we would get wiped out. (The athletes) were from all over Ireland, and I'd only had them for a few training sessions.”

Jimmy married a Kerry native, Sheila O'Donoghue, and the couple had seven children, all of whom are still living relatively locally.

Sheila, who sadly passed away in 2009, was a secondary school teacher and a keen sports fan.“She was fanatical when it came to the football. She knew every Kerry player there ever was,” he said. “In 51 years, she attended 50 All Ireland football finals. She was there every year other than the year she had her first baby!”

Jimmy's employer, the Irish Sugar Company, had a factory in Tuam and his role was to advise the local growers of sugar beet. He saw massive change in the industry over the course of his career.

“When I started, it took 143 man hours to grow an acre of sugar beet, and it was 100% manual. When I finished, it took less than three man hours and it was 100% mechanised,” he said.

The production of sugar in Ireland has since ceased. “Back then, the sugar people consumed in Ireland and Northern Ireland was 100% Irish produced. Now we’re importing 100%. I don’t know where it’s coming from, and they’re still calling it ‘Siúcra’ on the sugar bags.

“The Government had to subsidise the price of it here. There was a big subsidy coming, per tonne, to the farmers and if they didn’t get that subsidy they’d be growing it at a loss.

“But when you added it all up, it gave employment. The factories did wonderful work for the country. They trained thousands of fitters and electricians. They took on scores and scores of apprentices, and that was a huge contribution. They led the field in advising the farmers on agricultural science, changes in machinery, and things like that.”

Jimmy's work also involved him advising farmers who were producing vegetables that would be canned, and potatoes that would be turned into processed mash. He loved his work.

“The country housewives nearly killed me with kindness. They were the salt of the earth,” he said. “If I was good at writing, I could write a great book about all the characters I met. They were priceless.”

One of the local achievements he is most proud of is his work to establish the community centre in Taughmaconnell. He explained that, before it was developed, there was no community venue where gatherings could be held. The centre was officially opened in 1979 and Jimmy remained on the committee for over ten years, until it was fully paid-for.

“We got so many things going in that hall. We got a badminton club organised, we had the athletics club using it nearly all the year around. You could hardly get it, and it’s still that way.”

Today Jimmy's 20 grandchildren help to keep him busy. He also enjoys reading non-fiction books and listening to music – everything from classical to U2.

He pointed out that a trait he would look for in an athlete - a sense of commitment and work ethic – is something which is important in all areas of life.

“It’s amazing what can be achieved with a one-track mind. Go for it. You can nearly do anything if you put your mind to it 100%,” he concluded.