Official launch of Jimmy Murray memorial project to take place

With the All-Ireland Football Final weekend almost upon us, it's entirely fitting that the campaign to immortalise Roscommon's most famous sporting icon with a memorial coincides with that special GAA occasion.

The Jimmy Murray Memorial Committee will officially launch the sculpture project on Friday, July 22 in Murray’s Bar, Knockcroghery at 9pm, where they will reveal their plans to remember the only Roscommon man to captain the senior football team to All-Ireland Championship success in 1943 and 1944.

Over 15 years after his death in 2007, plans are now underway to remember Roscommon's only All-Ireland-winning captain, and one of only a handful to lift the Sam Maguire on two occasions, following a recent public meeting where a group was set up to push the project forward.

With the blessing and support of the Murray family, it has now been decided to remember Jimmy, or Jamesie as he was known to many, by erecting a suitable monument of him in his native Knockcroghery which will act as a reminder to all of a life of great achievement, of his love for Roscommon, devotion to the GAA and his local community.

Sculptor Mark Feeley, who has been commissioned to produce the monument, will be present on the night to give those present a deeper insight into the various stages of how this exciting piece of sculpture will come to fruition.

According to the committee driving the project, Jimmy first wore the Roscommon jersey as a minor in 1934 and played with the county until he retired from inter-county football in 1948. His first All-Ireland title came in 1940 when Roscommon won the All-Ireland junior final.

Jimmy later captained Roscommon in five All-Ireland senior finals, including the two victories in 1943 and 1944.

Five decades after that achievement he was recognised with the 1993 All-Time All-Star Award as no GAA All-Star Awards were issued at the time of his playing career.

On the club scene, his 25-year club career began in 1933 at age sixteen, playing for Knockcroghery junior team which later formed St Patrick’s. With St Patrick's, Jimmy won two junior county titles and played in ten senior county finals from 1941 to 1951, winning six of them.

He continued playing with St Patrick’s until he retired from football in 1958 aged 41.

In hurling, Jimmy won a senior county championship with Roscommon Gaels and two junior county medals with St Patrick's. He also played on the Roscommon county hurling team.

Behind the scenes he held the role of secretary in St Patrick's (the GAA club in the area is now St Dominic's) for many years as well as an officer on the Mid-Roscommon Board. Jimmy served on Central Council for 22 years and was President of Roscommon County Board for 15 years. He also served his time as a referee and later trained teams within his club and county.

Off the field, his pub in Knockcroghery was a popular stop off point for Gaels countrywide for decades, many coming to see his famous boots hanging up inside, the GAA memorabilia and to chat about all things football.

Also an avid golfer, he was President of Roscommon Golf Club and involved in South Roscommon Singers Circle, which was founded in his hostelry.