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Historic Killeavy Has Lots Of Talent


KILLEAVY may be steeped in history, tradition and legend, but this scenic region has also produced people of stature and ability in all walks of life, - politics, sport, culture, entertainment, trades and professions.

For example, there have been figures like Senator Edward Haughey, Dr Seamus McAteer, Phelimi Magennis, Council chairmen Matt Cunningham and Sean McEvoy; Stephen and Jim Downey, Malachy McEvoy and Sean McBreen, Vincent Mulholland, Margaret McGuinness and opera-singer, Maura Erskine.

Meanwhile, St Monnina Branch of the Irish National Foresters is preparing for the next All-Ireland Convention, when newly-elected High Chief Ranger, Sam McDonnell will play host to brethren from all over Ireland.

Incidentally, the only other Killeavy Forester to have been elected to this prestigious post, Sean McEvoy, - former chairman of Newry and Mourne district council and of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, - was the first All-Ireland High Chief Ranger since Partition.

Son of the principal at Ballinliss school, Sean, - whose name is stated as John on his birth certificate, at the insistence of the registrar, - also became a teacher, first in Derry, then at the Abbey C.B.S. for six years, finally joining the staff at Meigh primary school, where he became principal.

His daughter, Pauline, married to a son of draper, Louis Boyd, teaches at Cloghogue primary school. She is the third generation of her family to join the profession.

Big Sean entered politics via the Civil Rights Movement, as a member of the Teachers Action Group, which campaigned against Internment. Joining the SDLP, he was elected to Newry and Mourne district council. One year later, he became chairman, entering into an historic power-sharing arrangement with the unionists, by which the post was rotated each year.

On retirement from the council, this affable personality was appointed chairman of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, and is currently chairman of the Newry and Mourne Health and Social Services Trust.

A member of the Killeavy GFC squad, which won the Armagh County Senior Championship in 1948, his brothers Morgan and Leonard were also fine footballers, Brendan resides in the USA, while Father Raymond McEvoy, who was on the Missions in Brazil, died at the age of 45.

Another resident of Meigh, footballer, council chairman and member of the INF, was the late legendary Matt Cunningham, who presided over Newry No 2 (South Armagh) rural council for 24 years.

This council was unique in that it was suspended by the Stormont government in 1922, after passing a resolution “pledging allegiance to the Irish Republic, and accepting the authority of no government except Dail Eireann.” It also got into hot water in 1953, being the only council in the North which refused to pass a resolution, congratulating Queen Elizabeth on her coronation.

On that occasion, Council chairman Matt Cunningham declared: “ As an Irishman I am proud of my birthright. The British government imposed partition, against the wishes of the Irish people; and there is no need to tell you about the treatment, which minority has received from the Northern government.

“We should tell the British government to withdraw their forces, and let the people of the Six Counties join with the rest of Ireland.”

It was typical of the respect and affection in which Matt Cunningham was held, that no unionist councillor voiced a protest, or supported the resolution of loyalty to the queen.

Then, 50 years after the initial suspension, the rural council was abolished in 1972, when it joined with other nationalist-controlled councils, who refused to attend meetings in protest against internment.

When Newry and Mourne district council was instituted, two years later, another Killeavy councillor, Sean McEvoy, shared the role of chairman for almost a decade.

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© Fabian Boyle 2001-2008