Tipperary man, Clonmel Town supporter and overall sports fanatic Muiris Walsh on why he loves his county

Clonmel man Muiris Walsh, chairman of the Tipperary United Sports Panel, talks about his native county.

What's your idea of a perfect day, or perfect weekend  in Tipperary?

I actually now live in Ballymacarbry just over the border in County Waterford but my heart is always in Tipperary. I still spend a lot of my free time in Clonmel and Tipperary. Not surprisingly my weekends are taken up with sport. I help out with the Clonmel Town U-15B team. Legendary Town player Raymie Condon is the coach and the brains of the operation. They are a great bunch of lads to be around and whilst we are competitive, we have still managed to keep the emphasis on fun and enjoyment.

I’m a member of Hillview Sports Club and I really enjoy playing pitch and putt and tennis.

I just love local sport. I still prefer to  watch my sport in the fresh air. This time of year, I follow junior soccer and in particular Clonmel Town.

I love hurling and football and being from Clonmel I’d follow the fortunes of St Mary’s and Commercials keenly along with our inter county teams. There is something almost spiritual about sitting in Semple Stadium, it is Sports Garden of Eden  but “Town” are the only club that occupy a real place in my heart.

Who has made the greatest contribution to Tipperary in your lifetime - and why?

We are fortunate here in Tipperary to have many people who have made a huge contribution so it would be difficult to pick just one. I honestly believe that the people who have given their free time as volunteers be it in  sports clubs, societies or in the area of music and the  arts have made the biggest contribution. Those volunteers have done more for the physical, mental and indeed spiritual wellbeing of thousands of people and they do it just for the love of it. That contribution to the people in their community cannot be overstated. They are the embodiment of that older, better code where you tried to make the lives of your neighbour and your community better. They all possess that key understanding of what a sense of community actually means.Their contribution is priceless 

That is why The Jimmy Cooney Lifetime Achievement Award is such an important award to us on the Annerville Awards panel.

I would also like to acknowledge our sponsors Bulmers for their contribution to the welfare of generation of families since its foundation in 1935. They have been fantastic employers for thousands  of families, including my own father who worked in the company for 45 years. Bulmers are to Clonmel  what Guinness is to Dublin. 

They have been great partners and sponsors of these awards since 1964 and we look forward to that continuing for many years to come.

What’s your first Tipperary memory?

My first childhood memories are of walks down the Quay or the Blueway as it is now known with my late mother Terry and dad,  Dick. Also playing football in Baron Park from dawn til dusk. 

I, like many children, spent many hours over in the Frenchman Stream catching brickeens or at the Boulick looking for frogs and tadpoles. 

From a sporting view point, it would be going to The Showgrounds with my father to see Clonmel Town or Bohs as they were back then play in the Munster Senior League. Timmy Coxy Halley RIP still remains one of my all time sporting heroes. Along with this year’s Knocknagow recipient  Sean Hogan, both were wizards on the field and could make a football sing.

What’s your favourite part of the county - and why?

I have two. I love the Vee. The view from Samuel Grubbs grave  of the Golden Vale between the Knockmealdown and Galtee mountain ranges is breathtaking. It is a wonderful place on a summer’s day to go for a picnic. Secondly, as mentioned earlier I love walking down by the River Suir in Clonmel. I find both places very peaceful and somewhere that you can rest your mind. I’m delighted that the brilliant and innovative Parkrun takes place there now every Saturday morning at 9.30.

What do you think gives Tipperary its unique identity?

I really believe it comes from the people and our can-do attitude. In GAA circles we are often accused of being arrogant but I honestly don’t believe that, I think Tipperary people have a proper self-belief and perhaps that comes from our rich sporting heritage. Perhaps all that sporting success, particularly in hurling, has given all of us a sense of huge pride but also collective self-confidence. This is reflected in the amount of successful Tipperary people in every walk of life.

 Do you have a favourite local writer or author?

I have three. Margaret Rossiter is my favourite columnist of any newspaper. I find her weekly column informative and thought- provoking. She also reminds periodically of a Clonmel that is gone but not forgotten. Her piece is the first thing I read in The Nationalist every week. I don’t necessarily agree with her every week but I admire her greatly. 

My second is another Clonmel man Michael Ahern. His books on Clonmel are beautifully written and the detail is second to none. They are books that you can pick up and leave down at your leisure and are a great source of information. “Figures in a Clonmel Landscape” is a particular favourite and would be a book I would go back in for if the house was on fire. 

Finally, the late Raymond Smith. Although born in Kilaloe he moved to Thurles early in his life. A man often not spoken about since his death in 2000 but he was a brilliant wordsmith. He wrote over 20 books including a biography of Dr Garret Fitzgerald but he was a shrewd and brilliant commentator on horse racing and especially Gaelic Games. His many books on both subjects reflected that. Also what is forgotten about Raymond was his groundbreaking and fearless reporting from the conflict in The  Congo.

 What’s the biggest challenge facing the county today?

Living in a rural community,  I see the way it is being threatened, with closures of post offices, Garda stations and indeed pubs. These places are crucial to the social interaction of many of our elderly and vulnerable neighbours.

We are slowly shutting down parts of the country and isolating people, some of whom are the most vulnerable in our communities. We are, if even subconsciously becoming just an economy and not a functioning society where every citizen can feel a valued part of. 

On a sporting front we are putting far too many demands on our young players. I would do away with all of these underage development squads. Yes, you may have the best players at 12 or 13 but that’s no guarantee they will be the best in four years time and you may as a result lose players who would be the backbone of your team and club for many years. We are creating an elitist culture that in my view will do far more damage than good in the long run. Let children and teenagers enjoy their sport whatever that maybe,  it’s fun. It isn’t life or death or anything like that. Life will bring its own worries and stress without some over -eager coach adding to it.

 If you had the power to change one thing in, or about Tipperary, what would it be?

There isn’t much I’d change. I would however love to see people getting up off the couch and off Twitter and getting  out to support local sports by attending matches and events like they used to.  Crowds are dwindling and therefore many clubs in all codes are struggling to stay alive. I appreciate we won’t ever get back to the crowds of my childhood but people don’t actually realise what they are missing out on. I’d far rather attend a live local club match than sit and watch a game on TV. 

One final wish, I’d love to see Tipperary add to our tally of four Senior All-Ireland football titles.