Jack Downey immortalised in song by Clonmel Óg club in Tipperary

The mother of a Clonmel teenager who died tragically last year has described a song written in his memory as “a fabulous tribute” to him.

19-year-old Jack Downey from Ard Caoin, son of Elaine and Johnny Downey, died at Cork University Hospital on August 5 2019 after falling ill at the Indiependence music festival in Mitchelstown.

Despite his tender years, he was a stalwart of Clonmel Óg GAA club on and off the field and its president, Sean Quirke, has written the song The Ogie’s Fine Son (A Premier Dream) to honour Jack and help keep his memory alive.

“Jack was my lovely boy, that’s what I called him,” says his mother Elaine Quigley.

“I was so overwhelmed when I first heard the song and it’s unbelievable that this is what Sean Quirke was doing during the first lockdown.”

Elaine says that Jack was a great clubman and involved in so many aspects of Clonmel Óg, a club that he “absolutely loved”.

She says that she misses him especially when GAA matches are being played.

“It’s a gut-wrencher, no words can express how much we miss him,” she says.

The song The Ogie’s Fine Son is the title track of a CD of eight songs, all of which were written and performed by Sean Quirke.

Elaine and Sean agreed that proceeds from the sale of the CD would be donated to Clonmel Óg.

“That’s what Jack would have wanted,” she says.

The poignant lyrics of the ballad reflect on Jack’s life and career (“Jack Downey we’ll always remember/We miss your great charm and your style/And the stories still run of the Ogie’s fine son/Who could score in the blink of an eye.”)

Sean Quirke says he got the inspiration for the song while visiting Jack’s grave during the lockdown last spring, and he sang it at his first anniversary Mass.

“He was a great lad, one of the club’s leaders and he was so passionate about hurling and football. 

“I was introduced to him as his coach when he was only eight, along with a lot of other budding young stars at the time. 

“He was so young but he did an awful lot for the club outside of playing the games,” says Sean.

“He coached the juveniles, refereed matches and cleaned up after parties in the clubhouse.”

As a player, Jack won numerous titles in hurling and football. He was captain of the U-12 B team that won the club’s only county hurling title. 

The year he passed away he won the county intermediate football league division two title.

Above: Jack Downey in action for his beloved Clonmel Óg

He also had the honour of being chosen as goalkeeper on the South Tipperary hurling team that won the Celtic Challenge All-Ireland division one final in 2017, along with his team mates TJ Quigley and Shane O’Connor. 

“That was a great feat and the club is very proud of that,” says Sean Quirke.

Originally from Clondulane near Fermoy, Sean is a part-time singer/songwriter who, in his own words, has “been singing since he was a child”, and who played support for top acts including Joe Dolan and The Miami Showband many years ago.

Earlier this year he launched a CD of twelve tracks, Try A Little Kindness, the proceeds of which will be donated to the hospital radio at South Tipperary General Hospital. 

Some copies of that CD are still on sale at the Centra Store at the Old Bridge; Applegreen on the Dungarvan Road and at Golden Discs at The Showgrounds shopping centre.

Meanwhile, the other tracks on The Ogie’s Fine Son include The Main Guard, We’re The Champs, Comon Da Ogies, The Rest Went Out, The Feile in Clongeen, The Galbally Gael and Clonmel Óg (The Battle Cry).

Sean is grateful to Alan Maher of the Londis Store, Cashel Road, Clonmel for sponsoring the CD.

He says that it would make “a nice Christmas stocking present for all the youngsters involved in GAA”.

Copies of the CD, which cost €10, are available from Sean, Elaine Quigley and Clonmel Óg members Noreen Donoghue, Ali Smith, Noel Walsh and Eddie Kearney.

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