The Shed — Roscommon's Centre of Excellence in the 1930s
Kevin and Anne O'Rourke with Kieran Dowd, Tarmon National School Principal, and Tommy Finneran at the official commemoration of The Shed in Tarmon, Castlerea. Pictures: Breda Durr
Dan O’Rourke was appointed principal of Tarmon National school in 1911. He and his family moved into the “School House” adjacent to the school.
He quickly immersed himself in the local community and one of his major achievements was the formation of a GAA club in Tarmon, a club that became the backbone of Roscommon football in the thirties and forties. Dan was heavily involved in GAA activities not just in Tarmon but in Roscommon and nationally, becoming GAA President in 1946.
He had acquired land close to the school and as chairman of Roscommon County Board he allowed team management the use of one of his fields for team training.
Dan was obviously a man of great vision so he decided that the Roscommon team should start collective training. He took on board Tom Molloy, an all-Ireland winner with Galway in 1925, as team trainer assisted by Toddy Ryan.
Not only did he give the field for training, he got a “shed” converted to provide sleeping quarters for all players from outside Castlerea parish. I’m not sure if any other county teams did collective training then but Dan was certainly a man before his time.
This development would probably be regarded as the “Centre of Excellence” 1930s style and even now, 85 years later, Storm Eowyn failed to rattle it!
Dan’s wife and family catered for those players.
Players who stayed in Tarmon included Bernie Kelly, Donal Keenan, Tommy Conry (Elphin); Harry Connor and Paddy Kenny (Ballinameen); Gerry Beirne, Cathal Beirne, Hugh Gibbons and Joe Neary (Strokestown); Eamon Curran, Mick Kenny and Owensie Hoare (Roscommon); Willie Heavey (Fuerty); Jimmie and Phelim Murray (Knockcroghery); Liam Gilmartin (Ballymurray); Kevin Winstown (Ballinlough); Pat McManus (Clan na nGael); Hugh Boyd (Croghan); Kevin Forde and Pat Ryan (Loughglynn); and Derry McDermott (Mantua).
Local players from Castlerea and Tarmon returned to their own homes each night.
This arrangement was in place for 1939, 1940 and 1941 before they moved to what is now the County Library in Roscommon Town. Dan then turned The Shed into a concert hall where drama troupes performed plays, and dances were held regularly.
Musicians who performed in it included Jim Lavin, Trien, Paddy and Martin Lavin, Lisalway, Jim and Pat Blighe, Arm, as well as the Castlerea Céilí Band and Naughton’s Céilí Band from Ballinlough. 25 card games were a regular weekly event.
Despite recent developments at Tarmon school, and the sale of the schoolhouse, The Shed is still in the ownership of the O’Rourke family. Dan would be very proud to see his great granddaughters, Aoife and Lisa, keeping Tarmon and Castlerea on the sporting map.
The years 1939 to 1944 are generally referred to as the “six glorious years of Roscommon football”, during which time six Connacht championships between minor and senior, two All-Ireland minor championships in 1939 and 1941, one All-Ireland junior championship in 1940 and two All-Ireland senior titles in 1943 and 1944 were won.
The foundations for those glorious years were laid in Tarmon by Dan O’Rourke. The Shed was very much a part of the history of the GAA in Tarmon, Castlerea and County Roscommon.
It is great to see that Castlerea St. Kevin’s GAA Club, in conjunction with the O’Rourke family, are in the process of putting this iconic Shed in its rightful place in the history books of Roscommon GAA.
