By Eoin McGarvey
THE death last week of Margaret McConville, the Crossmaglen Rangers club legend and mother of 2002 Armagh All-Ireland winner Oisín McConville, has rekindled sad memories in the Gaeltacht village of Loch an Iúir.
Margaret, 90, was the honorary president of Crossmaglen Rangers and also the grandmother of Armagh footballers Oisín and Rian O’Neill.
The mother of nine was known the length and breadth of Ireland as a dedicated GAA supporter, with Fr Dermot Maloney saying at her funeral that to call Margaret a GAA supporter would be an understatement. He added that her life was defined by three Fs: faith, family, and football.
Unfortunately, however, Margaret’s life was not an easy one and was touched by deep sadness. Fifty years ago on Monday of this week she lost her 16 years old son Thomas in a drowning accident. Thomas had secured a scholarship to the Gaeltacht, and his chosen college was Coláiste Mhuire in Loch an Iúir.
In Margaret’s own words in a BBC Sport podcast two years ago she said: “my oldest son Thomas got a scholarship to the Gaeltacht when he was 16 and a half. He went and he never came home. He drowned there.”
Thomas was out with fellow students including his sister near Loch an Iúir and they had climbed a nearby hill earlier in the day. On their way back to the college, a number of students entered the Crolly river for a swim. Tragedy struck and Thomas lost his life despite the best efforts of people at the scene.
In the wake of this terrible tragedy, Margaret chose not to apportion blame on anyone over the death of her son. Despite the trauma the family had suffered, Margaret did not blame the teachers or those supervising the Gaeltacht. Instead, she said she recognised that they too had to live with the tragedy and that they were suffering as well.
Mrs McConville always believed her son suffered some kind of medical episode after hitting the cold water on a hot August day, adding he was a strong lad.
Thomas was staying with the late Mary Mhicheáil Ferry at the time and Mrs Mc Conville revealed in the past that the ‘bean an tí’ had written to her after the tragedy. A family member of the bean an tí commented this week that Mary prayed for Thomas every day of her life.
Locals in Loch an Iúir have a clear memory of the tragedy and the sadness that befell the community when details emerged that a young boy had drowned in the Crolly river. This was one of three tragedies to befall the Gaeltacht college.
A female student drowned on Loch an Iúir lake in 1953, while two more girls attending the Loch an Iúir college were among four drowned at Mullach Dearg beach in 1972.
Margaret was also predeceased by her husband Patsy and infant son Patrick.
The late Margaret Mc Conville. (Credit: Rip.ie)