Sad Tale of Postman Smullen

Tragedy struck 100 years ago when a tournament being played to allay the debt on St. Mary's Church saw a player from Rhode die on the field of play.

The venue was Fay's Field in Coneyboro, next to the Boyne Bridge. Rhode was playing Killeigh in the County Championship. On the Rhode side that day was Bernard Smullen - a postman - who died as a result of an accident when he collided with the goalpost.

Edenderry man Tommy Wyer was umpire that day and he recounted his memory of it years after;

"I remember vividly Rhode playing football in Edenderry, I was goal umpire and a chap from Rhode, Smullen - a postman - ran into the post and died.

The story goes that his cap fell off the peg at his home at the moment he died and his mother picked it up and said "I wonder what knocked that off?"

His death brought an immediate response and in October 1919 at Tullamore a tournament match was played between Tullamore and a Clara-Killeigh combination for his dependents.

Carious fundraising events continued to be held for the bereaved family including a tournament in Tullamore when Ballyduff Park hosted the Smullen Testimonial Games on September 7th 1924.

This tournament attracted a fine crowd to see Dublin Hurlers beating Laois, and Offaly scoring an easy 4-05 to 2-0 win over a fairly strong Kilkenny selection.

The final honour was awarded him in 1929 when a monument was erected to his memory and Father Paul Murphy (Edenderry) eulogised his sad death with the following verse;

It is not the tear at this moment shed,

When the cold turf lies silently o'er him,

That can tell how beloved is this Gael that's dead,

Or how deep in our hearts we morn him.

Report from the Westmeath Independent 20th August 1919