Sometimes life can deal you a tough hand but how you deal with it shapes the type of person that you become. In 1995 the newly elected Kerry Ladies Football Chairman Maurice McNamara was involved in a road traffic accident that would leave him paralysed from the waist down. A tough and shocking blow for a man that was extremely active in a number of sports, one would have forgiven him if he had rolled over and felt sorry for himself for the rest of his life. But Maurice isn’t like that , instead he rolled up his sleeves and decided to re invent himself, going back to education and repeating his Leaving Cert. A good result saw Maurice destined for UCC where he stayed for a total of 9 years serving as secretary and chairman of UCC football club. It was here that Maurice was instrumental in getting Eamon Ryan to take on the role of Cork senior football manager winning 10 All Ireland titles in 11 years under the Watergrasshill man’s guidance.
Originally from Loughill in West Limerick, Maurice was a prodigious talent and made his senior football debut for his home club Gerald Griffins at the tender age of 14. His prowess on the rugby field carried him to St Munchins College in Limerick where he played Munster Senior Cup rugby as a powerhouse prop forward. Later Maurice would move to Tralee and Gerald Griffins loss was Austin Stacks gain as he inspired his new club to minor County Championship hurling glory in 1986. This move to Stacks was to harness a life long love affair with the Tralee town kingpins which he still has to this day. The bleakness and lack of opportunity in 1980’s Ireland led to Maurice taking the boat to London in search of work in 1997. Whilst in London he signed up for the Kingdom club where he continued to play football before moving back to Tralee.
Maurice is really looking forward to getting stuck in to his new role as Kerry Ladies Chairman. “The challenges will be steep’, he says “but if all clubs, coaches and supporters row in we could have a very successful year”.
McNamara is a man that knows how to overcome steep challenges and there is no doubt that he embrace the challenge as Kerry Ladies Football chairman with the enthusiasm and determination that he has always shown.