Death of our president - Fr. Dan Gould
January 23, 2024
Killavullen GAA mourns the death of our President. Fr. Dan Gould who died peacefully yesterday. A native of Ballymacoda, Fr. Dan has been ordained a priest, all of 64 years. Since his retirement as parish priest of the twin parishes of Killavullen and Annakissa, in 2014, Fr. Dan has still been living in our community and assisting the parishes of Glanworth, Ballindangan and Curraghagalla. He never left Ballygriffin since he came to us, in 1994 and he had many, many friends in the parish. He resided in the Parochial House, and though asked on several occasions by many to give it a facelift, Fr. Dan liked it the way it was, complete with tables and chairs, strewn with old newspapers and memorabilia, memories and the past. Fr. Dan was very savy at gathering money though, and spent what he gathered on the two churches of the parish, St. Nicholas church in Killavullen, and on the Church of St. Craebhnait, Annakisha, and on the national schools, in Killavullen and Ballygown. Their present fantastic condition is a testament to what Dan thought was important.
A great lover of all things Gaelic, Fr. Dan first came around Killavullen, when we were having a glorious period in our GAA history. Like a lucky omen, or perhaps, because the One True God decreed it, Fr. Dan became our president at a very influential time. We went on to win three Junior A North Cork Football titles, and ultimately, the Junior A County, in the year 2000. We were promoted to Intermediate and then Premier Intermediate football, and Fr. Dan was ever present at these games. He loved standing on the bank of a field, cajoling on the team, and offering wise words of encouragement. He was very knowledgeable on all things GAA, able to read the game, spot the little nuances, that others would have passed over and dissect a game afterwards in the various strands that mattered.
It was always pleasant to be talking GAA with Fr. Dan, and he was constantly enquiring about the next players coming through. Of course, he was well aware of these players, from his pastoral work in both schools in the parish, namely Killavullen and Ballygown schools.
In the history of Killavullen GAA, compiled in 2013, Fr. Dan gave the opening address, and his love of GAA was apparent to all to see, now forever captured in that splendid DVD. Fr. Dan could have said anything he wanted to, on that fateful day of filming in front of Annakissa church, but he choose to emphasize unity. Unity - that which separates a collection of individuals and ultimately forges a successful team.
However, Fr. Dan had many interests that he was able to converse with anybody about. Shooting & Fishing, Sea swimming and horses were but a few. Hailing from East Cork, where every farmer had a horse, Fr. Dan was very knowledgeable in this sphere, with National Hunt Racing and Point to Points specifically, being a particular passion of his.
We will miss Fr. Dan, a man of his time, a priest of his time, who baptised us, celebrated important occasions like communions and confirmations with us, came easily among us at weddings and ultimately stood over us, as we laid our family and friends into the sod of our parish, confided to history.
A rich history.
That God may reward Fr. Dan for his friendship to us.
