On Saturday, at the Bruff AIL pre-match lunch, the family of the late Jamesie Nolan presented his 1934 Provincial Towns Cup winning medal and team photo to the club. Our sincerest thank you goes to the Nolan family for their presentation and to Niall Wall for so eloquently summarising Jamesie's life and sporting achievements. Below is citation written by Niall Wall.
On the occasion of the ENERGIA All-Ireland League Game V BRUFF RFC And The Presentation to the Club of a 1934 Provincial Towns Cup Winning Medal and Team Photo by the family of the late Jamesie Nolan.
On Saturday February 15th 2025 In the Clubhouse, ALCAST PARK
Jamesie Nolan (1910 – 1994).
It is widely accepted in sporting circles that the most gifted and most successful Enniscorthy sportsman of all time was the Late Jamesie Nolan from Bellefield.
Jamesie was once described as: “A County Wexford Man who became a sporting legend”, and a common refrain from Enniscorthy supporters during his playing days was “Leave it to Jamesie”. Indeed, a former teammate dubbed him “the George Best of his day”. Like Best, along with his extraordinary ability, Jamesie was of slim and athletic build that belied his physical strength.
Jamesie is particularly eminent in sporting annals in that he was successful at elite level in three separate football codes, Gaelic Football, Association Football and of most interest today, Rugby Football.
Indeed, Jamesie also holds the wonderful distinction of playing and scoring in the three major cathedrals of Irish sport; Lansdowne Road, Croke Park and Dalymount Park as well as in Ireland and England. He was also a highly regarded cricketer in his day.
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Jamesie Nolan was born in Enniscorthy in 1910 and from an early age embarked on an amazing and unique sporting career.
Gaelic Football
Jamesie Nolan firstly rose to prominence as a member (and one year as captain) of the three-in-a-row Wexford County Minor Football champions, Enniscorthy Clan Loinsigh. Dominant in Wexford and all over Ireland this team remained unbeaten for the three years (1927, 1928 and 1929) and such was Jamesie’s prowess he was selected to play with the Starlights Senior team in 1928, while still a minor.
Clann Loinsigh, unbeaten County Wexford Minor Football Champions 1927-29. Third row, second from right, Jamesie Nolan
Without a care in the world – Clann Loinsigh players (in Starlights Jerseys) on their debut match in Carlow.
Centre of Middle Row Jamesie Nolan
In May 1927, Jamesie featured in a Co. Wexford CBS Selection that were victorious over their Dublin counterparts in Dublin, on a scoreline of 1-7 to 0-2.
Jamesie made his senior championship debut at 19 years of age with the Starlights and made an immediate impact. Lining out at wing forward, scoring the opening goal of the Wexford Senior Football Final Replay that was the impetus for a wonderful win over their great rivals, Ballyhogue. Jamesie ended his Gaelic football career in the nineteen forties, helping Enniscorthy Emmetts and Slaney Harriers win Co. Senior and Junior titles respectively in 1944 and 1948, playing his final game in 1948 at the age of 38.
Soccer
Jamesie’s soccer career commenced with Enniscorthy’s John Street Volunteers in 1930. While working with Fordsons in Cork, he joined local club Hibernians who were members of the professional Free State League. Jamesie then moved to Dublin where he was recruited by the famous League of Ireland Club, Bohemians FC. In recognition of his talent he moved to London for a year where he played as a professional with West Ham United FC reserves. On his return to Enniscorthy, Jamesie signed up as a professional with Bohemians, travelling to play with “The Gypsies” twice a week, missing an FAI cup medal with them in 1935 through injury. He also had a stint with Athlone Town in the Leinster League.
Rugby
In 1934, Jamesie, at the age of 24, joined Enniscorthy RFC and was a key member of that years Provincial Towns Cup winning Team
Enniscorthy RFC dominated Junior Rugby in Leinster in the early to mid 1920’s; winners of the Junior Challenge Cup in 1923 &1925 and the renamed competition The Provincial Towns Cup in 1926 & 1927. In 1927 because of their prominence Enniscorthy became the first club to be promoted to Senior ranks, playing in the Leinster Senior Cup for four seasons. Returning to Junior Rugby Enniscorthy, captained by Joe Tomkins, were again successful, capturing “The Cup” once more in 1934, beating great rivals Shannon Buccaneers from Athlone by five points to three. Played in Lansdowne Road, this exciting but low scoring match featured a young Jamesie Nolan at full back who not only excelled in general play but also kicked the winning two points.
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In a subsequent game Jamesie, to the astonishment of all, successfully kicked a penalty from inside his own half, a feat even more remarkable considering the old leather balls were considerably heavier than modern day counterparts.
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Dedicated to his craft, Jamesie and his brother Joe could often be observed practicing their kicking skills by suspending barrels from a tree as targets. They would then spend hours chipping and lobbing football and rugby balls into the barrels from various distances.
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While Niall Quinn also shares the record of playing and scoring in all three national stadia (Hurling in Croke Park and Soccer in Dalymount Park and Lansdowne Road), Jamesie Nolan holds the unique record of scoring in all three but in their specific sports, Rugby in Lansdowne Road with Enniscorthy RFC, Soccer in Dalymount Park with Bohemians FC and Gaelic Football in Croke Park with Wexford.
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Despite all his wonderful achievements in so many sporting fields, Jamesie Nolan always remained a kind and dedicated family man, unassuming, modest and a great friend to all who knew him.
Nearly one hundred years later, the legacy of Jamesie Nolan lives on in the club, through living descendants of his and the team who are still heavily involved by the club but also
through the bequeathed memory of their sporting feats that are still spoken of and revered today. In particular, Jamesie Nolan’s great neighbour and friend, Alfie Walshe was both proud of Jamesie’s achievement and inspired to help repeat the 1934 Cup success a generation later with the successful 1963 team. And this spirit of excellence perseveres to this day with Enniscorthy Teams challenging for honours at every level, and indeed once more in Senior ranks.
Enniscorthy Rugby Football Club is deeply honoured by the generous presentation by the Nolan Family of the Team photograph and Jamesie’s Winning Medal from 1934 today.
You have provided us with a physical and spiritual memory of the great man that was Jamesie Nolan and the contribution to the club by him and that wonderful past generation of proud Enniscorthy men.
Niall Wall (2025)
Credits
Whelan, S.(1984).Just a Memory (Wexford GAA Memories 1884-1984). Enniscorthy. Author.
Whelan, S. (1998). The Ghost of Bygone Days (An Enniscorthy GAA History). Enniscorthy. Author.
Quirke. B (1984). A Brief History. In: Wall, N. ed, Official Opening of new Dressing Rooms & Clubhouse Extension. N. Enniscorthy. ERFC.
