Local Faces: Brian Jacob
By Mary Dennehy
MORE than 120 years ago, Brian Jacob’s grandparents moved into a small pub in the rural village of Saggart.
Brian’s grandfather John Jacob, who was from Rathcoole, and his wife Mary Brigid Callaghan, from old Kingswood between Saggart and Clondalkin, together set roots in 1901 that grew into Jacob’s becoming a third generation run pub.
Brian Jacob, who has been involved in St Mary’s GAA Club in Saggart since 1954, is honoured to be the new President of the club
Brian’s late father John Kevin, known as Kevin, was born in 1905, and spent his 85 years living and working in Jacob’s - and was also one of the re-founding members of St Mary’s Gaelic Football Club in 1928.
“My dad was one of four people that re-founded the club”, Brian (78) told The Echo.
“There was a club but it disbanded and was refounded in 1928.
“I first played [for St Mary’s] when I was 10 or 11, it was around 1954.
“I played up until senior level but gave up the game quite early, I was blind as a bat… if it was a sunny day I was grand but if it was cloudy or raining, I had no clue where the ball was.”
However, Brian did not give up on St Mary’s and continued on in various roles such as selector, manager, secretary, chairman, and from this month is the club’s new President.
Brian Jacob
“It’s a great honour [to be President]”, Brian said.
“I’m following on a from a great man, Dick Farrelly.”
Involved with St Mary’s for close on seven decades, Dick passed away in October of last year.
Brian believes that St Mary’s has become an integral part of the community, thanks to the efforts of people like Dick, and the many others who have supported the growth of the club over the years.
Brian Jacob
Looking towards the year ahead, Brian said: “We need more football pitches, we’ve expanded so much…and are very short on pitches.
“This would be on my wishlist as President, I may be looking for a miracle but if you don’t ask…
“I’d also like to mention the committee for growing and developing the club, particularly for developing the ladies’ section.”
Grandad to 10 grandchildren, Brian grew up in Jacob’s and took over the running of the pub in the late sixties when he married Kathleen.
Brian Jacob
Like his father before him, Brian raised his family in the pub, with his four daughters all working behind the bar over the years.
“In the past, Saggart had two pubs and a shop…that was it”, Brian, who sold Jacob’s in 2005, said.
“As a young lad I did help out in the pub.
“I went to O’Connell’s in town [for school]… and I also had a few jobs in town, I was an office manager in one place.
Brian Jacob says there’s great history in Saggart and Rathcoole that we should all be aware of and it should be promoted and preserved
“When I got married, the pub was given to me.
“We got it done up and I started working there full-time in 1974.
“I worked there until we sold it in 2005.
“I did miss [the pub when I sold it], I missed it for a good while… I grew up with it.
Brian Jacob
“The bar was like my sitting room.
“I remember in the old days, people just wanted to come in and have a yap.
“Back in the late forties and fifties money wasn’t that plentiful, there wasn’t that much around at that time.
“People used to come in and stand each evening at the top corner of the bar and yap for hours, even if they didn’t have the money for a drink.”
Brian Jacob
Brian didn’t move too far from Saggart when the pub was sold, moving into a house close to where his grandfather was from in Rathcoole.
Brian’s great grandparents also had a shop in Rathcoole, so his family has strong generational ties to the area, and its social history.
“There’s great history in the place, a lot of history in Saggart and Rathcoole that we should all be aware of and it should be promoted and preserved”, Brian said.
To learn more about St Mary’s GFC visit its Facebook page or stmarysgaasaggartrathcoole.gaa.ie.
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