大象传媒

It was very interesting to read the Edddie Davis article "A FOOTBALLERS WARTIME STORY IN DERRY"
It was a name I often heard when my Dad Jerry Lynn talked about his wartime years in Derry.

Jerry Lynn was from Limerick City, Republic of Ireland. He went to work in the shipyards in Derry as an Electrician during the war years. He married Mary Lynn (nee Dwane) at Saint Colums Church and they resided with a lady called May Duddy in the Waterside area of the City.
In the photograph supplied by Eddie Davis Jerry is in the front row third from the left.
He used to play left wing and had a sweet left foot. One game he recalled was against HMS Winchelsea who had as their manager the renowned Everton and England player Dixie Dean as their manager. Of course the yard team won. Not only did Jerry have a sweet foot but also a sweet voice, light tenor. He sang often at the Guildhall and shared the stage with Joe Locke and Patrick O'Hagan.
If memory serves he was the first to sing Galway Bay at the Guildhall. He also teamed up with Dame Vera Lynn on one of her visits, however they were not related.
He also played Gaelic Football for St.Patricks and inter county for Derry.
He always loved to talk about his wartime experiences in Derry, but alas when he left there at the end of the war he never returned.
He spent the rest of his years in Limerick City, and played semi pro soccer for Limerick City. A broken leg put an end to his soccer career.
He was one of the founder members of Limerick's Gilbert and Sullivan Society and was actively involved in lots of local musical productions, including Panto and Tops of the town.
Jerry's wife mary died in 1988, his son Jack in 1995 and Jerry himself in 2002 one month short of his 82nd birthday. He was the best of Dads and the very best of company
He is survived by his daughter Rosemary (concieved in Derry) and son Robert.

Hopefull this will evoke some memories for other Derry folk.

Does anybody know the names of the others in Eddie Davis's photograph. One of them may be Tom Griffin from Limerick a brother in law of Jerry's sister Birdie Grifen.

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