James died in November of last year and had been a former footballer with Kill Shamrocks, Cootehill Celtic and Cavan. He won an Ulster SFC medal with the county in 1949, having impressed in in the royal blue two years previous when Cavan lost narrowly in an Ulster junior final to Monaghan. In 1944, James spearheaded his club's drive for honours as they beat a Cavan Slashers side that boasted no fewer than 12 county players on their team. In later years, he would cite that particular group as the pick of the Shamrocks sides he'd been on, stating that it was "the best Kill team I was part of". Come the 1950s, many of Kill's best players had emigrated and their loss would end up being Cootehill's gain, as James made his transfer to the town club. He'd earn a junior championship medal with the Celts in 1952 on route to the club's domination of the senior championship, which saw them winning three consecutive titles between 1953 and 1955. James passed on the grá for Gaelic football to his children. His passing last year was sorely felt by his family and friends, as well as within the Kill and Cootehill clubs.