I would like to make arrangements to attend if open to the public.

I first met Jimmy after I graduated BK and ND. I was working at the Courthouse before Law School and I met Jimmy while making lunches/serving beer at Woe Fats. One evening, Jimmy had just finished his workout and was on his way out when he saw me and commented on my ND t-shirt. I said, "class of '87" which stopped him in his tracks. I poured him a cup of wine and we spent the next few hours discussing ND football. We became good friends after that day and spent many hours discussing the Irish and related topics. All topics are somehow related to Irish football. I have many fond memories of Jimmy and I will post a couple here.

One of my favorite expressions came from Jimmy and his description of his visits to his People in Tralee. He generally visited during the Rose of Tralee Festival in August. I wish that I could more accurately describe his voice because that is part of his charm but here goes. He would say, "Callanan, when I visit Ireland, my People always say to me, 'Jimmy, we got nothing. But you're welcome to it.'"

Jimmy also told me of the advice that his mother provided to him before he departed for South Bend to start college. "Jimmy, I won't tell you not to gamble, because I know you will. But let me tell you this--never bet against Joe Louis, the Yankees or Notre Dame. And Callanan, that advice has saved me a lot of money over the years."

If I were in Boise, I would participate in a proper Irish Wake. I hope who are in Boise get together and remember Jimmy fondly with stories and memories.

Jimmy made my life richer. He was a good man and fair in all things. He was my friend and I will miss him. God Bless You Jimmy. tjc

Living in North Carolina I will not have an oppurtunity to attend any Wakes or other memeorials for our favorite Irishman but I will lift a glass to a great man.

It saddens me to hear of the passing of a great man like Jimmy Driscoll (my mom called to tell me) The best memory I had of him was he use to always call me over at any time and talk ND football He always at some point in the conversation would tell me " Wertman you know I never saw Notre Dame loose the whole time I was there" . I am sorry I will not be there to send him off , but in typical Irish wake fashion I will raise a pint to him.He will be in my thoughts and prayers, and I am sure missed at BK a lot.

Longtime Bishop Kelly High School teacher

Jennifer Swindell The Idaho Statesman Jimmy Driscoll, a longtime Bishop Kelly High School teacher, coach and all-around sports fan, died Sunday evening from a heart attack.

Driscoll, 74, taught and coached at Boise´s Bishop Kelly for more than 30 years. After his retirement in 1998, he still stopped by the school every day to visit faculty and students. He went to all the home football games and had a job lining the football field, which he did Friday night.

“He embodied Bishop Kelly,´´ teacher John Bieter said. “He was humble and shy and didn´t use big words, but he was incredibly wise with the little sayings he´d drop on you.´´

Driscoll loved downtown Boise and was a regular visitor at McU Sports and Idaho Sporting Goods, where the Notre Dame graduate spent Saturdays watching Notre Dame football games.

He also was a regular at the Basque Center, Bar Gernika and Sockeye Grill & Brewery.

“He touched the lives of so many people in this town,´´ said friend Kathleen Hunthausen.

“Every time I went places with him, he´d know someone.´´

Driscoll, an only child whose parents were from Ireland, grew up in Pittsburgh. He never married or had kids.

“His family was Bishop Kelly,´´ Bieter said.

Before moving to Boise in the mid-1960s, Driscoll was in the Peace Corps, taught in Japan, traveled around the world doing religious work and was stationed in Germany while in the Army. He also taught at a Pittsburgh orphanage.

At Bishop Kelly, he taught physical education and coached track, boxing and football.

Bishop Kelly will honor Driscoll during a school assembly Wednesday.

There will be a vigil service at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Bishop Kelly and funeral services at 6 p.m. Thursday at St. John´s Cathedral.

“He loved to tell people that when he went to Notre Dame, they never lost a game,´´ said Bieter, who took Driscoll back to Notre Dame three years ago, 50 years after he graduated.

“He´d do anything for anybody.´´

To offer story ideas or comments, contact Jennifer Swindell jswindell@idahostatesman.com or 377-6419

Edition Date: 10-28-2003

When I was at Kelly, they added a second P.E. class to handle the increased male student body. They gave the second class to Mr. Wilmot. I had Mr. Wilmot for P.E. 6th period, then was Mr. Driscoll's P.E. aid 7th period. Despite being his aid, he still required that I participate in all of the PT and running drills. At one point, about half way through the semester, I took Mr. Driscoll aside and asked him "Mr. Driscoll, do you know that I actually 'take' P.E. in the 6th period with Mr. Wilmot, and do all the PT and running drills with him before I come to your class?"

"Yes" he replied. "But I've seen how he runs that P.E. class of his, Taggets, and I'm worried that his boys aren't getting the physical exercise they need, so I'd like you to keep it up in my class as well".

If I am ever blessed with a son, I will teach him the lessons learned from Jimmy Driscoll: The importance of the battle of midway. How to leap over folding tables and land safely, head first. How to give a good speech. There as no such thing as a "jumping-jack", they are "side, straddle, hop exercises - and we've got 20 of them". And that "I'll never make you do anything that I can't do myself".

Keep going. Tomorrow's a play day.