Jimmy O'Rourke - Legend - RIP.

[mikesy]

Thanks for all the great memories Jim.
Rest In Peace.

 

[SWH]

RIP . A truly sad loss .

 

[tayside hibee]

I heard a story once, so don’t know it’s accuracy, but apparently,when he first returned to ER playing for St Johnstone , he went down injured after a tackle . The Hibs physio at the time ( Mcniven I think) raced on to the park to treat him before the St J physio could get off his seat .
He was truly held in high regard by everyone , both professionally and socially.
He leaves us , knowing fine he made his mark in Hibs history , and was loved by all.

 

[Old north enclosure]

Just a great Hibs man and legend,
“Every one knows his name”
Never forgotten

 

[1875]

 

[jock3]

A sad day, I never saw him play for Hibs, but he was always spoken of fondly in circles. Looks like he was 30 when he left Hibs for Motherwell....

 

[SuperTortolano]

 

[Doc Shrink]

A sad day, I never saw him play for Hibs, but he was always spoken of fondly in circles. Looks like he was 30 when he left Hibs for Motherwell....

He left Hibs to go to the Saintees.
Then Motherwell.

 

[Brizo]

RIP Jimmy
My childhood hero.
Condolences to the family.

 

[tricky]

RIP to one of the greats, everyone knows his name

 

[mickeyjp]

A nicer guy you couldn't meet. Spoke to him many times at the Corstorphine in. Always engaging and helpful. Part of a great hibs team. The sporting Lisbon game my fav. He was electric that night.
RIP.

 

[Doc Shrink]

A nicer guy you couldn't meet. Spoke to him many times at the Corstorphine in. Always engaging and helpful. Part of a great hibs team. The sporting Lisbon game my fav. He was electric that night.
RIP.

One of the best nights ever in the shed.

 

[Davy]

Bit weird this as I woke up and for some reason shades was in my mind, so then I thought of Erich, and my mind drifted to big Eddie, Willie ormond and then how.many Tornadoes had passed away. Then got text saying O'Rourke had died! World seems to be passing by too quick

 

[southfieldhibby]

Too young to have seen him play but booked a couple of holidays for him and he was tremendous company, a complete gent. Think he had a static caravan over in Burntisland, he said he’d much prefer to go there ‘but the boss lady fancies Spain, son’

Rest easy Jimmy

 

[moathibby]

A mention on STV but none on the BBC,shameful.

 

[Global Hibby]

Shocked to hear of Jimmys passing and my deepest condolences to family, friends, Hibs fans and also to Pat Stanton.
The closeness of Pat and Jimmy was so very special and when I was kid at Leith Academy would run up to ER and after school. Would often see Jimmy and Pat together midweek and also before and after the match on the Saturday.

They both had a remarkable ability to make you feel special as if they remembered and knew you.

Playing footie with your mates and do you recall the days when you would take a players name …..I would take take the name of a player and when up front I was Jimmy O’Rourke and when I was Jimmy I would bang the goals.

When playing the football strategy games would change the name of players to Jimmy and the rest of Hibs legends.

When looking back on my memories Jimmy, Pat and other tornadoes were amazing and Jimmy, gave me the most magical memories up top with Gordon and Arthur.

Thank you Jimmy for those very special memories that will live with me to my dying day and Pat, if you come here, my deepest condolences and what magical memories you have with Jimmy and you passed them on to us.

There are many reasons why Hibs are in my blood and you and Jimmy are a major part of that.

Thank you Jimmy and Pat and Jimmy, may you Rest in Peace and you will certainly be in God’s first eleven,

 

[emerald green]

Been oot all day since early morning, got in and read this. Gutted.

RIP. A proper Hibernian.

 

[Norrieg]

Sad day. RIP Jimmy and thanks for the great memories. If only we had your ilk today.

 

[Ifield Hibee]

Had the pleasure of meeting both Jimmy and Joe Baker in 1997 at a London Hibs do to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of our 1972 League Cup win.

Both gentlemen and Jimmy was a great storyteller.

They both signed my Commemorative Bottle of Whisky from that Cup win. Jimmy's autograph on the left of the label.

A much-treasured memento

25 Years on from that night the bottle is still unopened.

GGTTH

 

[Bobby_Combe]

Very sad to hear this. Jimmy was one of the best. Will always remember the goal that won us the League Cup in '72 - one of the best headed goals I've ever seen. Terrific player - all heart, never gave up. 100% Hibee. One of the first players I saw in the Hibs shirt, and still one of the best.

My sincerest condolences to his family and friends - their loss is incalculable. Rest in peace, Jim.

 

[cleanyman]

Just saw this

RIP Jimmy

My papa spoke of him fondly

 

[Jack K]

A poem by George Robertson, eldest brother of John.


The Sun cried today o'er Leith,
was very drab and full of grief,
because a man was going to meet the Chief,
and sign St Peter's book.

He would be there at the gate,
don't think too long he would wait,
St Pete would say, " welcome mate ",
you'll be Jimmy O'Rourke ".

And wee Jimmy he'd just say, "aye ",
With that wee glint in his eye,
"welcome mate", with a holy hand,
Peter shall say, "to this Green land".

Wee Jimmy shall wander, look around,
hear a very special sound,
a very, very, well known song,
and be at home before too long.

Jimmy, Jimmy, O'Rourke, everyone knows his name,
Jimmy, Jimmy O'Rourke, a genius of the game,
here you are up here in heaven,
where the angels remember number seven.

 

[Doc Shrink]

A poem by George Robertson, eldest brother of John.


The Sun cried today o'er Leith,
was very drab and full of grief,
because a man was going to meet the Chief,
and sign St Peter's book.

He would be there at the gate,
don't think too long he would wait,
St Pete would say, " welcome mate ",
you'll be Jimmy O'Rourke ".

And wee Jimmy he'd just say, "aye ",
With that wee glint in his eye,
"welcome mate", with a holy hand,
Peter shall say, "to this Green land".

Wee Jimmy shall wander, look around,
hear a very special sound,
a very, very, well known song,
and be at home before too long.

Jimmy, Jimmy, O'Rourke, everyone knows his name,
Jimmy, Jimmy O'Rourke, a genius of the game,
here you are up here in heaven,
where the angels remember number seven.

William McGonagall will be spinning.

I’m sure the sentiment is good though.

 

[MeanwoodHibee]

Been thinking about Jimmy O'Rourke memories, aside from the obvious ones (Sporting, the League Cup final, 7-0). A couple are, firstly a goal he scored after 17 seconds against Aberdeen in the Cup quarter final at Easter Road in March 1972. Jimmy latched onto a through ball from Alan Gordon and smashed it past our ex-goalie Gordon Marshall in the Aberdeen goal. The moment was captured on the cover of the following week's programme - look at that crowd!

In the semi-final we faced Rangers. My Dad took me to Hampden, for the first time. We stood in the enclosure at the front of the South Stand - roughly Henderson Corner territory- as my Dad thought that might be relatively civilised. The crowd was 75,000 and seemed to be almost entirely Huns. They took the lead in the first half but Jimmy shut them up with an equaliser early in the second. No more scoring but Hibs played them off the park in the replay, not that I was allowed to go, a midweek game against the Huns in Glasgow being judged far too dangerous for a nearly 12 year old.

 

[moathibby]

A poem by George Robertson, eldest brother of John.


The Sun cried today o'er Leith,
was very drab and full of grief,
because a man was going to meet the Chief,
and sign St Peter's book.

He would be there at the gate,
don't think too long he would wait,
St Pete would say, " welcome mate ",
you'll be Jimmy O'Rourke ".

And wee Jimmy he'd just say, "aye ",
With that wee glint in his eye,
"welcome mate", with a holy hand,
Peter shall say, "to this Green land".

Wee Jimmy shall wander, look around,
hear a very special sound,
a very, very, well known song,
and be at home before too long.

Jimmy, Jimmy, O'Rourke, everyone knows his name,
Jimmy, Jimmy O'Rourke, a genius of the game,
here you are up here in heaven,
where the angels remember number seven.

He was number eight.

 

[Jack K]

He was number eight.

Yeah, poetic licence rhyming heaven with seven.

 

[moathibby]

He could have rhymed heaven's gate with eight.

 

[Weehibbydrew]

Did he score the seventh?

 

[lenthehibby]

Did he score the seventh?

No. Alan Gordon did.

 

[Emerald Harp]

Seven is imo a reference to the 0-7 game,not a shirt number.
Jimmy was picked up before heading for Tynie by Alan Gordon.
Jimmy mentioned that a Zorro film was on tv that morning and the hero Zorro would scratch the letter Z with his sword on walls, trees,etc.
Jimmy said to Alan he thought it ,the Z ,resembled the number 7 and jokingly ,but rightly ,predicted the score .
.That is a true story. Jimmy often referred to that game as The Zorro Game

 

[The Family]

R.I.P to another Hibs Legend

 

[Doc Shrink]

Jimmy was brilliant.
The ‘poem’ less so.

 

[Bambino]

He was number eight.

0-7.

 

[Spanish-hibs]

His funeral is Friday. Private at family’s request. RIP Jim. You will live forever in our hearts.

 

[Greenmachine]

I just hope the club have a proper pre-match tribute lined up for him before the LIvingston game on Christmas Eve.
I know there was a minutes applause before the Middlesborough friendly but there were was two men and their dugs there. I mean a proper pre-match tribute with a big Hibs crowd there paying their respects to a great Hibernian and a legendary player.

 

[moathibby]

A minutes applause at the charity match, a minute applause at the Middlesborough, a minute applause at the Woman's I'd be surprised if there was much more.

 

[Cavalier]

His funeral is Friday. Private at family’s request. RIP Jim. You will live forever in

At Mortonhall. Private though not secret.