McGough, Michael
May 31, 2013LAST week the Tuam Stars club lost one of its loyal servants Michael McGough, Aughlora, Tuam, who passed away after an illness bravely borne.
Michael got actively involved in the club when his son lan, the club's current fullback, started playing at U8 level and Michael never took a break from the club until his illness forced him to. He served as a selector on underage teams, particularly our minor teams who reached two county finals under Micheal Geraghty, our senior and under 21 teams under two different managers, Mickey Byrne and Alan Flynn and also as a committee member until this year when sadly his illness, Motor Neuron Disease, took hold of him and prevented him from attending meetings.
He still went to Tuam Stars matches at every opportunity, in the last few months, driving into the grounds and watching from his car, he was even making plans to get his car into Tuam Stadium last Sunday to watch his beloved Tuam Stars play neighbours, Cortoon Shamrocks in the senior championship until he unexpectedly took a turn for the worse from which he never recovered.
He also received the highest honour that Tuam Stars could award to any of our members when he was presented with the Philip Joyce Memorial Cup at the club's annual social in 2012 for his 'outstanding contribution'.
He was a very proud man when his son lan captained the Stars' under 21 team to county final success in 2008 against St. James' but he was indeed very proud of all of his children. His daughter Charlene was a finalist in the Galway Rose of Tralee last year and that was also another memorable moment for him.
His friends remember listening to him when he was awarded the outstanding contribution to Tuam Stars and typical of Michael, when he was interviewed by Kevin Dwyer at the social, he played down his part in the club, shrugging his big shoulders, just saying that he loved doing that he did.
Yes, he was a proud man to receive the award but that was Michael all over, a quiet, gentle man who was well loved, well regarded and much respected by everyone who knew him, be it in his personal, professional or sporting life. He didn't want any fuss made about him. It was never about him. He liked to keep in the background.
But Tuam Stars people, who have worked with him over the years, know what he did for the club and know what the club meant to him and we will never forget him for it and they'll miss him around the
place.
Tuam Stars extends deepest sympathies to his wife Anne, his daughter Charlene and his sons, Keith, Darren, Shane and lan and to all of his family, friends and neighbours.
Courtesy of The Connacht Tribune. Tweet
