Daly, Gerry
November 10, 2012Winner of a County Minor Championship medal with Ballinasloe in 1948 and a Junior Championship in 1951, Gerry was joined in the county senior team's full-back line for the 1956 All-Ireland final against Cork by his younger clubmate Sean Keeley at No. 2 and the teak-tough Ahascragh man Tom "Pook" Dillon in the left corner. The team was captained by Tuam Stars goalkeeper Jack Mangan and other star players were midfielders Frank Evers and Mattie McDonagh, Sean Purcell at centre half-forward, Frank Stockwell at full-forward and another Ballinasloe man, Gerry Kirwan, at left full-forward.
It was considered an epic final, with Galway winning by 2-13 to 3-7. It wasn't played until October because of a Polio outbreak in Cork city and county, which resulted in the deaths of 20 people (starting with a five-year-old girl) and illness in over 500. The Croke Park attendance for Galway vs Cork was 70,772. It would have been over 80,000 if the final had been played in September.
In early August of last year, the town of Tuam honoured the victorious 1956 captain. Jack Mangan, by naming a roundabout after him, in the same area as the town's Purcell and Stockwell roads. Gerry Daly and Gerry Kirwan drove down from Dublin especially for the happy occasion but on the way while stopping in their home town Ballinasloe for a short break, Gerry Daly suddenly felt ill and, very sadly, he did not recover.
His passing was deeply regretted by all who knew him, and by all who saw him play Gaelic football in his prime. Gerry wore the Galway jersey with pride and distinction, and off the field he was a popular, highly respected man who will be fondly remembered.
He is survived by his wife Aine, sons Paul and Conor (Br. Columba), daughter Grania and the extended family.
Courtesy of The Tuam Herald. Tweet
