The Late Michael Joe Badger The passing of Michael Joe Badger of Rathfee left a huge air of sadness among the people of Turloughmore at the week end. Michael Joe was well known and tremendously popular in the area. Mr Badger was the farm hand for the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul for most of their years at Coolarne and later held the position for the Sacred Heart Missionaries, during their time in Coolrane. Known by the many people who went through the Coolrane gates, the pleasing personality of Michael Joe was hugely respected and extremely popular. However, on the hurling fields, Michael Joe also made a great contribution and earned huge respect. Regarded by some as the greatest Turloughmore hurler of all time, he played adult hurling with Turloughmore clubs for eighteen years. During a long and distinguished career he won numerous medals in the North and West Boards, however the highlights came in winning three Galway Junior Championship medals and one senior medal. Michael Joe played a leading role in the victory by Coolrane in the 1943 Junior final that the gave the parish its first hurling title from the time of the inaugural Co. junior Championship that Turloughmore Sarsfields had won in 1907. In 1949 Michael Joe Badger captained St Vincent's hurling team to victory after Coolrane and Cregmore amalgamated to take his second Co. Junior medal. In 1954 Michael Joe captured his third Co. Junior medal with St. Vincents. Michael Joe Badger continued to play following the amalgamation of all teams in the parish and in 1956 when the first fully amalgamation of parish hurling teams came together, Michael Joe was fittingly part of the team that took Turloughmore's first ever Galway Senior Championship title on the seventieth anniversary of the foundation of the club. He played for Galway Junior team in 1947, and in 1949 progressed to a regular position in Galway senior hurling team, playing for the Galway senior team in the All Ireland Semi final against Laois at Croke Park and for Connacht in the 1949 Railway Cup final, which Connacht lost narrowly to Munster on St Patrick's Day. On that day alone Michael Joe played alongside some of the great names in Galway Hurling folklore - Sean Duggan, Willie Fahy, Dick Quinn, Colm Corless, MJ "Inky" Flaherty, John Killeen, Hugh Gordon, Tadgh Kelly, Bernie Power, Josie Gallagher and Joe Salmon. After a long and distinguished hurling career, Michael Joe became a vital cog in the backroom set up of Turloughmore's historic six in a row victories of the sixties and watched the progression of his native club. It was with pride that he saw his grandchildren capture County and All Ireland medals at under age level in recent years. Until recent weeks Michael Joe never lost his tremendous interest in hurling, but he has left a legacy behind him. Members from many levels of Turloughmore Hurling Club formed a guard of honour as the remains of Michael Joe Badger were removed from Lackagh Mortuary Chapel to the Church of Our Lady of Knock, Lackagh. Following Concelebrated Requiem Mass, where Chief Celebrant Very Rev. Fr John D Flannery, PP Lackagh was joined by Fr Michael Smith, MSC, Fr Martin McNamara, MSC and Fr Patsy Kelly, MSC, burial took place in Lackagh Cemetery. Members of Turloughmore Hurling Club escorted the cortege on route to Lackagh Cemetery. Michael Joe Badger is survived by his wife, Bridgie, daughter, Geraldine, sons, Tony, Sean, Vincent and PJ, in laws, nephews, nieces and a large circle of relatives and friends. Courtesy of the Connacht Tribune February 2003 Tweet

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