The late Bill McCarthy Historic Duagh captain is laid to rest The death has occurred of Bill McCarthy of Lyrecrompane and Duagh and North Kerry. Bill, of course, was a true GAA man and was the last man to captain a Duagh team to a winning North Kerry Senior Championship in 1962. Indeed he won a number of North Kerry championship medals with Duagh in what was a golden era for the club in the late 50s and early 60s. Bill played a huge part in those successes, winning five medals. Bill also played in the county championship with both Shannon Rangers and Feale Ranger and his many successes with the Rangers' proved that he was no mean footballer. He is credited with many great sayings on the football fields and would not be slow in unsettling a player, all in fun of course. Many of these sayings have now gone into football folklore. It is said that one day when he was marking a young 'greenhorn', Bill turned to the young lad and remarked, "boy bán, have you ever been in hospital?" True maybe, but Bill certainly enjoyed recalling it. It was his wish, as regards being the last Duagh captain of a Duagh North Kerry winning championship side, that his record would alter and he would witness another win but unfortunately he didn't get his wish but he did enjoy the heights Duagh achieved in 2006 and 2007 on the team great quest to Croke Park. He got great mileage out of that. Bill was a colourful character and those who knew him - or heard him or of him - would agree on this. The North Kerry Board honoured him at a function a few years ago on being a winning captain but unfortunately Bill was unable to attend on the day as his ailment had hospitalised him but he did celebrate when he left hospital. He will also be missed on the greyhound fields and his friends at Tralee Greyhound Track will dearly miss his presence in the downstairs bar. He will be missed in the many saloons he visited in his time in Duagh, Listowel and Finuge etc. He has gone but no doubt the memory of Billín, as he was affectionately known, will live on. The Duagh GAA club provided a Guard of Honour as the remains arrived in Duagh on Monday July 21st and a message of sympathy was passed at a GAA meeting during the week. Bill was buried in Springmount Cemetery, Duagh on Tuesday July 22nd after Requiem Mass. He is survived and deeply missed by his sisters, family members, relatives and friends. May he rest in peace Kerry's Eye, 31st July 2008 Tweet

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