Monaghan Obituaries 2003

Brendan Colton, Emyvale
Club members in Emyvale and the wider community as a whole were shocked to hear of the accidental and untimely death of Brendan Colton on December 9th last year.
The late Brendan, better known as 'BC' to all his friends was a former Emyvale player and stalwart club member and his tragic passing in Dublin cast a grave shadow over north Monaghan GAA circles. During his playing days, Brendan helped his beloved club win the McGrane Cup, McHugh Cup, Lee Brothers Cup and the Treanor Cup at underage level.

Eugene Marray, London and late of Main Street, Castleblayney
The local Marray family and the Castleblayney Faughs club were grieving the loss of a dear husband and father and a former leading light on the football field following the death of Eugene Marray in Hammersmith, London in mid-December 2002. The late Mr. Marray was a star player with the Faughs in years gone by, helping the club win the 1946 senior championship. Eugene also starred on the Monaghan county minor side.

Jimmy Rafferty, Ardee and formerly Inniskeen
Many Inniskeen GAA folk were in attendance at Bellapousta cemetery on Tuesday, December 10th 2002 for the internment of former stalwart player Jimmy Rafferty.
Jimmy played minor and senior football for the Grattans in the late thirties and forties and it was appropriate that his coffin was draped by the Inniskeen flag as the funeral cortege made its way from the chapel to his grave.

Pat Molloy, Drumquill, Annyalla
Gaelic games in Monaghan lost a major supporter when Pat Molloy passed away in Monaghan General Hospital at the age of 84 at the end of December 2002.
The late Pat was an avid follower of Gaelic football and also enjoyed supporting the weekly Castleblayney Faughs bingo session each Tuesday night up until his illness.

Gene McBennett, Keady and Drumhowan
Long-serving members of the Drumhowan club and those within the wider GAA communities of both Drumhowan and Keady were saddened to hear of the death of Gene McBennett.
The late Gene was present at the very first meeting of the Drumhowan club in Simons and later went on to play an active role in the foundation and playing affairs of the club.

Larry Callan, Corbane, Corduff
The passing of Larry Callan, Corbane on Wednesday, January 22nd left a large void in the Corduff club that will be difficult to fill.
Larry was a dedicated member of the club and worked tirelessly over the years to improve its facilities.
It was no co-incidence that it was Larry who sowed the grass on the football field in August 1981.
For many years, Larry acted as gateman which endeared him to players and supporters alike from all around the county.
In recognition of his service to Corduff GAA, Larry was the recipient of the 1998 Hall of Fame Award.

Fr. Vincent McNally, Donaghmoyne
Fr. Vincent died in Japan where he was assigned pastoral work but his heart never left his native Donaghmoyne.
The late cleric played for the great Fontenoys teams of the late 1930s and and early 1940s.
He later perfected his football skills in St. Macartan's and St. Columbans of Dalgan Park from December 1945 onwards.

Mickey Marron, Cornasassanagh, Corduff
There was widespread shock throughout the Corduff area in mid-February last at the death of Mickey Marron.
Mickey played half back with the Corduff team in the forties and fifties and was also a member of the Carrickmacross team for some time.
Throughout his life Mickey remained a staunch member of Corduff GAA and never hesitated to make his field at Bogtown Cross available for training in the winter months.

Pat Duffy, Magheracloone
Although he left his native Magheracloone to go to work in Belfast at an early age, the late Pat Duffy never lost his interest or love for Magheracloone GAA.
Pat had a wide variety of interests but his support of Magheracloone GFC, a club he played for in his younger days, was arguably keenest of all.
Pat later became secretary of his adopted Clan na Gael club in Dublin.

Patrick Connolly, Doohamlet
The sudden and tragic death of Patrick Connolly in early March was greeted with profound sadness by all who knew him, including his many friends at Doohamlet GAA.
Patrick was only 29 at the time of his death but he made his mark at his beloved GAA club, having played for Doohamlet right through from juvenile up to senior level, being a member of the 1999 JFC winning squad.

Kieran McCarey, Smithboro
The people belonging to the Eire Og club, its catchment area and much further afield were plunged into mourning in mid-March with the news of the untimely death of Kieran McCarey.
Kieran was just 18 at the time of his death and had just been selected for the county minor panel a week before his passing.
A regular member of the Eire Og senior panel, Kieran was one of the stars of the club's minor team that won the double in 2002.
Some years before that, he starred in the centre-half berth on the under 12 team that won the Conlon Cup in '96.

Paddy Crawley, Inniskeen
The death of Paddy Crawley on March 16th robbed the Inniskeen club of a really great former star.
Paddy played for the red and green in the thirties and early forties and his remains were flanked by the past and present members of the club to St. Mary's graveyard.

Terry McElvaney, Garron, Clones
Members of the Eire Og club were united in expressing their sadness at the tragic death of Terry McElvaney, a long-time supporter of the club.

Peter Shevlin, Killycard, Blackhill
The tragic death of Peter Shevlin, Killycard cast a pall of gloom over Blackhill and surrounding areas at the end of March.
Peter was a former player with Blackhill and was present during the glory years when Blackhill won two junior football championships in the fifties.
The late Peter proceeded to help his beloved club complete the intermediate double in '53. Peter also served as club secretary for a spell.

Jimmy Corrigan, Devin Reilly Terrace, Monaghan town
Aged 87, Jimmy Corrigan's passing saddened all who knew him.
He was the youngest of nine children who were born and reared in Scotstown.
A carpenter by trade, Jimmy was a keen all-round sportsman and a particularly enthusiastic supporter of Scotstown GAA.
In fact, Jimmy trained the Scotstown team that brought the first Co. Monaghan SFC to Scotstown.

Eddie McDonnell, Drumhowan, Castleblayney
The late Eddie died at the age of 91, peacefully, in Monaghan General Hospital in late March.
Like his father before him, Eddie had a keen interest in Gaelic games and he was the first ever chairman of Drumhowan Geraldines.

Frank Meegan, Broomfield
The untimely death of Frank Meegan, Broomfield came as a great shock to the gaels of Donaghmoyne and Inniskeen.
The late Frank was a great supporter of both clubs and followed their fortunes keenly.

Mick Meegan, Gorteen and formerly Lannet
Mick's demise in early April added to the grief experienced by gaels in Inniskeen in 2003.
The late Mick hailed from a very famous footballing family from Inniskeen and he had a very big interest in Gaelic football affairs, locally and nationally.
The Inniskeen Grattans were well represented by past and present team members as they flanked Mick's remains in a guard of honour.

Pat Hesnan, Emyvale
Pat's death was greeted with great sadness by a large number of people, not least the gaels of Emyvale.
A former committee member and a loyal supporter down through the years, Pat was a very proud man to see his sons Patrick and Michael play so well for Emyvale over the years.

Brian Duffy, Toome
The late Brian will be sadly missed by not alone his family but by followers of Toome GAA whom he supported loyally as a player and then as a fan and mentor.
Brian was a key member of the Toome team what won the intermediate double in 1975 and in later years went on to manage Toome on two separate occasions.

Packie John McGuigan, Toome
The entire area of Toome was saddened by the death in April last of Packie John McGuigan.
The late Packie John was president and a founder member of the Toome club as well as being a life-long supporter of the GAA.

Tommy McMahon, Toome
Toome GAA lost a very dedicated and loyal supporter when Tommy McMahon passed on to his eternal reward in May 2003.
Tommy gave over 50 years to his beloved Toome club, as a player, a manager, a selector before becoming the chairman of the club for a period.
As a player he helped the club win the 1958 Dr. Ward Cup. Three years later he was part of the team that won the junior championship.
Needless to say, Tommy was still active when Toome won the intermediate double in 1975.

Brian Duffy, Castleblayney
The death in May last of Brian Duffy shocked all associated with the 'Blayney Faughs club.
Brian was a member of the immortal five-in-a-row team of the sixties, playing on the teams in '66 and '67.
The late Brian served the club throughout the seventies, winning six SFC medals during that decade.
He completed his playing career with his 10th SFC medal in 1982.

Anthony Gallen, Castleblayney
The sympathy of all belonging to the Faughs club was extended to the family and relatives of the late Anthony Gallen.
Anthony played underage football with the club and was a committed supporter throughout his all too short life.

Gerry Kieran, Togan
Members of Sean McDermotts, Monaghan Harps and Fheargal Ui hAnnluain GAA clubs united in sharing their sympathies with the family and relatives of Gerry Kieran who sadly died in mid-May.
Gerry played for the two first-named clubs for a number of years but it was his commitment as a supporter and administrator and overall knowledge of GAA that really earned him respect among his peers.

Seamus Treanor, Monaghan
It was with great sadness that members of Monaghan Harps GAA learned of the death last May of former great, Seamus Treanor.
The late Seamus was a player of considerable talent and was a key figure on the Harps side that won the 1949 Junior league and championship double and on the Hackett Cup and intermediate championship winning teams of 1954.

Benny Sullivan, Latton
Everyone belonging to Latton GAA was saddened to hear of the death of Benny Sullivan in May.
A member of a renowned GAA family, the late Benny gave outstanding service to the club in his youth and was one of the O'Rahilly's most loyal supporters down the years.

Simon Robbins, Emyvale
The late Simon was a brillant young footballer and played in goal for Emyvale in the early eighties, winning junior double medals with the club in 1985.
The club provided a guard of honour for his remains.

Brendan McCabe, Huddersfield and formerly Clones
The late Brendan died in hospital in his adopted Huddersfield, England but he will not be forgotten by the gaels of Clones.
His great sporting love was Gaelic football where during his younger days he was totally supportive of the local St. Tiarnach's club.
Brendan played for Clones for many years and served the club as minor and juvenile secretary.

Fr. Enda McCormack, Emyvale
The news of the death in June last of Fr. Enda McCormack was greeted with great sadness by the gaels of Emyvale.
The Very Reverend was former parish priest of Emyvale and a former President of the local GAA club.
Fr. McCormack represented both Blackhill and Castleblayney at club level and was on the Monaghan team that won the Ulster SFC in 1938.
The late Fr. McCormack went on to manage the Monaghan minor and senior teams in later years, steering the county to the Ulster SFC final in '67.

John Tavey, Dublin and late of Donaghmoyne
John's passing in Dublin in June saddened all his friends in his native Castleblayney and his adopted Dublin.
The late John was a member of the county team that won the All-Ireland JFC in 1956 and later went on to capture places on the senior county team and Ulster's Railway Cup side.
One of five brothers who all represented Monaghan, John won an Owen Ward Cup medal with the Fontenoys in 1959 and played with Donaghmoyne until the age of 24 when he moved to Dublin.
John was afforded the Monaghan Hall of Fame award in 1997.

Peter Kelly, Drumhowan
News of the passing of Peter Kelly caused profound sadness in the Drumhowan area last June.
The late Peter manned the gate for many years at Drumhowan GAA until his healt deteriorated in recent years.

Pat Keenan, Carnagh, Keady
News of the death of Pat Keenan in July last was greeted with great sadness in Armagh and Monaghan and, in particular, Clontibret.
The late Pat was held in great esteem among Clontibret gaels of yore and he served the club well as a stalwart player.

Anthony McKenna, Killeevan
The death of Anthony McKenna in July last robbed his family and Killeevan GAA of a dear friend.
Anthony was the club's groundsman for just over 20 years and also a loyal supporter all down the years with no job being too troublesome for him.

Michael Malone, Madeece
Michael's death in July last came as a big blow to his family and the gaels of Blackhill.
A former stalwart footballer with Blackhill, Michael featured on the club's foremost teams in the 'forties, winning two county medals.

Noel Greenan, Clonkeencole
Noel's demise was greeted with great sadness by all who knew him, especially those living in his native Clones.
The late Noel was a long-time member and supporter of St. Tiarnach's GAA and was also a keen follower of the fortunes of all Monaghan county teams over the years.

James (Jimmy) Sheridan, Drumgowna, Carrickmacross
A native of Drumgowna, the late Jimmy was a familiar figure at GAA matches countywide during his lifetime.
Jimmy enjoyed Gaelic football in all its facets but he had a particular interest in the fortunes of local teams, Corduff Gaels and Carrick Emmets.

Bill Harvey, Emyvale
The death in early August last of Bill (Willie) Harvey was the source of regret to his family and a large circle of friends, including a host of GAA followers and the Emyvale club especially.
Willie was one of Emyvale's finest players during the fifties when the club was very strong at junior level.
After retiring from football, Willie became one of the club's greatest supporters and never missed a game.
Paddy Keenan, Cloughvalley, Carrickmacross and formerly Corduff
Paddy's passing in August last was deeply regretted by his family and gaels in Carrick and Corduff.
Paddy played with Corduff in the sixties and maintained a keen interest in the club's fortunes and GAA affairs in general right up to his death.

Genie Mullen, Tyholland
The late Genie passed to his eternal reward in August last and he will be missed greatly by his family and friends.
Genie was a great GAA man and played for Armagh minors and juniors in the fifties.
A founder member of the Tyholland club, he later turned to refereeing in the fifties and sixties.
At the time of his death, Genie was Vice-President of the Tyholland GAA.

Frankie Lavelle, Cremartin
It was with great sadness that the gaels of Cremartin Shamrocks learned of the death in August of Frankie Lavelle.
Frankie was one of the club's greatest ever players, over the course of a 25 year career.
Frankie was a key figure on the club team that won the junior double in '56 and the Ward Cup of '57.

Vincent Doran, Threemilehouse
A member of the famed Threemilehouse minor team of 1951/52, Vincent's death last September was a source of great sadness to all who knew him.
Vincent was a terrific footballer and played a key role in the club's junior championship triumph of 1955.
The late Vincent also played on the county minor team of 1952 and always gave of his best.

Ronan Leonard, Newbliss
The tragic and untimely death of Ronan Leonard in September last shocked his family and the people of Newbliss and surrounding areas.
Ronan was deeply involved in the promotion and development of ladies football in the county.
A hard working officer with the Aghabog GAA, the late Ronan was also a former PRO with Monaghan County Board and manager of the Under 16 ladies county team.
Regarded as a highly efficient referee, Ronan also trained ladies teams at under 12 and under 14 levels with great success.

Jack Myles, Dundalk and formerly Castleblayney
The late Jack was a prominent member of Blackhill GAA in years gone by and played with the team for a number of years before moving to Dundalk.

Darren McNally, Carrickmacross
The untimely death of 13 year old Darren shocked the entire community in his native Carrick last October.
Darren was a very keen sports enthusiast and was a winner at many different sports over the course of his young life.
The late Darren had a big interest in Gaelic games and played Gaelic football and hurling at underage level for Carrick Emmets.

Annie Kerr, Fairview, Clones
Annie's death last October brought a great sense of sadness to her family and the people of the Clones area in general.
Annie had a great interest in Gaelic games and was known for her astute analysis of games.
She supported St. Tiarnachs all her life and was a member of the Ladies Committee which was responsible for raising funds to purchase St. Tiarnach's Park for the club.

Liam Kelly, Monaghan
The Monaghan Harps club mourned the passing in October last of its club president Liam Kelly.
Liam's association with the Harps went back to the forties and over the course of his lifetime, he gave a lot of his time to the club as a mentor, club official and player.
A member of the team which won the Dr. Ward Cup in 1947, the Ward Cup and McCaldin Shield in 1949, Liam was a great servant to the club and will be sorely missed.

John Keenan, Ballybay
Members of Ballybay Pearse Brothers were sad to learn of the death of John Keenan in October last.
Vice-President of the club, John was a lifelong worker for and supporter of the club and his passing brought great sadness to his family and to the GAA fraternity.
The last match he attended was an under 10 tournament in Pearse Park organised by his grandson Tony (junior) and he was a proud man as he presented the medals at the end of the match.

Philomena Boyd, Oram
The death of Philomena in late November was deeply regretted by her family and all her friends in the local GAA club.
Philomena liked nothing better than attending matches and watching her offspring play their hearts out.
Her presence at Oram matches at various levels will be greatly missed.

Hugh Carville, Mullyash
The Carville family, Mullyash and Oram GAA were united in grieving the passing of Hugh Carville in late November.
Hugh was a prominent member of the club's 1953 championship-winning team and was regarded as a stalwart supporter of the club throughout his life.