The passing of Paddy Hanamy
December 14, 2015
The St Mels senior team 1946 -47. Front l-r: John Murphy, Frank Gilchriest, Bill McGinvey, Paddy Hanamy capt, Sean Gaffney, Tom Murtagh, Paddy Fitzmaurice. Middle l-r: Sean McWade, Frank Hyland, Eugene Boland, Fr Manning, Mick Delaney, Seamus Greene, Paddy Tierney. Back l-r: Vincent Tierney, Gerry Gearty, Brenadan Keaney, Paddy Fenlon, Colm Smith,
Offaly's 1st football championship winning captain Paddy Hanamy died peacefully in his adopted Limerick during the week.
Born in Corr Hill near Ferbane, he led the Doon minor team to their one and only minor title in 1946. Paddy captained St Mel's College to the College Leinster football title in 1946-47 and was the Offaly minor football captain when they made history and won Offaly's first ever Football Championship Title in 1947. The Offaly GAA website has recognised this win as the breakthrough for Offaly football and suggests that " the 1947 minor title win laid the foundation for the senior success of the 1960's 70's and 80's". The team included stalwarts like Mick Furlong, Paddy Casey, Sean Foran, Paddy Fenlon, Kevin Scally, Tommy Moyna and Artie Pyke with Vincent Cowen (Fr Andrew Cowen MSJ Roscrea ) in goal.
Paddy was also one of five Hanamy brothers, Martin, Johnny, Jimmy and Joe who led Doon to win the first Offaly Intermediate football championship title in 1949 and his nephew Martin Hanamy played at No 4 for Offaly for many years and captained the Offaly hurlers to All Ireland success in '94.
Paddy moved to Limerick in the early 50's living there for 60 years during which he married Nancy, he is survived by his daughter Liz and two sons John and David and his four brothers and three sisters. Paddy returned regularly over the years to his roots in the faithful county visiting his siblings homes in Cloghan (Martin), Clara (Johnny), Ballycumber (Mary Egan), Ferbane (Jimmy, Joe & Sr Eithne) and his home place on Corr Hill, Doon, Ballinahowen, Contae Uibh Fháilí
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.
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