Monaghan Obituaries 2000

The late Mickie Croarkin
We were saddened to hear of the untimely death of our Honourary Life President, Mickie Croarkin on Saturday 21st October. Mickie was a well known GAA enthusiast all his life. A recent TV promotion ad covering the recent ‘Aussie rules games’ stated that there would be no ‘compromise’. The same could truly be said of Mickie, whose first allegiance was to his native Aghabog. A staunch player in his playing days, a staunch supporter in the years that followed, where his colourful outbursts at the referees decisions would lead to a heated discussion with the opposing supporters as to the seed and breed of the said official.
This probably all stemmed from the infamous 1942 Dr. Ward Cup final where according to reliable sources, Aghabog were leading by two points with time up, and the referee gave a close in free to the opposition. Before Blackhill could take the free, the pitch was invaded by the spectators and the game was called off by the match official.
The Aghabog team, of which Mickie was a willing participant, were having none of this, grabbed the cup and proceeded on a victorious cavalcade to Aghabog. In the years that followed, Mickie always was of the opinion that any games that Aghabog won, were won despite the referee, never because of his decisions.
Starting his career at an early age Mickie won U14 Maguire Cup medal in 1934, and played in the 1940s, 50s and 60s with very little reward save that of the enjoyment he got out of the game and the friendships he gained from over a wide area.
It goes without saying that Mickie’s first allegiance was to his native parish, but whenever there was no affiliated team from Aghabog, and that was fairly often in those years, he give that same commitment when playing for Scotstown in 1945, later with Corcaghan and Threemilehouse. In later years Mickie was an ever present at our matches and shared our successes, in which his sons Eunan and Ronan played an important role in those wins. In 1992 the club honoured Mickie with the Hall of Fame award.
Aghabog GFC