Hughie Tully peacefully passed to his eternal rest in the early hours of Monday last.

Flame haired Hughie was involved in so many organisations within Kilskyre parish. But within this sphere of activities he will best be remembered as a staunch GAA man, as a player, mentor and avid supporter.

The Tully family were always heavily involved with the Ballinlough club, his brothers donned the red jersey with pride and enthusiasm and Hughie lined out as a wing back in the Meath senior final of 1962.

Later he mostly lined out in the forward line, usually at centre half  and had an uncanny ability to win possession, before ''calling it a day'' when Ballinlough were relegated to the intermediate ranks in 1973.

But Hughie Tully's GAA involvement was far from over, he acted in a number of officer roles for the club, trained various underage teams and was for years a selector with Ballinloughs premiier fifteen. Not forgetting his constant presence working to improve facilities at the club grounds.

He was also a skilful hurler and a key player on the Kilskyre team who bagged a brace of intermediate title in the sixties, reaching the senior semi final in 1967.

Hughie rarely missed a Meath or club match involving Kilskyre or Ballinlough and fittingly was in Martry last Sunday to watch 'The Reds' as they took on St. Michaels, just hours before his passing.

We let his two clubs recall Hughie Tully's rich life.

The Ballinlough Facebook page went thus---

Our flag is at half-mast today and our club is in mourning once again following the sudden and sad departure of Club Stalwart Hughie Tully, who passed away last night.

Hughie was a keen Handballer with the Crossakiel Handball Club on the open court for many years, whilst also carrying out the functions of the dual player, being outstanding for both the Kilskyre hurlers and Ballinlough footballers in the 60’s and 70’s.

He was part of the successful 1961 Junior and 1962 Intermediate hurling League winning teams, but it was in 1965 when he was instrumental for the hurlers lining out at centre half back, as they went on to win the clubs first Intermediate Hurling Championship.

Hughie continued to represent the club for many years and was still present when the club won the Junior Championship in 1978.

Whilst winning Championships with Kilskyre hurlers, Hughie was also donning the Ballinlough football jersey and after some impressive team displays he took his position on the half back line in the 1962 Meath Senior Football Championship Final, the game resulted in defeat but it was the first and only time in Club history that the Senior Championship Final was contested, and Hughie played an integral part throughout that campaign.

When playing days were over, Hughie helped develop the underage structures of the club and led the U-17 team to League success as Manager in 1986, getting those lads out at 11AM on a Sunday Morning for a game was no easy feat, but it was no bother to a man like Hughie Tully. The bulk of that team were to progress from Hughie’s guiding hand to go on and win Junior and Intermediate Championships with Ballinlough not too long later.

He was a regular steward in the Park on Match Days, and a constant presence at football games at all levels when club teams were involved, and it was fitting he was awarded the highest honour a club can bestow when named an Honorary President of the Ballinlough Club.

Hughie’s sons both played football with the club at underage level and recently Grandson Joe has being taking his first steps onto the field with the Ballinlough Bears. To his heartbroken wife Anne, sons John and Paul, and the extended Tully family we extend our deepest sympathies. Ar dheis de go raibh a anam, May He Rest in Peace.

The Kilskyre Facebook had their excellent inclusion---

Where do you start with someone like Hughie Tully.

He was a community man through and through and generous in so many ways to our clubs: Ballinlough, Crossakiel and Kilskyre. If you want to know how to live life to the fullest you won’t have to look much further than Hughie, he just loved life.

Sport played a huge part in Hughie’s life, whether it was Hurling, Handball, Football or Horseracing, and I have no doubt there were other favourites gone unmentioned. He especially knew the importance and value of sport in rural communities regardless of what type of sport it was, and when it got dark there was always the cards.

His Kilskyre hurling club career spanned 5 Championships from 1961-1978. Beyond his remarkable playing career, he was a stalwart. He was always there in the background, attending all matches and acutely aware of the value of a quiet word in the ear of a player, who might not have had their best day. He did that because he believed in the contribution of each and every player and above all, wanted hurling to survive and thrive.

In a recent interview with Hughie on May 21st 2021 at the sod turning ceremony for our development in Kilskyre, his opening comment was; ‘Kilskyre Hurling Club was the most comfortable club you could be in. It was like a family, even though we had players from all over the country’. If ever there was a lesson for any club or team to be learned from Hughie’s wisdom, it would be, to create a sense of family among the players and club, regardless of where everyone is from, and you won’t go wrong.

There will be a lot of sad people today lamenting his loss, because Hughie loved people, chats, banter, laughs and any craic that was on offer. His company was ageless and his contribution priceless. To all his long-term pals, and you know who you are, we pass on our deepest sympathies.

He loved life, commenting only this weekend with great enthusiasm, how great it is to see so many young people moving back into parish. He believed that the future was bright with so many young families coming home to roost.

Hughie was very much a glass half full man. He always believed that the clubs were good enough to win a championship, big enough to build a state-of -the-art facility, he was generous enough to help make things happen and lucky enough to live a full life.

To Ann, John, Paul, and the Tully family we extend our deepest sympathies

Let’s all toast a glass to Hughie this week!

Ar dheis de go raibh a anam, May He Rest in Peace.

Funeral details

Reposing at his residence from 4pm until 7pm this Thursday evening. Removal on Friday morning leaving his residence at 11.40 am arriving for Funeral Mass at 12 noon in The Church of the Assumption, Ballinlough, followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery.

 

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