GAA remember Maurice Davin
February 21, 2007
The President of the GAA, Nickey Brennan, the Association's Director General Liam Mulvihill and the Patron of the Association, the Archbishop of Cashel, Dr Dermot Clifford were present in Churchtown cemetery near Kilsheelan village in Co. Tipperary, as the GAA unveiled a new headstone on the grave of its first President and co-founder, Maurice Davin. The headstone was erected as part of a refurbishment project at the resting place of Mr Davin, initiated by the GAA's Central Council. In addition to the new headstone, work at the site included the erection of a plaque, the laying of new limestone surrounds and the sealing of the grave.
Mr Davin, who came from Deerpark near Carrick-on-Suir in Co Tipperary, was noted as an outstanding international athlete in his youth and at one point held the world record for the hammer throw. He actively campaigned for a body to control Irish athletics, and like Michael Cusack, was particularly concerned that social circumstances excluded the vast majority of Irish people from participating in athletics. He gave his support to Cusack's campaign for the founding of the GAA and presided at the initial meeting in Thurles. Appointed the GAA's first President, he remains the only President to have served two terms. Mr Davin died in 1927. His final resting place was re-furbished by the South Tipperary Board of the GAA in 1984 (the GAA's Centenary Year) but had since become dilapidated.
Speaking at the ceremony, GAA President Nickey Brennan paid tribute to Sean Fogarty, Chairman of the Munster Council for his contribution to the project to restore the grave. He said that it was important for the GAA to always remember those who had taken the brave steps into unchartered waters in the late nineteenth century and who had bestowed the gift of the GAA upon the Irish nation. He said that Maurice Davin's contribution in this context should never be forgotten.
Sean Fogarty, Chairman of the Munster Council said: When it was drawn to our attention that Maurice Davin's grave wasn t to the standard that one would expect for such a central figure in the GAA's history, we acted immediately to rectify the situation. In this regard, I want to thank Waterford County Council (and in particular their senior staff officer Anthony Walsh), Sean Nugent, the Secretary of the South Tipperary GAA Board, former GAA President Paddy Buggy and Pat Walsh of the Davin Family for their help and support throughout .
The new Canal End Stand in Croke Park was recently renamed in honour of Maurice Davin.
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