The North American County Board of the GAA lost one of its founding members recently following the death of John Hehir in Boston at the age of 91. The oldest of seven children, John Hehir left his home in Ardahan, South Galway and emigrated to Birmingham, England in 1946. His passion for Gaelic Games, particularly hurling, started at an early age. As a young teenager he started his hurling career in the left- half position with his parish club, Ardahan.  Upon his arrival in England he played with the Clann na Gael hurling club in Birmingham, winning a Warwickshire County medal in 1947. John and his new wife Anne from County Mayo left England and arrived in Montreal, Canada in 1953 where he played hurling with the Montreal Shamrocks. In 1954 they left Montreal and settled in the Boston suburb of Brighton. Although his hurling playing days were in the past John Hehir wasted little time in continuing his service to the GAA. Shortly after his arrival he joined the Galway Hurling Club which started him on the road to a remarkable GAA administration career. During a 40 year span he served in several administration positions at club, division and national levels. He was treasurer of the North American County Board from 1963 thru 1965 and chairman of the NACB for five consecutive years, 1965 thru 1969. John Hehir's greatest administration achievement was the leading role he played in the founding of the North American County Board in 1959. This role was best described by his close friend of over 40 years, the late Mick Dune, former Gaelic Games Correspondent with the Irish Press newspaper and Radio telefis Eireann.  In an article published in 2000 titled "The Founding of the North American Board" he wrote the following: "When John Hehir landed in Boston in 1954, the GAA in North America operated in a structure known as the National Council G.A.A. of the United States. A loosely -structured organization, the council divided the country into three zones. Zone 1 was the New York division, Zone 2 catered for mid-West clubs and New England clubs were grouped in Zone 3. The three Zones were to meet in a national, inter-zonal final. By 1956, the withdrawal of New York who preferred to be self-sufficient, severely hamstrung the Zone system at a time when the GAA's star in Boston was in the ascendant. Erin's Hope, Hartford, and Springfield had joined Cork, Galway and Kerry on the roster of senior football clubs. The Connemara Gaels, Cavan, Providence Shamrocks, and Lynn fielded junior football teams and there were four senior hurling teams, Galway, Young Ireland's, Fr. Tom's and Hibernians". "John was convinced that something more centralized was urgently needed if Gaelic Games were to flourish nationwide. Without fax machine, let alone e-mails, but supported by an ever-patient wife, John began to share ideas with a group of men who might be dramatically, albeit accurately, called the Founding Fathers of the NACB, men such as John O'Brien and Henry Cavanagh in Cleveland and Fr. Peter Quinn in Buffalo, Michael Cavanaugh of Philadelphia and Dan O'Kennedy of Detroit. "In 1958, after many meetings, Henry Cavanaugh formulated a blue print for a national body in his document ,ÄòThe American County Board Plan'. Not every region was ready for the innovation. Even in New England clubs were divided on the issue but it is a matter of pride to John Hehir that this plan, largely unilateral, is today the rock upon which the North American Board is built". "At the historic 1959 convention in Philadelphia, the Zone system was abolished and the new American County Board was founded. Jack Courtney was elected it's first president. John Hehir was elected as assistant-co-coordinator, a position that all his powers of diplomacy as the new board tried to bring unconvinced clubs under the umbrella of the new governing body" A proud moment for John Hehir was the occasion in which the new governing body was recognized at GAA Congress in 1962 as a County Board. Another proud occasion for him was the opening of the Boston Irish Cultural Center in 2000 which became headquarters for the Boston GAA. Up to just a few short years ago john was a frequent attendee at NACB conventions around the country where he was regularly called upon by the delegates to perform the role of convention chairman, a role so well suited  to his skills of leadership and guidance. In recognition of his many years of service to the GAA, John Hehir was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000 at the annual Awards Banquet staged by the GAA Northeast Board and the Boston Irish Emigrant newspaper. In addition to his wife Anne, John is survived by his son Jimmy, daughters Janet, Susan, Ann-Marie, Margret and several grandchildren. The North American County Board was represented at his funeral in Brighton last week with the attendance of Tom Dolan (Chairman), Joe Lydon (Secretary), Eamonn Kelly  (PRO) and Mike O'Connor (Youth Officer).  Also in attendance was former officer and founder member of the NACB committee, John O'Brien of Cleveland.  Eamonn Kelly PRO - North American County Board Tweet

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