Condolences Thread

[Fairplayalways]

Mick Hogan deserves mention, what a servant of Birr and Offaly at minor level and a few senior performances too. A teak tough and tenacious defender as many will know, probably unlucky so many other top class inter county defenders emerging in late 80s/early 90s. Sad be passed 4 years almost exactly after another Birr and Offaly minor legend Adrian Cahill, great to say we had the pleasure of seen both Mick and Adrian in their prime with club and county..Rest well lads and thanks for great days (and nights) with club and county. RIP

[Plain of the Herbs]

Only right that Mick Hogan is remembered. God, 56 is no age to be dying.

On the field an All-Ireland Féile na nGael Skillstars winner at 13, played Senior Colleges hurling for St Brendan's CS for three years, something tells me he was an Offaly Minor panellist in 1984 (when he was 16) too.

Taken far too soon. Rest in Peace.

Mick Hogan deserves mention, what a servant of Birr and Offaly at minor level and a few senior performances too. A teak tough and tenacious defender as many will know, probably unlucky so many other top class inter county defenders emerging in late 80s/early 90s. Sad be passed 4 years almost exactly after another Birr and Offaly minor legend Adrian Cahill, great to say we had the pleasure of seen both Mick and Adrian in their prime with club and county..Rest well lads and thanks for great days (and nights) with club and county. RIP

[Plain of the Herbs]

Saddened to hear Albert has passed away after an illness. From the famed Cuba Avenue in Banagher, he was an All-Ireland Minor winner with Offaly in 1987.

The Mannion family hold the distinction of winning three All-Ireland Minor hurling medals with Roy (1986) and Karl (1989) also earning Celtic crosses at the grade.

Deepest sympathy to his family, neighbours and friends and to all who hurled with him.

[faithfulfanatic]

Condolences to all in Shinrone on the untimely death of Joe Cleary.

He was a savagely tough hurler with plenty of skill, who had plenty of hurling still in him.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam

[ah lethimoutwithit]

And we spare a thought for the Bracken family Ballycommon at this time. A very sad loss and may Noel rest in peace.

[Geansai Gorm]

Fair play to the entire Senior Football squad, management and backroon team who travelled together after training last night to the wake of Noel Bracken in respect of his brother Aidan. Tom Parlon also attended the funeral this morning, so great respect show by the entire Offaly GAA family. Much appreciated.

[oneshot]

i like to sent my condolence to the family of the late Noel flossy Hogan who passed last week .Noel was a former minor and under 21 hurler with offaly. and was on the brilliant Birr team who brought the first all ireland club title to offaly in 1995.
hard to believe that Noel is the 3rd member of the side to pass along with Mick Hogan Adrian Cahill . RIP Flossy.

[Bord na Mona man]

Former Offaly hurler Eddie Bevans, RIP.

https://rip.ie/death-notice/eddie-bevan ... one-634880

[Bord na Mona man]

https://www.uibhfhaili.com/offalygaa/pl ... ie-bevans/

[faithfulfanatic]

RIP to Padraig Horan.

An all-time great of Offaly hurling whose name will live on forever.

[Offaly Hero]

This is very sad news.
Although he has passed, his name, through his countless achievements, is immortal. 1981 will never ever be forgotten.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

[Géill Slí]

Very sad news. Sincere condolences to the Horan family. For my generation, Padraig was a real hero for us growing up. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

[biffinbanner]

a legend of a man and a hurler. a natural centre back but a top full forward when he was needed. basically refused to yield in 85 and dragged us over the line. rip to a legend.

[Plain of the Herbs]

One of Offaly’s greatest hurlers. Arguably its greatest leader. It truly is a sad day.

Right from the start. Full-back on the Offaly Minor hurling team a month after he turned 16. Being three years a county Minor was unheard of back then. A dual Offaly Minor in 1968. Four years an Offaly U21 hurler. Two years an U21 footballer.

Rynagh’s Senior debut as a 17 year old in 1967 – coming on as a sub in a losing semi-final against Kinnitty having played the full game in the preceding Minor match that was lost to Drumcullen.

Rynagh’s centre half-back in 1968, winning the Senior county Final in such a pivotal position when still a Minor.

Played two League games for Offaly in early 1969. Not on the panel for the championship – might he have made the difference in the Leinster Final? Who knows? That 1969 Leinster Final was the last time Offaly lined out without Pádraig Horan in league or championship – when he was available – for 17 years. Nor did he take a break for the League when his career was coming to close – staying right to the end.

A suspension ruled him out of the run in to 1971’s Offaly Senior championship. Without him, Rynagh’s lose the County Final – and the four in a row – to a late Birr goal. They might have won nine in a row otherwise.

The Railway Cup. Played full-back for Leinster in 1973, ’74, ’75 and ’76 – winning the first three – at a time when Leinster hurling was dominated by strong Kilkenny and Wexford teams.

The Leader. Pat Carroll laid by a blow as he shook hands with his Clare opponent after a League match in Tulla in December 1979. The local savages are not impressed and surround the Offaly team. Swinging his hurl like a billhook, Horan clears a path for Offaly to reach dressing room sanctity. And to clear a path from dressing room to the bus. Such selfless acts are rare in a county where interclub rivalries take precedence. But the team spirit that derives from that incident will carry Offaly to an All Ireland win later that year.

The tributes. Quoted in Brian Lowry’s Game of my Life book, Joachim Kelly said “Pádraig Horan was a great leader… a real man. He was someone I always looked up to. You would have been more afraid of Horan at half-time than Diarmuid Healy.”

The switch. Moved to full-forward for a League match against Clare in November 1977 after the forward line can manage a measly 0-6 against Kilkenny a fortnight earlier. Scored a goal against Clare, another in a win over Cork and 2-0 against Kilkenny. He won’t be hurling in defence again. With Aidan Fogarty emerging as a defensive lynchpin for Rynagh’s, he moved to the Blue and Gold attack from 1979 onwards.

The goals. Scored one of the greatest goals of all time in 1981’s Leinster semi-final against Leix. Not the ‘ball through the net’ one, this was at the Canal End, whipped on a ground ball and sent a screamer to the net from 25 meters. Struck off his left – his backhand – for me it was technically more difficult than John Fenton’s 1987 effort.

Finally won an All Star in 1985. Arguably should have won Man of the Match award for his performance in 1985’s All-Ireland Final too when he dragged Offaly over the line as Galway applied late pressure. Biffinbanner (posted above) is correct – basically refused to yield.

Deepest sympathy to his wife and family. Ní beigh a leithéid ann arís.

[Plain of the Herbs]

The goal at 2:00 here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8g5wAt9JPU