One of Laois’ greatest hurlers, Joe McCabe, died at the age of 99 on 2 January. McCabe is believed to have been the only man in the GAA to have played county minor for five years.
On 4 January John Nallen, who had the distinction of playing senior inter-county football with four counties – Mayo, Galway, Meath and Cavan – passed away in Cavan at the age of 86.
Mick O’Rourke, who won two All-Irelands playing in the Offaly defence in 1971 and 1972, died at the age of 72 on 26 January.
February
Frankie Byrne became the last of Meath’s All-Ireland winning team of 1949 – the Royal County’s first title – to pass away when he died at the age of 94 on 8 February. Byrne was also involved with Seán Boylan’s management team in the 1980s.
Former GAA coach and manager John Morrison passed away on 12 February. He worked with a number of counties including Mayo, Derry, Donegal, Leitrim, Antrim, Cavan and his native Armagh. Morrison also wrote a number of coaching books and manuals, as well as a column in Gaelic Life.
John Morrison during his Derry coaching days. INPHO
INPHO
March
Limerick supporter John Hunt passed away at the age of 98. In 2018, Hunt flew back from the United States to watch Limerick end a 45-year wait to win the All-Ireland Hurling Championship. Hunt had also watched the Treaty County beat Kilkenny in the 1936 final 82 years previously.
Mick Carley, who spent 20 years lining out for the Westmeath footballers between 1957 and 1977, died on 17 March.
Brendan Lynch, a member of the Roscommon All-Ireland winning team of 1943, died in Co Wicklow at 85.
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May
Eugene McGee, manager of the Offaly team that shattered Kerry’s bid to win the five-in-a-row in 1982, died at the age of 78 on 5 May. McGee also enjoyed a successful career as a journalist, working for the Sunday Tribune before becoming editor and managing director of the Longford Leader.
A giant of Dublin GAA passed away on 17 May when Anton O’Toole lost his long battle with illness at the age of 68. A gifted forward, ‘The Blue Panther’ won four All-Irelands, two National Leagues, eight Leinster titles and three All Stars as part of Kevin Heffernan’s famous Dublin team of the 1970s, during a career which spanned 13 seasons (1972-1984) .
Dublin legend Anton O'Toole. Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
June
Pádraig Carney passed away in California on 9 June. The former Mayo midfielder and forward was nicknamed ‘The Flying Doctor’ after being flown home from the United States for the National League semi-final and final in 1954. He won All-Irelands with Mayo in 1950 and 1951.
Former Wexford hurler Ned Wheeler died at the age of 87. The Faythe Harriers clubman won All-Irelands in 1955, 1956 and 1960 at centre-forward and midfield, along with seven Leinster Championships and two National Leagues.
Galway football legend Tom ‘Pook’ Dillon also passed away at the age of 93. Dillon was corner-back on the Galway team of the 1950s and was an All-Ireland winner in 1956.
Former Tipperary hurler John Dillon died at the age of 75. He won one All-Ireland, one Munster Championship and one National League with the Premier during the 1960s.
July
Fr Seamus Hetherton, an All-Ireland winner with the Cavan footballers in 1952, passed away in Birmingham on 11 July aged 89.
On 26 July Galway GAA mourned the passing of PJ Qualter, a member of the great Galway hurling team that won the National League in 1975, the county’s first trophy in over 20 years.
Brendan Fennelly in 2011, while he was manager of Laois. Lorraine O'Sullivan / INPHO
Lorraine O'Sullivan / INPHO / INPHO
Former Kilkenny hurler Brendan Fennelly passed at the age of 63 on 31 July. Fennelly, uncle of Kilkenny hurlers Colin Fennelly, Michael Fennelly and Adrian Mullen, enjoyed a hugely successful club career with Ballyhale Shamrocks and also managed Laois and Carlow at senior inter-county level.
August
John Coffey, who held the distinction of being Tipperary’s oldest living All-Ireland winner, passed away on 11 August at the age of 101. Coffey spent eight years lining out with the Tipperary hurlers, winning his only All-Ireland medal in 1945.
October
Former Down All-Ireland winner Eamonn Burns passed away suddenly at the age of just 56 on 9 October. Burns played on the winning Down team of 1991 at midfield and moved to half-back for the 1994 success over Dublin. He also managed the county between 2015 and 2018.
Two-time All-Ireland winner Sean Clohessy passed away on 6 October. Clohessy was on the Kilkenny All-Ireland winning teams of 1957 and 1963, with the Cats beating Waterford in both finals.
On 29 October former Kerry footballer Pat Griffin passed away. The centre-forward won two All-Irelands, playing on the Kingdom team that went back-to-back in 1969 and 1970.
The same day, Wexford mourned the loss of legendary hurling goalkeeper Art Foley. He won back-to-back All-Irelands in 1955 and 1956, and the Enniscorthy man wrote his name into Wexford hurling history with a famous save to deny Christy Ring during the 1956 All-Ireland final defeat of Cork. He died in the United States, where he spent most of his life, at the age of 90.
Former Dublin footballer Johnny Joyce, an All-Ireland winner in 1958, died on 29 October following a short illness. To this day, Joyce is recognised as Dublin’s second highest goalscorer ever, notching a total of 35-55 during his days in the sky blue jersey.
November
Former Cork selector Terry O’Neill passed away after illness on 27 November. He was part of the Rebels’ backroom team during the All-Ireland winning campaign in 2010.
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24 people the GAA world lost in 2019
January
One of Laois’ greatest hurlers, Joe McCabe, died at the age of 99 on 2 January. McCabe is believed to have been the only man in the GAA to have played county minor for five years.
On 4 January John Nallen, who had the distinction of playing senior inter-county football with four counties – Mayo, Galway, Meath and Cavan – passed away in Cavan at the age of 86.
Mick O’Rourke, who won two All-Irelands playing in the Offaly defence in 1971 and 1972, died at the age of 72 on 26 January.
February
Frankie Byrne became the last of Meath’s All-Ireland winning team of 1949 – the Royal County’s first title – to pass away when he died at the age of 94 on 8 February. Byrne was also involved with Seán Boylan’s management team in the 1980s.
Former GAA coach and manager John Morrison passed away on 12 February. He worked with a number of counties including Mayo, Derry, Donegal, Leitrim, Antrim, Cavan and his native Armagh. Morrison also wrote a number of coaching books and manuals, as well as a column in Gaelic Life.
March
Limerick supporter John Hunt passed away at the age of 98. In 2018, Hunt flew back from the United States to watch Limerick end a 45-year wait to win the All-Ireland Hurling Championship. Hunt had also watched the Treaty County beat Kilkenny in the 1936 final 82 years previously.
Mick Carley, who spent 20 years lining out for the Westmeath footballers between 1957 and 1977, died on 17 March.
Brendan Lynch, a member of the Roscommon All-Ireland winning team of 1943, died in Co Wicklow at 85.
May
Eugene McGee, manager of the Offaly team that shattered Kerry’s bid to win the five-in-a-row in 1982, died at the age of 78 on 5 May. McGee also enjoyed a successful career as a journalist, working for the Sunday Tribune before becoming editor and managing director of the Longford Leader.
A giant of Dublin GAA passed away on 17 May when Anton O’Toole lost his long battle with illness at the age of 68. A gifted forward, ‘The Blue Panther’ won four All-Irelands, two National Leagues, eight Leinster titles and three All Stars as part of Kevin Heffernan’s famous Dublin team of the 1970s, during a career which spanned 13 seasons (1972-1984) .
June
Pádraig Carney passed away in California on 9 June. The former Mayo midfielder and forward was nicknamed ‘The Flying Doctor’ after being flown home from the United States for the National League semi-final and final in 1954. He won All-Irelands with Mayo in 1950 and 1951.
Former Wexford hurler Ned Wheeler died at the age of 87. The Faythe Harriers clubman won All-Irelands in 1955, 1956 and 1960 at centre-forward and midfield, along with seven Leinster Championships and two National Leagues.
Galway football legend Tom ‘Pook’ Dillon also passed away at the age of 93. Dillon was corner-back on the Galway team of the 1950s and was an All-Ireland winner in 1956.
Former Tipperary hurler John Dillon died at the age of 75. He won one All-Ireland, one Munster Championship and one National League with the Premier during the 1960s.
July
Fr Seamus Hetherton, an All-Ireland winner with the Cavan footballers in 1952, passed away in Birmingham on 11 July aged 89.
On 26 July Galway GAA mourned the passing of PJ Qualter, a member of the great Galway hurling team that won the National League in 1975, the county’s first trophy in over 20 years.
Former Kilkenny hurler Brendan Fennelly passed at the age of 63 on 31 July. Fennelly, uncle of Kilkenny hurlers Colin Fennelly, Michael Fennelly and Adrian Mullen, enjoyed a hugely successful club career with Ballyhale Shamrocks and also managed Laois and Carlow at senior inter-county level.
August
John Coffey, who held the distinction of being Tipperary’s oldest living All-Ireland winner, passed away on 11 August at the age of 101. Coffey spent eight years lining out with the Tipperary hurlers, winning his only All-Ireland medal in 1945.
October
Former Down All-Ireland winner Eamonn Burns passed away suddenly at the age of just 56 on 9 October. Burns played on the winning Down team of 1991 at midfield and moved to half-back for the 1994 success over Dublin. He also managed the county between 2015 and 2018.
Two-time All-Ireland winner Sean Clohessy passed away on 6 October. Clohessy was on the Kilkenny All-Ireland winning teams of 1957 and 1963, with the Cats beating Waterford in both finals.
On 29 October former Kerry footballer Pat Griffin passed away. The centre-forward won two All-Irelands, playing on the Kingdom team that went back-to-back in 1969 and 1970.
The same day, Wexford mourned the loss of legendary hurling goalkeeper Art Foley. He won back-to-back All-Irelands in 1955 and 1956, and the Enniscorthy man wrote his name into Wexford hurling history with a famous save to deny Christy Ring during the 1956 All-Ireland final defeat of Cork. He died in the United States, where he spent most of his life, at the age of 90.
Former Dublin footballer Johnny Joyce, an All-Ireland winner in 1958, died on 29 October following a short illness. To this day, Joyce is recognised as Dublin’s second highest goalscorer ever, notching a total of 35-55 during his days in the sky blue jersey.
November
Former Cork selector Terry O’Neill passed away after illness on 27 November. He was part of the Rebels’ backroom team during the All-Ireland winning campaign in 2010.
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