Tributes to Gerry Daly, Laurie Newell and Fr Paddy Whelan

THE DEATH occurred on August 4th, 2012 of Gerry Daly, the tall, powerfully built full-back on the great Galway senior football team of a glory year, 1956. A native of The Square, Ballinasloe, Gerry would spend most of his adult life in Dublin, where he worked as a Garda. Winner of a County Minor Championship medal with Ballinasloe in 1948 and a Junior Championship in 1951, Gerry was joined in the county senior team's full-back line for the 1956 All-Ireland final against Cork by his younger clubmate Seán Keeley at No. 2 and the teak-tough Ahascragh man Tom 'Pook' Dillon in the left corner. The team was captained by Tuam Stars goalkeeper Jack Mangan and other star players were midfielders Frank Evers and Mattie McDonagh, Seán Purcell at centre half-forward, Frank Stockwell at full-forward and another Ballinasloe man, Gerry Kirwan, at left full-forward. It was considered an epic final, with Galway winning by 2-13 to 3-7. It wasn't played until October because of a Polio outbreak in Cork city and county, which resulted in the deaths of 20 people (starting with a five-year-old girl) and illness in over 500. The Croke Park attendance for Galway vs Cork was 70,772. It would have been over 80,000 if the final had been played in September. In early August of last year, the town of Tuam honoured the victorious 1956 captain, Jack Mangan, by naming a roundabout after him, in the same area as the town's Purcell and Stockwell roads. Gerry Daly and Gerry Kirwan drove down from Dublin specially for the happy occasion but on the way, while stopping in their home town Ballinasloe for a short break, Gerry Daly suddenly felt ill and, very sadly, he did not recover. His passing was deeply regretted by all who knew him, and by all who saw him play Gaelic football in his prime. Gerry wore the Galway jersey with pride and distinction, and off the field he was a popular, highly respected man who will be fondly remembered. He is survived by his wife ÃÂine, sons Paul and Conor (Br. Columba), daughter Grania and the extended family. TWO stalwart members of the Corofin football team of the 1950s and early 1960s passed to their eternal reward in 2012, Laurie Newell and Fr Paddy Whelan. In August, the unexpected death, in his 80th year, of Laurence (Laurie) Newell from Sylane was deeply regretted by the entire community and by all much further afield who knew him in his long, well-lived, happy life. The very large attendance at Laurie's funeral spoke volumes for the affection and esteem in which he was held. A quiet man, who valued family life and the friendship of his neighbours and all he came into contact with, he was fondly remembered in particular for his role in making the Corofon Junior football team a major force in the 1950s, leading to their promotion to the senior grade and all the glory that followed in later times. He is survived by his wife Nina and son Willie, sister-in-law Mary, nephew Eamon, niece Colette, relatives, neighbours and a large circle of friends including his former work colleagues at Tuam Sugar Factory and Rynn Eng., Galway. His loss was mourned, too, by all the friends who enjoyed a weekly game of cards with Laurie and by all in Sylane Hurling Club; he loved hurling and was a committed Sylane supporter. Laurie Newell's most memorable year on the football fields was 1959 when, at the age of 27, in his prime, he gave one outstanding display after another in the backline as Corofin won the North Board and County Junior Championships. A team-mate into the 1960s, Paddy Keating, paid Laurie this tribute: 'He was a rock-solid, ever reliable corner-back, a fine footballer who played the game hard but fair. Laurie was the kind of man you would always like to have by your side. Off the field, he was a true gentleman.' Paddy also paid glowing tribute to Fr Paddy Whelan, centre half-forward on the great Corofin Junior team of 1959 â€â€ scorer of a crucial goal in the North Board final against Tuam Stars and even more influential in the County final against Clonbur, on a day when the team's dynamic captain Tom Lawless gave a Man of the Match display. Another Sylane man, Fr Whelan had been ordained a priest three years earlier, in 1956. 'It spoke volumes for his love of Gaelic football and his dedication to the Corofin club that he drove up from Cork so often, to play for the club or sometimes to support county teams,' said Paddy Keating. Having joined the S.M.A. order, Fr Whelan was then based in Wilton, Cork where he was studying for a Science degree at UCC, with whom he played Sigerson Cup football. On graduating, he went overseas, to the missionary fields of the Diocese of Ondo in Western Nigeria where he would be based for over forty years. He was a distinguished figure among his S.M.A. peers, much loved and respected, considered to be inspirational, and many tributes were paid to him, at S.M.A. House, Claregalway; at his funeral Mass at Belclare Church, and at a special Mass in his honour at St Joseph's S.M.A. Parish Church, Wilton, Cork where the homily was delivered by Fr Fachtna O'Driscoll, S.M.A. Provincial Leader. On the previous day, at the Sacred Heart Church, Belclare the Leader of the S.M.A. Claregalway community, Fr Séamus Nohilly, gave an evocative homily which all who heard it felt had captured the personality, integrity and the honourable, highly principled nature of a truly remarkable man. The son of Patrick and Annie Whelan, he was born on March 23rd, 1932. He is survived by two sisters, Sr Martina (Mercy Convent, Galway) and Sr Dolores (Presentation Convent, Thurles); he was predeceased by his brothers Tommie and John. From Ireland to Africa and back, many times, Fr Paddy Whelan had carried in his heart and head the words of his favourite poem, The Lake Isle of Inisfree, by W. B. Yeats. It was fitting that at his funeral it was recited by one of his grand-nieces, Aisling, while a second grand-niece, Eve, played the violin. He also had a lifelong interest in ornithology and had fed the birds around the S.M.A. House, Claregalway up to the week when he was admitted to hospital for the last time. On the morning of his death, just before 7.00 a.m., his S.M.A. confréres who had been keeping vigil with him heard the birds beginning to sing outside his room window. â€â€ Jim Carney