St Mary's GAA Club hold commemorative event in honour of the late Tom Doyle

EchoLive.ie, 14 Jun

The event was held to celebrate the tremendous contribution Tom made to

the St Mary’s GAA Club during his lifetime.

St Mary's GAA Club hold commemorative event in honour of the late Tom

Doyle

A commemorative event was recently held at the St Mary's club grounds

in recognition of the late Tom Doyle.

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John Bohane

“HE lived and died for the black and amber of St Mary’s,” said the

chairperson of St Mary’s GAA Club Mike Dineen after a commemorative

event was recently held at the club grounds in recognition of the late

Tom Doyle, a founding member, player, mentor and club officer with the

Carbery divisional club.

The commemorative event was held to acknowledge and celebrate the

tremendous contribution Tom made to the St Mary’s GAA Club during his

lifetime.

A bench and commemorative plaque were unveiled outside the club

pavilion at the commemorative event by St Mary’s GAA club president

Danny Warren and Tom’s sister Margaret.

Family members, club colleagues, residents from the twin villages of

Ballineen and Enniskeane, former work colleagues, and representatives

from Carbery GAA Board all gathered at the St Mary’s clubhouse to

remember Tom who passed away in October 2019.

The late Tom Doyle on the far right pictured with Kieran O'Driscoll.

The Kilkenny native moved to Ballineen in 1955 and immediately immersed

himself in the local GAA scene as he joined the local hurling team. Tom

also played a pivotal role in the establishment of the St Mary’s Club

in 1968.

Over the coming decades, he served in numerous roles with his adopted

club including as a player, coach, groundsman, mentor, referee, and

board delegate.

Liam Foley who served as chairman of St Mary’s for many years

acknowledged the seismic loss the late Tom Doyle is to the Saints.

“He is a big loss to the club. He was a great club man. Tom was a

legend. He served in a lot of roles in the club. He was everything to

the club. He was like a father figure to the young player. He is a big

loss to the club and community. He ran the lotto, he cut the pitch and

he was in charge of the gate. We are all chipping in now to carry on

his good work and legacy,” he said.

The former club chairman said there was a big crowd at the recent

commemorative event in honour of the club stalwart.

There was a big crowd at the commemorative event. The club unveiled a

bench at the club grounds and there is a plaque on the bench. Dick

White a former player and referee with the club sang Dear Old

Ballineen.

"Even though he lived in Cork for many decades, if Kilkenny were

playing Cork in hurling, he would be cheering for the Cats all the

way."

"His bench is alongside John Corcoran’s bench just outside the dressing

rooms. They will be fighting and arguing away. They were two great

men.”

Current St Mary’s club chairperson Mike Dineen said Tom Doyle was a

‘legend’ in their GAA club.

“It was lovely to honour Tom. He was a legend in our GAA club. He did

so much for the club. Tom worked in Grainger Sawmills for many years.

Any sponsorship that the club got from Grainger Sawmills down through

the years, Tom was definitely behind it. We benefitted hugely from

their generosity.

"He was a player, coach, mentor, manager, member of the Carbery Board,

club PRO, and club representative. From an adult game to an underage

game, Tom would be at all games roaring on his beloved St Mary’s,” he

said.

“Tom epitomised the meaning of the word clubman,” said the club

chairperson. “He loved helping out in the club and the local community.

He looked after the club pitches for many years. If you held a game on

the pitch without telling Tom, you would be told all about it in no

uncertain terms the next time you met him.

"He was always proud to see St Mary’s players go on and achieve success

with the divisional team, school or college teams, or with an

inter-county team. He was second to none. People of all ages, both

young and old were mad about him as they appreciated what he did for

the club and local community. He is a big loss to the club and

community.

“He was a great club stalwart. We have a number of people carrying out

all the roles now in the club that he served on his own."

"Tom was a bit of a rogue as well. We could be finishing up a club

meeting and just as it came to any other business, he could engage in a

bit of ball-hopping. He could pick a bone of contention and get the

whole place going again. It was all in good spirits,” he added.

Tom Doyle served in numerous roles with St Mary's including as a

player, coach, groundsman, mentor, referee, and board delegate. Tom

Doyle served in numerous roles with St Mary's including as a player,

coach, groundsman, mentor, referee, and board delegate.

Mike said many nostalgic stories were recalled about Tom following the

commemorative event.

“Current players, past players, and committee members were all at the

event. Aidan O’Rourke chairman of the Carbery Board spoke nicely about

him.

"There were many great stories told about Tom and we went for a few

light refreshments later that evening where more yarns were spun.

Despite living in Cork for years, he supported Kilkenny all the way.

Tom was a proud Kilkenny man. St Mary’s were a close second.”

“We now have two benches commemorating the late John Corcoran and Tom

Doyle outside the meeting room door in the club,” said the club

official.

“John is on the southside and Tom is on the northside. Two serious men

and characters from the club. They had contacts all over the country.

They were great for giving advice and coming up with a firm decision.

They always had the club’s best interests at heart.”

Teddy McCarthy loved the GAA but had time for everyone, that's what

made him so special