Jump to content

Noel Walsh

Edit links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lieutenant colonel

Noel Walsh
Native name
Nollaig Breathnach
Birth nameNoel Walsh
Born(1935-12-29)29 December 1935
Milltown Malbay,County Clare,Ireland
Died29 April 2020(2020-04-29)(aged 84)
Ennis General Hospital
AllegianceClare
Years of service19??–19??
RankLieutenant colonel(OF-4)
Battles/warsMunster Council:until 1990
Presidency of the Gaelic Athletic Association:1999, 2002
Spouse(s)Ursula[1][2]

Noel Walsh(29 December 1935 – 29 April 2020) was an IrishGaelic footballer,administrator,selector,managerand member of theDefence Forces.As a selector and manager, he worked with theClare county team.As a provincial administrator he was pivotal in establishing an open draw in theMunster Senior Football Championship.As a national administrator he was pivotal in the overturning of theGaelic Athletic Association'sRule 42,the introduction of the All-IrelandQualifiersand the spread offloodlightsto club and county grounds. At his death he was remembered locally and nationally as one of the sport's mostprogressiveadministrators.[1][2][3][4]He was often referred to as "Mr Clare Football".[5]

Early life

[edit]

Patrick Hillery's father, later thesixth President of Ireland,delivered Noel upstairs in the family-owned pub.[6]Walsh playedgolfas a young man, had membership ofSpanish PointandLahinch Golf Clubsand qualified for the South of Ireland championship several times, while during the 1960s, he won a President's Prize at Lahinch Golf Club.[1]Though he moved to Limerick, he still held his allegiance to Clare.[1]

Career

[edit]

He was part of theDefence Forces,achieving the rank oflieutenant colonel.[7][8]

Player

[edit]

Walsh played for theMilltown Malbayclub.[9]With them he twice won theClare Senior Football Championship,in 1953 and 1959.[6][9]He played for the Clare county team atminorandjuniorgrades.[9]

Selector

[edit]

Walsh spent twenty years as aselectorfor the Clare football team atseniorlevel.[9]One of these years was 1992, when Clare won theMunster Senior Football Championship.[9]It was the first time since 1935 (and still the last time when Walsh died) that theduopolyofCork–Kerryhad been broken.[6][5]Walsh had been responsible for bringing the winning managerJohn Maughanto Clare.[5]He was a Clare selector at all football grades.[1]

Walsh was also a selector for theMunsterfootball team.[1]

Manager

[edit]

Walsh also managed the Clare football team at senior level for three terms.[9]

Administrator

[edit]

Walsh was secretary and chairman of his club Milltown Malbay.[9]He was also chairman of Clare Bórd na bPáirc.[9]Walsh spent eight years as Clare's County Board delegate to theMunster Council.[9]

He served as vice-chairman of the Munster Council from 1992 and became chairman of the Munster Council in 1995, after Tom Boland.[9]Walsh was chairman of the Munster Council until March 1998.[9]He presented the Munster Cup toAnthony Dalywhen Clare won theMunster Senior Hurling Championshipfor the first time in 63 years in 1995.[1]

Walsh advocated an open draw for the Munster Senior Football Championship (Cork and Kerry tended to beseeded).[5]He persevered with this, even when set back by opposition to the idea.[1]He was eventually successful.[1][5]This was in 1990, two years before Clare broke the duopoly,Limerickhaving had the first attempt in a narrow loss to Kerry in the 1991 Munster Senior Football Championship Final.[4][10]

Walsh was chairman of several committees, including the Coaching and Games Development Committee, the Provincial Football Development Committee and the Amateur Status Committee.[9]He was a member of various workgroups, including the Disciplinary Rules Workgroup, the Féile Peil na nÓg Workgroup and theRailway CupWorkgroup.[9]He spent three years as a member of the Management Committee and Central Council.[9]His chairing of the Football Development Committee led to the introduction of the All-IrelandQualifiers.[4]

Other work included the introduction offloodlightsto GAA stadiums and advocacy on the part of the Railway Cup.[7]When chairman of the Munster Council, Walsh had a pilot project for floodlights atTralee'sAustin Stack Parkwhich "became a template for every county and club ground in the country".[10]

Joe McDonagh,when GAA president, appointed Walsh as chairman of the National Football Development Committee.[9]Walsh himself twice ran for the presidency and was elected a GAAtrusteein 2000.[4][5]Seán McCaguebeat him into third place in the presidential election of 1999.[7]Walsh then lost toSeán Kellyin the presidential election of 2002.[4]

Walsh wantedCroke Parkopened up to other sports.[2]Walsh credited the original motion to Tom Kenoy ofRoscommonbut took up the task himself when the motion lost by two-thirds of one vote — 176 to 89.[10]Rule 42was eventually amended at the 2005 GAA Congress to permit the opening of Croke Park.[2]Walsh via his club brought a motion to the 2015 GAA Congress asking for all county grounds to be opened to other sports.[2]This time he did not succeed.[2]However, Walsh's motion later helped justify holding a tributeassociation footballmatch toLiam MilleratPáirc Uí Chaoimh.[7]

Death

[edit]

He died atEnnis General Hospitalon 29 April 2020.[1][3][9]He was 84 years of age.[5]The cause waspneumoniaresulting fromCOVID-19during theCOVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland.[2][4][11]He was survived by his wife Ursula, two daughters, a son and three grandchildren.[1][2][12]

References

[edit]
  1. ^abcdefghijkHayes, Seamus (29 April 2020)."One of the GAA's most progressive officials – Miltown's Noel Walsh dies".Clare Echo.Retrieved29 April2020.
  2. ^abcdefghCormican, Eoghan (30 April 2020)."Tributes paid to 'most progressive man to ever hold senior office in the GAA'".Irish Examiner.Retrieved30 April2020.The 84-year old Miltown-Malbay native passed away following a Covid-19 related illness.
  3. ^ab"Walsh Remembered As Progressive GAA Administrator".Clare FM.30 April 2020.Retrieved30 April2020.
  4. ^abcdefMoran, Seán (29 April 2020)."Tributes paid to Clare GAA stalwart Noel Walsh after his death from Covid-19: The former army colonel was widely respected as one of the GAA's most influential reformers".The Irish Times.Retrieved29 April2020.
  5. ^abcdefg"Respected GAA official Noel Walsh, dies aged 84".RTÉ Sport.29 April 2020.Retrieved29 April2020.
  6. ^abcCrowe, Dermot (3 May 2020)."'He was funny, philosophical, big-hearted and lacking in spite'".Sunday Independent.Retrieved3 May2020.
  7. ^abcdBarry, Stephen (29 April 2020)."Champion of Clare football Noel Walsh has died".Irish Examiner.Retrieved29 April2020.
  8. ^Farrell, Sean (29 April 2020)."Tributes paid after death of former Clare manager and chairman Noel Walsh".The42.ie.Retrieved29 April2020.
  9. ^abcdefghijklmnop"Clare's Noel Walsh passes away".Hogan Stand.29 April 2020.Retrieved29 April2020.
  10. ^abcO Muircheartaigh, Joe (2 May 2020)."Noel Walsh: Farewell to a driver of change and fairness".Irish Examiner.Retrieved2 May2020.
  11. ^Fogarty, John (1 May 2020)."Poc Fada may help ease longing for GAA, says Donnelly".Irish Examiner.Retrieved1 May2020.Meanwhile, [Martin] Donnelly has effusively praised his friend and fellow West Clare man Noel Walsh, who passed away from Covid-19 related issues earlier this week.
  12. ^"Death Notice of Noel Walsh".RIP.ie.29 April 2020. Archived fromthe originalon 10 May 2020.Retrieved29 April2020.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Noel_Walsh&oldid=1180039809"