The Late Michael Fitzgibbon The GAA community in Britain is mourning the death of Michael Fitzgibbon the longest serving county board officer in the world. The GAA stalwart had been continually in post as Registrar for Gloucestershire ever since it was first established in 1949. He died a month short of his 92nd birthday while travelling on a bus near his home at Stratton St. Margaret in Wiltshire. Gloucestershire GAA Treasurer Dan Roche said: "We all thought Michael was indestructible and would go on forever, so the news came as a tremendous shock." GAA Provincial Council of Britain Secretary Tadhg Meehan said: "Michael's length of continuous service to Gaelic games was just incredible and something we are never likely to witness again." Michael was born in Milford in Co. Cork 1913 the fifth of 10 children in a family with a strong hurling tradition. His father had been a local club stalwart and all five Fitzgibbon sons followed him into the team he then managed. Michael made his debut in the senior team aged just 15, and the famous red county jersey beckoned in 1935. He remained on the Cork squad for the following season before emigrating to Britain. He joined McCurtains in Dagenham before moving to the Swindon area where he met and married his wife Edith in 1941. He became heavily involved in the formation of the new Swindon Shamrocks club and collected his final county hurling championship medal in 1963 after a playing career spanning almost 40 years. He is survived by his wife Edith, sons Patrick and Michael and grandsons Corey and Michael. The popular and highly respected Corkman's Requiem Mass was held on February 10 in his local Swindon church St. Mary's. Courtesy of the Irish Post 11th February 2005 Tweet

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