Austin Coughlan - An Appreciation

Another loyal servant of St. Naul's GAA Club, Austin Coughlan, passed away after a lifetime of service to the GAA at both club and county levels.

Austin was part of our playing panels in both the 1962 and 1972 Junior Championship winning years, he also managed the team to win the Centenary Junior Championship in 1984 and before and since made a big contribution to the club in various roles.

The stories of Austin's humour in the dressing room are legendary, any player lucky enough to play with him, or under him, can recall many instances of Austin cutting through any tensions that existed to ensure the team took to the field in a positive frame of mind.

An unusual aspect of Austin's management style was to move players around the pitch thus the full forward one week could find himself at corner back the next, this strategy was designed to confuse the opposition but no doubt on occasion it also confused his own players. He was a great believer in the benefits to be gained from beach training with Inver Warren being his favourite training ground for both club and county.

In 1996 Austin together with the late Dermot Foy managed the club's ladies team to win the County Junior Championship, once again proving his ability to get the best out of players.

Austin's worth as a trainer was recognised by Brian McEniff when he chose him to train the County team in the 1970s and 1980s. Over the years Austin also managed a Donegal County Junior team, he was also instrumental in the amalgamation of Four Masters, St Nauls, Drumbar and Pettigo to form a Clanna Gael team which competed in two County Senior Finals (1971 & '72) where, unfortunately, they lost out to McCumhaills and St. Eunans respectively. He also served on the management team in Killybegs in more recent years.

We extend our sincere sympathies to his daughters, Caroline, Edel, Nora and Yvonne, his sons James, Charles, Austin Jnr. and Clement, his sisters Mary and Tina together with all the extended family.
Ar dhéis Dé go raibh a Anam Dilís
St. Naul's GAA Club

Courtesy of Donegal Democrat
July 8th, 2010 Tweet

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