Quinn, Jerry
December 12, 2012
When Jerry Quinn passed away in the early hours of last Wednesday morning the GAA in Down lost a valued and articulate enthusiast who had conscientiously served the Association in a myriad of roles for more than half a century.
As a youth. Jerry played his first football for Drumgath but after a time was drawn to join Clonduff and went on to serve on their club committee for 46 years. During this extensive period of commitment Jerry filled every official position including chairman, secretary and PRO. This last position he vacated just a few short weeks ago when his son Francis took on the public relations role.
Over the years Jerry developed into a dedicated and accomplished administrator at club, divisional and county levels of the Association. For many years his was an informed and ardent voice on the South Down Board and County Committee. He humbly waited his turn and was an extremely proud Clonduff man when he was eventually elected county chairman in December 2004. Jerry believed in the value of the community ideals of the GAA and he believed in the communication of these ideals to the widest possible audience. Year after year he dedicated much time and effort to producing quality club Championship programmes and the annual Down GAA Yearbook. He worked tirelessly on these publications with his Clonduff colleague and friend Fintan Mussen.
To mark the centenary of the GAA in 1984, Jerry and Fintan produced and published The Clonduff Story, a history of their beloved club. For this and other publishing ventures Jerry and Fintan received coveted McNamee Awards for excellence in GAA publications. These pair of dedicated club men brought out an updated edition of The Clonduff Story in 2007.
Just a little over a month ago. Jerry was proud and humbled to share his club's Hall of Fame Award with Fintan at the Clonduff 125th celebrations. Jerry, as always, had been very much involved in planning this great landmark in Clonduff's history.
Jerry Quinn was also a fervent family man who, together with his wife Maura, inculcated the values of the GAA within his own family. Jerry and Maura were successful to the extent that their three sons Shane, Francis and Niall all played hurling and football for Clonduff while their daughter Ursula took up the caman.
Jerry always had a special place for camogie in his heart and it is fitting that Ursula is current secretary of the Down Camogie Association.
Predominantly a man of action, Jerry worked for the GAA at every opportunity; whether this involved compiling programmes, manning the public address system or
organising training for referees, he was never hesitant to take the initiative. He could have been critical when he recognised something detrimental to the GAA but his criticism was always positive. He invariably saw a better way and his unspoken motto was "Come on, we will get this done together".
For more than 30 years Jerry strove to ensure that club and school games were adequately reported in the local press. As correspondent for the County Down Outlook he co-operated genuinely with myself. Matt Fitzpatrick and others to promote the widest possible coverage of Gaelic games in all newspapers.
Whether the games were played on Friday, Saturday, Sunday or even Monday the phone would ring and it would be Jerry eager to exchange reports. I shall miss his cheery greeting, "What match were you at this evening?" In all his many roles, Jerry's predominate aim was to enhance the promotion of Gaelic games throughout the county.
Jerry's all too sudden departure is a great loss to Clonduff and a great loss to the GAA community in Down. Most of all. Jerry will be sadly missed by his family and we extend heartfelt condolences to his wife Maura, to Shane, Francis, Ursula and Niall and to his wider family circle.
Go dtuga Dia suaimhneas siorai do.
Courtesy of The Mourne Observer
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