The late Kieran Burke There was shock in Leixlip following the death of well known GAA coach, Kieran Burke, at the young age of thirty eight. The town's Captain Hill was lined with friends and neighbours to say farewell to the Clare native following his sudden death from a heart attack in Mullingar. Members of Confey GAA, where the Newtown Park man was highly respected, formed a guard of honour. A man of many talents, Kieran Burke was a teacher at St David's in Artane, a builder and the owner of a pub in Dublin's Amiens Street. It is no cliche to say he lived life to the full. A keen lover of horseracing, he was heavily involved in Confey GAA since its beginning in 1989 and was club chairman, Liam Dowd, said it was difficult to believe he was only thirty eight years old, so much he had done. In an address at Confey Church, Liam said he had come to Confey as a player but was particularly well know as a coach. Both he and his wife, June, were very committed GAA folk and Kieran was well known and highly respected ladies football coach, in particular. He had the ability to inspire the female footballers of Confey to level others could not. He was also involved with the ladies county sides and served as chairman of the Kildare Ladies Football section for a period. He brought the Confey ladies side to a county and Leinster Junior Championship title. Known to have demanded a lot of his players, he gave as much as he got. He also had a background role to play in Confey's last Minor Championship win and was vice chairman of Kildare Bord na nOg for a period. Kieran, who is a first cousin of Galway Hurling Board Chairman, was attending a family reunion when he became ill and died in Mullingar. The fact that another family member died in a horse riding accident some years ago will make his early death very difficult for his parents and family. He is survived by his wife, June, children, Lisa, Davy, Niamh and Jonathan, parents, family and many friends. He was laid to rest in Confey after mass the Church of St Charles Borromeo. Courtesy of the Leinster Leader August 2003 Tweet

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