Fitzgerald, Dan
January 16, 2010Limerick GAA is mourning the loss of former inter-county dual player Danny Fitzgerald.
The popular Claughaun man won National Hurling League medals from centre-forward with the Limerick in 1984 and 1985. In 1991 Fitzgerald scored four points from play in the Munster senior football final when Limerick nearly shocked Kerry - he received a football All-Star nominee at the end of that season.
Fitzgerald also played Railway Cup hurling and football for Munster - winning a hurling title in 1984.
This week, Fitzgerald was described as "one of the club's finest ambassadors" by Claughaun PRO Eoghan O'Sullivan.
"His unshakeable courage and dignity during his battle with illness was perfectly in keeping with his character on the field of play where he won many accolades and countless friends," said the Claughaun official.
In the famed green and white hoops of the Childers Road club Danny Fitzgerald won a remarkable eight county senior football championships - 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1995, and 1996. He completed the double in 1986, when Claughaun won both county senior hurling and football championships.
"Danny was a member of an extremely select group of inter-county players who displayed precocious talent in both hurling and football. He wore the green and white of Limerick at senior championship level in the two codes and was regarded as one of the top forwards in the country in both," said O'Sullivan.
"At club level Danny's achievements are unsurpassed. Always one of the most popular faces at the Childers Road grounds Danny's active involvement with the club did not cease at the conclusion of his playing career.
"Most recently, he was one of the pioneering figures behind the club's recent resurgence at youth level in his capacity as underage chairman. His foresight and skill in leading a dedicated group of juvenile players, coaches and administrators is directly linked to the impressive haul of underage accolades which the club has captured in the past few seasons."
Fitzgerald started his GAA career with the underage teams of Old Christians and played with them up to the minor grade. He worked for many years in Element 6 (De Beers) in Shannon. Danny is survived by his wife Ann, his sons Niall and Alan.
GAA President Christy Cooney has also extended his deepest sympathies to the Fitzgerald family: "Danny made a big contribution to Limerick GAA and the association as a whole through his inter-county involvement not just in one code, but in both. Our thoughts and best wishes are with those who were closest to him and I hope they recall some of the happy memories he provided wearing the green of Limerick, but also while in the colours of his home club Claughaun."
Courtesy of the Limerick Leader
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