Sexton, Johnny
December 04, 2010BRUREE lost a landmark figure with the recent untimely passing of Johnny Sexton. His sudden death at the age of 72, just a few short weeks after news of his serious illness broke, shocked everyone who knew him. Johnny was a man who was known to absolutely everyone in the parish and, indeed, much further afield
The Sexton name is written large in the annals of Bruree GAA. Mick Sexton was Mr GAA in Bruree for a long number of years and Johnny, like many of his siblings, followed in his father's footsteps. He played for many years with Bruree and even played for a period on the same Bruree team as his father. In Later years, Johnny was part of his son John's inter county refereeing umpire team
Johnny excelled as a team mentor and there are many players and former players in the parish who owe their playing careers to johnny. He took a particular interest in promoting hurling and football at underage level in Bruree. He encouraged youngsters to come to the field and start playing and there are countless players who remember pilling into Johnny's car to travel to games. He won the respect and admiration of successive generations of young sisters to whom he was simply known as johnny. As far as these young stars - and they were always treated as stars by him - were concerned, Johnny knew everything about hurling and football and his instructions were followed without question. There are many past and present players of both hurling and football who can trace their love of the games back to underage training sessions with johnny. He took great pride in the blue and white jersey of Bruree and instilled that pride in all the players with whom he was involved. When he came to work at Bruree National School, he was well respected by both staff and pupils.
As an administrator, Johnny had few peers at club level. A strong advocate for doing all things properly, Johnny knew the rules of the Association back to front and used this knowledge to great effect within the club and on behalf of the club and on behalf of the club and on behalf of the club when dealing with south and county boards and committees. Johnny served as club secretary from 1993 to 1999 and, at various times, served in other positions in both the senior and juvenile club.
Johnny was a talented musician and his skills on the accordion were it great demand at rambling houses around the country.
Johnny's popularity was evidenced by the huge crowds who visited his home on Friday evening and the attendance at his funeral mass at St.Munchin's Church, Rock-hill and his interment at Templemary.
Johnny Sexton had a number of things in his life which brought him great happiness. He took great pride in his family and their personal and sporting achievements. He also took great pride in sporting achievements of native parish, particularly on the GAA field. Music gave Johnny great pleasure and, in return , his skill on the accordian gave pleasure to many.
Words on paper are an inadequate means of conveying what Johnny Sexton meant to his family, to the people of Bruree and Rockhill and to everyone who knew him. However, all those who had the pleasure of knowing and working with Johnny will appreciate his contribution to the many aspects of parish life with which he was involved . Ar dheis de go raibh a anam.
Courtesy of The Limerick Leader 4/12/10 Tweet
