Minihan, Liam
November 17, 2010
Liam Minihan
Lifelong sports fan and stalwart of Ahane GAA club
THE DEATH occurred on Sunday, November 7 at his home in Ardvarna, Lisnagry of Liam Minihan, at the age of 52. Liam had been ill for the last few months and died peacefully surrounded by his loving family.
His first and foremost love was his wife and family. A common sight would be of Liam on his mobile phone at a match, meeting or other function, ringing home to make sure that all was well with the family. He adored his wife Celia and daughters Leeann, Rachel, Aimee, Rebecca and Kate and sons Christopher, Jack and Luke, his mother Nora and brother Joe. There was nothing that he wouldn't do for their wellbeing.
During his lifetime he worked for O'Mara Motors, Alean and Aramex Twoway in Shannon and ran a funeral Undertakers business, Delaney Minihans in Newport.
He loved a game of cards, be it poker-game in the Ahane Club-house for a number of years for the club. He was an avid horse-racing fan, making annual trips to Cheltenham, Galway and Listowel races.
But his true sporting passion was the GAA. Liam was a member of the Ahane GAA club committee from 1981 to 2003 and is a former chirman, secretary, PRO and East Board Delegate of the club and played hurling and football for he club at all levels from under 14 to senior from 1970 to 1996.
He was a tough and tenacious half-forward and full-forward during his playing career but Ahane did not win any county titles during those years. Among the honours he won during his playing career were East Senior Football Championships in 1982 and 1983, Senior hurling cup in 1981, East Under-21 Football in 1977, 1978, 1979 and hurling in 1975 and 1977 and a junior Hurling League in 1976. He was manager and selector to numerous hurling and football teams in the club down through the years.
He was PRO of his Club from 1995 to 1997, secretary from 1997 to 2000, East Board Delegate from 1998 to 2003 and chairman from 2000 to 2003. He was vice chairman of the east Limerick GAA Board in 2004. Liam played a very active role in securing and purchasing the extra land for a second playing pitch in Newgarden. He travelled to all Limerick games for many years with his dear friend and neighbour, Jim Richardson and always made sure that a ticket was secured for Jim, whatever about himself.
Liam loved the Ahane Club and the Gaelic Athletic Association. He was one of the most loyal men that you could meet and if he liked you, he would bend over backwards to oblige and assist you. He was delighted to take on the role of secretary with the Ahane GAA club in 1997, following in the foot-steps of his late uncle Mick Minihan who was secretary and county board delegate in the glory days of the club. But his most proud moment was the night in 2000 when he was elected chairman of his beloved club after a close contest, securing the chair with just one vote to spare. No task was too big or too small for Liam and at committee meetings when volunteers were needed for some task or other, Liam's hand was first up to offer his services. There was no better fun or craic than when Liam and Tom Blake would get together in the clubhouse or the field and the ball-hopping would start, it would be priceless. Both of them are now gone to their eternal reward.
Since 2004, Liam was an umpire with his good friend, inter-county referee Pat O'Connor. He umpired up and down the country with Pat and his big ambition was to officiate at a game in Croke Park. His chance came when Pat was appointed to Referee the Leinster Hurling Final in Croke Park in July, 2007 But alas, it was not to be. Liam and Celia had a foreign Holiday booked for the same time and Liam's last chance to umpire in Croke Park was gone as Pat was not appointed to referee any further games there.
He often told me that his greatest sporting thrill was being elected chairman in the year 2000 and being club secretary in 1998 when Ahane won the County Senior Hurling Championship after a lapse of 43 years, and his greatest disappointment was not umpiring a game in Croke Park.
Martin Kiely in his recent Sideline View Column in Leader Sport said that "Liam Minihan of Ahane was a loyal official for his club and East Limerick and carried out his work with pride and diligence but of more importance he always did it with respect. People like Liam are the bedrock of our association." Never a truer word was spoken.
St Patricks church in Ahane was packed to overflowing for his funeral mass. Mass was concelebrated by Fr Brendan Kyne, PP, and it was a very moving ceremony made special by all of Liam's family taking part in it.
The sun shone brightly as the funeral procession, accompanied by a guard of honour from the Ahane GAA Club, made its way past Liam's home in Ardvarna to Killeengarriff Cemetery, where a beautiful song was sung by The Singing Jarvey, (a friend of Liam's and former Ahane GAA Club chairman. Liam will be very sadly missed by his family and many friends and the Gaels of East Limerick.
May the green sod of killeenagarriff Cemetery rest lightly on your gentle soul, Liam a chara.
Liam was pre-deceased by his son Cormac and his father Willie. Sympathies are extended to his wife Cecelia, daughters Leeann, Rachel, Aimee, Rebecca, Kate and foster sons Christopher, Jack and Luke, mother Nora, brother Joe, uncles, aunt, niece Ruth, brothers in law, sisters in law, nieces and nephews in law, cousins, relatives and a large circle of friends.
Liam Minihan; born May 5 1958, died November 7 2010
Courtesy of the Limerick Leader 17/11/10
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