The death has taken place recently in the Galway Hospice of John Walsh, a talented footballer in his younger days. Son of the late Mike and Kathleen Walsh, Ballintubber, young John, who was reared near to the Clogher and Ballintubber football pitches fostered a great love of Gaelic football. His football skills were recognised at a young age as he secured his place on the Ballintubber underage teams. On the playing field his Gaelic football skills continued to improve. In 1977 he was captain of the Ballintubber under 14 team which won the west Mayo under 14 championship.
Gaelic football played a huge part in John's life. This was his true passion and where he was at his happiest. For John one of the high points in his football playing career was when he captained the Mayo Vocational team which defeated Kerry in the All-Ireland vocational football final in Fitzgerald stadium, Killarney in 1982. As the final whistle sounded in the game it was John Walsh's late two points which secured victory for the Mayo team.
He played with the Mayo minor team for two years and in 1983 he made that long transatlantic journey to New York where he played with Connemara Gaels. However, sometime later John received an injury and returned home.
He made his return visit to the States in 1986 this time to Chicago where he helped the McBrides team win the All American league alongside his lifelong Ballintubber friend, Ger Geraghty. John had a distinguished playing career having played with Mayo at under 16 level, minor and senior level.
While John's favourite game was Gaelic football he also loved playing soccer, having played with Ballyglass for a number of years. After returning home to Ballintubber he got a job with Iarnoid Eireann carrying out maintenance on the railways.
While John enjoyed his playing days on the football field, he also enjoyed reading books of interest to him.
He was blessed with a strong and creative pair of hands for his work in the construction industry both in Ireland and in Chicago. In his heart John felt that if a job was worth doing it was worth doing well and this belief was evident in the neat and tidy manner in which he carried out his work as a shuttering carpenter.
When news of John's sudden illness filtered through his family and those who knew him were deeply saddened. Sadly for his family John died in the Galway Hospice on September 20, 2013.
Since his passing there have been many tributes paid to John who will be remembered for his valuable contribution to Gaelic football in the parish and in the county.
As a member of club and county team John made numerous friends and it was fitting that many of those friends came to the funeral to bid farewell to their friend during his funeral from Ballintubber Resource Centre to Ballintubber Abbey. In the Abbey the remains were received into the church by Fr Val Hynes and Fr Frank Fahey.
A guard of honour was formed at the entrance to the abbey as the hearse arrived.
The funeral mass was celebrated by Fr Val Hynes, Fr Frank Fahey and Fr Michael Tracey. Afterwards John was laid to rest in the local cemetery. At the graveside John's brother, Michael, on behalf of the Walsh family expressed the family's sincerest thanks to everyone who helped and supported them during their sad bereavement. John is survived by his sister, Kathleen, brothers, Michael, Pat and Louis, sister-in-law Ita, nieces and nephews and his many other relatives to whom we extend our sincerest sympathies.
May his gentle soul rest in peace.

Mayo News, 29th October 2013 Tweet

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