The late Dicky Conaboy They buried Dicky Conaboy in Islandeady, one of the local GAA Club's great servants. Dicky's name was synonymous with the club, one of the thinning band of volunteers who characterise the soul of the GAA, on whose love and service and dedication the Association had been so firmly built. Dicky Conaboy gave fifty-five of his 73 years to the Islandeady club. At the time of his death he was vice-chairman. A week or two before entering hospital in December 2006 he helped erect the scoreboard for a county league match. He sought nothing in return other than a healthy, lively parish football club. He was the embodiment of the values of the Association. Dicky first donned the Islandeady colours in 1953, and for the best part of fifteen years was a resourceful member of the team, mainly as a forward, principally as an accurate an dependable free-taker and, in moments of crisis, was prepared to play in any position when called upon... even at full-back on one occasion. The 1950s was not a particularly fruitful period for the club, but pride and devotion never waned. And thanks to stars like Dicky Conaboy Islandeady won the West Mayo junior championship in 1959, a notable feat in those days. In the county semi-finals they were pipped, however, by Ardnaree led by the likes of Mayo stars Joe Corcoran and Jim Fleming. Dicky's performance did not go unnoticed and in the early Sixties he was selected on the Cois Farraige team - an amalgam of West Mayo clubs - that competed in the county senior championship. Having retired from playing, Dicky took to refereeing, his impartiality beyond question, his knowledge of the rules indisputable. Throughout his fifteen years with the whistle he took charge of two county-semi finals, some National League games in the Connacht area, and numerous club matches around the county. Life after service as player and referee was given over to administration at which he proved himself equally adept. He was chairman of the Islandeady Club for a number of years and president of the West Mayo Board for two terms. None of these appointments interfered on any way with is commitment to his native club, for which no task was too difficult to shoulder. When funds were scarce in the Fifties Dicky took to the stage as a member of the local Dramatic Society in plays the proceeds of which were a lifeline for the club. He was the club grounds manager and deeply involved in the development of the property over the years ... and the levelling and drainage of the pitch, the erection of the stand and dressing rooms and the provision of carparking facilities. He lined the pitch for matches, hung the nets, erected the scoreboard, manned the gates. To this work he applied his tradesman skills as a carpenter and plasterer, and was noted for his painstaking attention to detail. He'll be missed by the club and in particular by Tommy O'Brien with whom Dicky worked closely in the interests of the club down the years. The esteem in which he was held was reflected in the large attendance at his funeral for which a guard of honour, consisting of club colleagues and members of the local Fine Gael branch, of which he was also a loyal member, was formed. To his brother Jimmy and sister Judy we extend our sympathy. Courtesy of the Mayo News 14 February 2007 Tweet

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