A link to Navan O’Mahonys’ ground-breaking Meath SFC five in-a-row team of 1957-1961 has been broken with the passing of Michael Duignan.

A member of a well-known Navan family, Michael was a brother of the club’s founding members, Tom and Eddie Duignan.

He lined out alongside Tony McCormack at midfield for the 1957 Meath senior football final success over Skryne. Michael alternated between that midfield spot and full forward over the course of his football career.

The Navan outfit prevailed on a scoreline of 0-11 to 1-7 and it was the first of five wins in an historic five in-a-row of Keegan Cup triumphs. Michael gained a sixth SFC medal in 1963 when O Mahonys pipped St Vincents, Ardcath.

Earlier he won an intermediate championship medal with the emerging O Mahonys in 1953 and added an intermediate hurling trophy in 1961 plus a junior football award to his honours list during 1970. 

A successful businessman, Michael  married Vera and moved to Duleek in 1972. There he established a thriving shop catering for the local community. Apart from the usual food items, hardware and paint were stocked.  At that time Duignans was the only petrol station in the area. Michael Duignan was also a funeral undertaker.

He was a huge driving force behind Meath juvenile football affairs during the 1970s.

Michael served on his adopted club's Executive Committee for a number of years and, at one stage, tried to get hurling up and running in the area by setting up an U-14 team.

His son Colin was a member of Duleek's 1995 JFC winning team.

Michael is sadly missed by his wife Vera, children, Niall, Fiona and Colin, grandchildren, daughters-in-law, son-in-law, brother, sister, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends.

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