Bourke, Padraig

September 14, 2005
The Late Padraig Bourke The death took place on September 10 of Padraig Bourke of Coonough. In his ninety third year Padraig was active up to very recently. To his friends and acquaintances he was the good humoured, good natured pleasant neighbour, always ready to give a helping hand and always ready with a witty remark. A life long member of the Gaelic Athletic Association, he was a vice president and trustee of Carbury football club and until 2005 rarely missed a club or county match. He began his adult football career in 1930 when a sub on the Carbury intermediate side. He was a regular on the Carbury senior team from 1931 to 1951 having his first success when winning a Leinster Leader cup medal in 1939. He played in all championship games in 1940 except the final when a broken hand kept him in the sideline. He won Leader Cup and championship in 1941 and played in 1942, '44, '46 and 1950 final winning his third senior medal in 1946. He captained Kildare junior team in 1931 All Ireland final that lost to Galway and was a regular on the Kildare senior panel from 1932 to 1938. He played in every grade with the county except minor hurling. He retired in 1951 but many good years left his career. It is claimed by his contemporaries that there was no one to equal his dropkick at any level country wide. He was a football purist never involved in unsavoury incidents, either on or off the field. With his brothers the late Dermot and the late Desmond and his brother Joe they formed the backbone of Carbury football and Broadford hurling clubs for more than a generation. A life long member of the Pioneer Total Abstenance Association he was for many years president ofthe Carbury Branch. He is survived by his brother Joe, sister Nuala, Sr Finian and Sr. Josephine, niece, nephews, sister-in-law, grand nieces and grandnephews, cousins, neighbours and friends to whom sympathy is extended. Members of Carbury football club past and present formed a guard of honour at the removal of remains, his funeral at Derrinturn Church, Garda na nAingeal os do Chionn a chara. In iothlainn De go gcastar sinn. Courtesy of the Offaly Express 14th September 2005

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