The sad death has taken place of Michael Byrne, a key member of the famous Offaly team that won the All-Ireland Minor Football Championship for the first and only time in 1964. Byrne started at left corner forward in the final against Cork and played a vital role when moved to centre half forward during the game. The Rhode man emigrated to Canada a year after where he spent the remainder of his life before his untimely death a the age of just 62. He was a very highly rated footballer who had a very bright future ahead d of him before he decided to move to Canada. That minor team played a massive role in the development of Offaly football and provided the impetus for the ultimate break through at senior level in 1971 and 1972. It included fellow Rhode men in Jody Gunning and the legendary Eugene Mulligan and an indication of Byrne's ability is provided by the fact that he mad e the Rhode senior team in 1964 while Mulligan - Mulligan was only sixteen years of age at the time - and Gunning didn't: And Mulligan and Gunning of course went on to win All-Ireland senior medals in 1971 and '72, with Mulligan, one of Offaly's greatest ever footballers starring right up to 1980 for Offaly. In 1964, he played at centre half forward on the Rhodes side that was beaten 1-10 to 1-7 by Clara in the Senior Football Championship final while he also played at midfield on the Rhodes team that was beaten by Ferbane in the Minor Football Championship final. He served his time with the ESB before moving to Canada but team mates and supporters from that time still retain fond memories of his footballing prowess. Courtesy of the Midland Tribune, 14 November, 2007. Tweet

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