Sligo GAA is mourning one of its best known personalities. Tommy Joe Murphy of Tubbercurry was also one of the association's staunchest supporters. He gave a lifetime of loyal and dedicated service to the GAA at club, county and national level. His family are also involved in the GAA, with son John a former chairman of the County Board.
Tommy Joe had a very successful playing career with his beloved Tubbercurry club. He won county senior football championship medals in 1946, 1950 and 1951. He captained the team in the latter two years.
Recognised as an excellent goalkeeper on the Sligo senior team between 1952 and 1954, he also played much of his club football outfield.
TJ was goalkeeper on the Sligo senior team which enjoyed a good spell in the 1951-52 National Football League. There were impressive wins over Offaly, Roscommon and Longford. This put Sligo through to the quarter-finals.
A keenly contested game against Donegal followed at Glenties and resulted in a one point win for the northerners.
In 1952 and '53 Sligo found two memorable championship ties against Mayo, All-Ireland champions in the previous campaign.
Tommy Joe was outstanding in the two games at Charlestown and Corran Park, Ballymote. Sligo lost both by three points.
TJ saved a penalty from Padraig Carney in the 1953 game at Corran Park - the rebound slotted into the Sligo net.
Tommy Joe served two terms as Chairman of the Tubbercurry club. The first was from 1965 to 1967 and the second in 1982 to 1984.
He held many other positions in the club including vice chairman.
He was elected club patron on his retirement as chairman in 1984.
Tommy Joe was also chairman of Kilcoyne Memorial Park, Tubbercurry for a number of years.
He held the position in 1984 - the GAA centenary year - when the park was awarded the AIB Sligo and Connacht club of the year awards. TJ was also chairman of the County Centenary Year Committee and represented the past players of Sligo in the national parade prior to the Railway Cup final in Ennis.
He was chosen to act as chairman of the County GAA Commission in 1981. This delivered a wide ranging and progressive report. Tommy Joe also gave many years of outstanding service to the County Activities Committee, the forerunner to the County CCC group.
In addition to his immense contribution at local level, Tommy Joe represented Sligo on the GAA's Ard Chomhairle from 1975 to 1978.
He also served on a number of national committees. Tommy Joe's funeral mass took place last Friday morning at St John Evangelist Church, Tubbercurry. Burial was afterwards in Rhue Cemetery.
The large crowd was a fitting testimony to the esteem in which he was held. Tommy Joe is survived by his wife Christina, sons James, John, Walter, Brendan and David, daughters Elizabeth and Catherine, daughters-in-law, sons-in-law, grandchildren, relatives and many, many friends. He was predeceased by his son Tomas last year.

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