A link with Clonakilty's proud GAA past was laid to rest when they buried Tom Moriarty in Tralee. Clonakilty produced a host of great footballers in the Thirties and Forties, during which they won six county titles, and just as their star was waning in the late forties, along came one of the greatest ever to wear the famed red and green jersey, Tom Moriarty. A Kerryman, and an All-Ireland minor medal winner in 1946, Tom came to Clonakilty in 1948 as a bank clerk and threw in his lot with the local club. It was a lucky day for the Clonakilty club as over the next ten years the stylish and immaculate midfielder thrilled the Clon and Cork supporters with the style and grace of his football and like his playing partner Tadhgo Crowley, was to become a legend in the Brewery Town. Cork selectors came calling on his door and after winning an All-Ireland junior title in 1951, he was drafted onto the senior team with whom he won a Munster medal and a league medal in 1952, scoring the winning point against Dublin in the league final. Following a request by the Kerry Co. Board he returned to the green and gold in 1954 and won three Munster medals in 1954, 1955 and 1958, winning the All-Ireland in 1955. Legend During all those years he still played with Clonakilty and in 1952 became a living legend when captaining the team to a seventh county title after a marathon campaign that is still talked about to this day. Tom's form all through that campaign was majestic in the middle of the pitch and he was adored by every man, woman and child in Clonakilty. The premature end came in 1958 when he was playing against Derry in the All-Ireland semi-final and broke his leg so badly that he never played again. He was a huge loss to the Clon team but even when he left the town he kept his connections and was always a welcome visitor. Rightly recognised as one of the Kerry 'greats', he is one of a small band who won All-Ireland medals with two different counties but it is for the sheer brilliance of his high fielding and his classic midfield style that he will always be fondly remembered. Tom was buried in Tralee on Saturday 19th January. The level of respect for this great footballer was highlighted by the large crowd of officers and supporters from counties Cork and Kerry and his beloved Clonakilty young and old who attended his removal and burial. Both Kerry GAA County Board and Clonakilty GAA Club formed a guard of honour for Tom on his last journey. It was a proud moment for Clonakilty to have six members of the club shoulder Tom to his place of rest with the club colours of red and green draped over the coffin. To his wife, Rosemary, sons, Tom and Fergus, daughters, Niamh and Ann, smypathy was extended - Ar dheis do raibh a anam - courtesy of the Southern Star Tweet

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