Legendary Dublin dual player Des ‘Snitchy Ferguson has sadly passed away at the age of 91.

The St Vincent’s clubman won All-Ireland SFC medals in 1958 and ’63 and also featured in two Liam MacCarthy Cup deciders (1952 and ’61). In that 63 final against an emerging Galway, Snitchy was a late call up to the Dublin football panel but his vast experience proved vital on the big day.

Snitchy was at left half forward as Derry were beaten in 58 and wore the full forward jersey in the Galway decider. In 1955 he was a dashing  right half forward as Kerry proved too strong on the big day. But Des Ferguson's first All Ireland experience was the hurling showdown of 1952 as Cork, Christy Ring and all, brought another McCarthy Cup back to Leeside. He was right half back on that occasion.

Snitchy always admitted that hurling was his favourite game and how close he and his Dublin friends caming to winning the All Ireland decider of 1961. Dessie starred at right full back as the great Premier xv of the sixties escaped with a one point win.

And we mentioned famed St Vincents? Dublin Senior championships headed out Marino direction almost on an annual basis during Des Ferguson's stint with the club. And what exalted company. The Great Heffo, Ollie Freaney, the Foley brothers, Des and Lar, Paddy Holden, Jackie Gilroy, Micky Whelan, the list goes on and on. If you played for Vincents you usually pulled on the Sky Blue of Dublin.

He later moved to Kells in County Meath and was a founding member of the Gaeil Colmcille club in the town. In Meath he taught as a Woodworks Teacher in a number of  schools and was hugely popular. As to the nickname Snitchy? It apparently arrived after a famous character in the old Beano magazine.

He served on the club’s first executive committee and won two Meath SFC medals in ’66 and ’68. So it could be said that the Donacarney man experienced both sectors of the GAA world, city and rural and embraced each with aplomb.

In later years, he would manage both the Meath football and hurling teams. Among the Meath hurlers under his supervision was a budding young star named Sean Boylan. It would be fairly accurate to state that Des Ferguson and his family played a major part in keeping the small ball game alive in the town of Kells.

His son, Terry, also a county senior hurler for years, was a mainstay of the Royal County team that claimed Sam Maguire glory in 1987 and ’88 and was an All-Star corner-back in 1990.

Another son, Barry, was also involved with Sean Boylan’s team during that era.

In 1991, Terry captained Gaeil Colmcille to Keegan Cup honours and Barry and another son, Conor, were also members of the victorious team.

A proud Irish Republican, Des first met his lifelong partner Máire in 1949 and the couple married in 1954. Máire's father John McDonnell fought in O Connell St. during the 1916 Rising and was later active in the War of Independence.

The Ferguson brothers Conor, Terry, Pearse and Barry

In a tribute, the Kells club stated: “It is with great sadness that we must pass on the news of the death of the Gaeil Colmcille, St. Vincent’s and Dublin legend Des “Snitchy” Ferguson in his 92nd year.

“One of the founding members of Gaeil Colmcille and a man who served on the first Executive Committee in the club. Des went on to win two Keegan Cups with Gaeil Colmcille in 1966 and 1968. A wonderful Woodwork teacher having taught in numerous schools around the County.

“Des was a proud Dub and was a successful Footballer as well as Hurler with his home club St. Vincent’s and his beloved Dublin where he won two All-Ireland Senior Football Championships in 1958 and 1963.

“Des came close to a Dual All-Ireland in 1952 after winning the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship defeating Wexford in the final, Dublin fell to Cork in the All-Ireland Final. Dessie’s biggest regret was the 1961 All-Ireland Hurling Final where Dublin lost to Tipperary in the dying minutes of the match.

“Des is predeceased by his son Ronan and survived by his loving wife Márie his Sons, Rory, Pearse, Barry, Des, Conor, Diarmuid and Terry, his daughters Eimear and Orlaith and his loving Grandkids.

“Comhbhrón ó chroí le muintir Des agus a bhean chéile Márie. Imreoir peile is iomána den chéad scoth ba ea é agus thug sé iomaí cuimhní spóirt dúinn a bhfuil draíocht ag baint leo.

“Go raibh maith agat Des.

“Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis”.

Funeral arrangements:

Des will repose at his residence on Friday evening from 5 - 8pm and Saturday from 12 - 6pm. Removal from residence on Sunday at 1.15 to arrive at St Colmcille's Church Kells for Funeral Mass at 2pm followed by burial in St Colmcille's Cemetery.

A young Colm Keyes caught up with Des Ferguson's son, Terry, for Hogan Stand magazine in May 1991

The Gaelic Family Ferguson by Colm Keys If Des Ferguson got the proverbial pound for every time he was asked who he'd be supporting in a Meath-Dublin duel, he could buy out the Headfort Golf Course which surrounds his residence twice over. For while the adjacent golf course is appealing and some of the Fergusons like to get out and swing a club now and again, football and hurling are the most likely sports to dominate their lives.

So why shouldn't a former Dublin star who gave so much service to the blue jersey not support his native county? It just so happens that Des is the link in one of the great father-son relationships which exists in the GAA as Meath's All Star corner back is of course, his son Terry. And therein lies one of the great ironies which have shrouded recent meetings between those two great superpowers of Leinster football. Because as Meath were gaining a star when Des Ferguson landed in Oldcastle in 1959, they were losing another when Noel Curran, their full forward in the 1967 All-Ireland victory over Cork, packed up and moved from Dunshaughlin to the capital. Noel's son is the Dub's versatile Paul Curran, a player Sean Boylan could certainly do with in his present injury crisis.

Gaeil Colmcille Meath SFC winners 1968.Front l-r: V. Cahill, P. Carry, D. McInerney, H. Campbell, I. Murphy, G. Lynch, T. Hickey. Back l-r: F. Ward, P. Ward, I. Griffin, J. Murray, G. McManus, G. Hughes, A. Carry, D. Ferguson

Of course, Meath people won't complain about the elder Ferguson's move to the Royal County. Terry, one of gaelic football's real gentlemen, is the most consistent defender Meath have at the moment and the selectors rarely pick a team without him. There were glasses raised in a few more places other than his native Kells when he was chosen as the 1990 All Star corner back, a richly deserved award. Terry wasn't always a regular on Meath teams and perhaps made his name more as a hurler in his early playing days when he was an integral part of the county team. Having played all his underage football and hurling with the local Gaeil Colmcille club, he featured in the unusual position of goalkeeper as a minor - for the club in the county final which they lost in 1977.

There was nothing spectacular about the young Ferguson then but around 1985 he began to make a real impression on the club scene and favourable newspaper reports of matches played in caught the attention of the general public. The Meath selectors also noticed his surge in form and he was immediately catapulted onto the senior panel where he has remained since. The following year - 1986 was a particularly memorable one for Terry Ferguson. Meath captured their first Leinster title in 16 years and he featured at left half back.

Terry was one of the Meath stars as they lost in the All-Ireland semi final to Kerry and it was a performance which merited the Meath player of the year award. With three other Ferguson brothers involved up and coming Gaeil Colmcille captured the IFC titles to cap a great season for Terry. Of course he was on the Meath team which won Sam the following year but struggled for a while in 1988 to tie down a permanent position. Dropped after the league final draw with Dublin he made a few brief re-appearances before establishing himself again as the recognised left full for the All-Ireland final replay against Cork.

Ferguson is quick to acknowledge that there were some exceptional players in those Meath teams of 1986-88 but didn't expect to make an impact so soon. "I came into the Meath team around the same time as David Beggy, Brian Stafford, PJ Gillic and Liam Harnan. Gillic and Stafford had played underage with Meath but myself, Liam and David were what you'd call 'finds'." Out of the blue, up against the blue - the sight of the Dublin jersey has never bothered Terry Ferguson and is unlikely to either on Sunday.

Des Ferguson "finds it hard to shout against the Dubs even when Meath are playing," but Meath, and particularly Kells people, will hardly begrudge him that little pleasure after all he has done for football and hurling in the area. Many will recall the late Ronan Ferguson, a brilliant talent who died at such a young age, and Dessie, another son, who was also very skilful and played with the local club before moving to St. Vincents in Dublin.

Dublin All Ireland SFC champions 1958. Front l-r: Peter O'Reilly (trainer), Ollie Freaney, Johnny Boyle, Kevin Heffernan, Paddy Farnan, Maurice Whelan, Christy Leany, Padraic Haughey, Des Ferguson, Johnny Malone, Brendan Quinn. Back l-r: Denis Mahony (Chairman County Board), Cathal O'Leary, Paddy O'Flaherty, John Timmons, Lar Foley, Johnny Joyce, Jim Crowley, Marcus Wilson, Sean Murray, Brendan Morris, Tony Gillen, Dermot McCann, Paddy Downey, Joe Brennan, Joe Timmons.

At home, Conor and Barry Ferguson are regulars with the Kells seniors while Conor and another brother Pierce have featured on many Meath hurling teams. Barry was captain of the Meath U21 side which won only the county's second ever provincial title and he is also the holder of a senior All-Ireland medal from 1987 when he played in a couple of games.

Des himself will be best remembered as a half forward of lightening speed and strength which were a huge asset to the Dubs in 1958. He later moved to full forward and it was there that he played in the '63 final when he had a great battle with Noel Tierney as Dublin emerged victorious. The former St. Vincents star - he won countless hurling and football honours with the great Marino club - continued to play with Dublin even after he moved to Meath but in '64 when he transferred to Kells, he joined Gaeil Colmcille who went on to win senior titles in 1966 and '68.

Ferguson once coached the Meath senior football team in what is now regarded as the gloomy days of the late 70s and early 80s. "Compared to what it is now, organisation and commitment then was non-existent," he recalled. Since then he has switched his attention to the hurlers of the county and enjoyed some small success as coach of the senior team. 

As Chairman of the Meath Development Committee for hurling, a body which consumes an incredible amount of work, he has expanded the base in the county to an unprecedented level. "I always preferred hurling to football as a player, " he said. "A much more skillful game. I played both games for Dublin and while I won more with football I'd have to say I knocked more enjoyment out of hurling," he added.

Des and Willie Newman keep a close eye on the Gaeil Colmcille hurlers

It's unusual to see two of the top two counties clashing at such an early stage of the season but Des thinks thats great (maybe it's because he can't really lose either way!). "Look at the interest now being generated in other counties because they know they have a chance of reaching a Leinster Final," he says passionately. Looking forward to Sunday's encounter he doesn't expect a classic as 'Meath-Dublin games never are. It will be tough football, plenty of knocks taken and given but that can be attractive too from a spectators point of view," he reasons.

As football dynasties go, the Fergusons take a lot of beating but sitting on the fence won't do for Des. "It's the obvious thing to do in my situation but my heart still lies with the Dubs," he concludes. 

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