A huge void has been left in Westmeath GAA following the passing of one of the county's greatest Gaels, Adrian Murray. An outstanding GAA administrator who was known the length and breath of the country, Adrian died on Friday, November 4 last at Tullamore General Hospital after a courageous battle against illness, and the huge crowds which attended both his removal and funeral was testament to the high esteem in which he was held. Aged just 59, Adrian will be remembered by many for the warm smile and the hearty handshake which greeted football and hurling supporters when they arrived in Cusack Park. In his roles as county board assistant secretary, fixtures secretary and minor board secretary, he made an incredible contribution to Westmeath GAA. A man of extraordinary energy, Adrian dedicated his life to the GAA, as a player, a match official, a steward and, of course, as an administrator. In 2004, he sought election as a candidate for the Labour Party to Westmeath County Council, and was a very proud man when he claimed a vital seat for the party in the Coole Electoral Area. The Crookedwood native was subsequently elected to Westmeath VEC and only last September, was the unanimous choice of his peers for the role of chairman of the Coole Electoral Area Committee. However, it is as a dedicated and committed member of the GAA that Adrian will be best remembered. Early flirtations with fishing and pitch and putt were the precursors for a lifetime of service to the country's finest sporting organisation. Adrian, who in his professional life was a dedicated and popular member of the nursing staff of St. Loman's Hospital in Mullingar, kept goal for Crookedwood for many years, and also regularly lent his services to the St. Loman's football team. When his playing career ended, he turned his hand to refereeing and rose through the ranks to take charge of numerous important fixtures at local and national level. He refereed county senior hurling and football finals. Indeed, the 1999 senior football final between Tyrrellspass and Athlone was his last big refereeing assignment. Adrian was unsurpassed as a GAA administrator. In the various positions he held, he carried out his duties in a fair-minded, efficient and professional manner. He was a brilliant fixture-maker and tried to accommodate everyone where possible. It was no coincidence that Adrian's election as minor board secretary heralded the most successful period in Westmeath's history on the playing fields. His proudest moment came in September 1995 when Damien Gavin captained Westmeath to a historic All-Ireland minor final victory over Derry. He also saw great days when Westmeath won the All-Ireland under 21 title in 1999, the Leinster senior football title in 2004 and the inaugural Christy Ring Cup last year. Following the latter success, GAA president Sean Kelly singled Adrian out for special mention in his presentation speech and a watching television audience saw the hugely passionate Crookedwood man clench his fist as tears streamed down his face. There were other successes which brought great joy to Adrian, but in the weeks preceding his death, his pride soared to new heights when his beloved Crookedwood rewrote the history books by capturing the intermediate hurling championship to attain senior status for the first time in their history. The 'Wood also won the junior 'B' championship and Intermediate Cup in 2005, and if there was an award for Club of the Year, they would surely have won it. Last year, Adrian expressed the wish that his death would not lead to club matches being called off in the county. But one match which was fittingly postponed was that between Crookedwood and Kilcock, who were due to meet in the Leinster club junior hurling championship on the weekend of his passing. Adrian was a man of great Christian faith, was a daily Massgoer until no longer able to attend, and was a lifelong Pioneer. Many tributes were paid to Adrian, with county board chairman Seamus O Faolain remembering him as "a man of extraordinary compassion, always up for the underdog. He was the main man in match presentation in Cusack Park. "It seems unthinkable he will not be there, but he had set the standards for us. He had the ability to get through to everyone, and everybody appreciated that. We deeply appreciate all he did for us." Adrian's commitment to the sporting and political life of the county was remembered at the obsequies on Sunday and Monday, November 6 and 7. His coffin bore mementos of his love for the GAA, with his referee's jersey, the green, white and gold of Crookedwood and a photograph of the 1995 Westmeath minor team holding pride of place. Indeed, the members of that team paid a fitting tribute to Adrian when he was the recipient of a presentation from the players at their 10th anniversary celebration a month earlier. The attendance at Adrian's removal from Gilsenan's Funeral Home to Taughmon Church was one of the biggest ever seen in Mullingar. An estimated 3,000 people filed past his remains to pay their final respects and to offer words of comfort to Adrian's family. Members of the successful Christy Ring Cup winning Westmeath hurling team honoured his memory by providing a guard of honour on the Sunday evening, while over the two days, Crookedwood hurling club, county board officials as well as Labour Party and Westmeath County Council members, also provided honour guards. Many prominent GAA officials from far and wide attended the funeral, including the former GAA president Jack Boothman, who travelled from his Blessington home to pay his respects. Adrian was a legendary figure in Westmeath GAA circles and will be sorely missed by all who knew him. To his wife Patsy, daughters Susan and Laura, sons Derek, Colin, Paul and Enda, his brother Larry, step-mother Frances and grand-daughter Amy, we extend our deepest sympathy. Ar dheis lamh De go raibh a h-aman dilis. Tweet

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