The passing of one of Offaly GAAโs most loyal servants, Andy Gallagher, on Monday evening was met with great sadness across the county. A proud Tullamore man, Andy had dedicated almost his entire life to the promotion of Gaelic games at both club and county level. A dual player with his club, he enjoyed a sterling career as a goalkeeper at county level in hurling, before going on to manage Offalyโs first All-Ireland Senior Hurling winning team. He was also a committed administrator for over 50 years, and few could equal his contribution to Cumann Lรบthchleas Gael.
An accomplished dual star during his playing days, he had the distinction of winning county U-16, minor, junior, intermediate and senior football championship medals with Tullamore. He embellished this collection by winning U-16, minor and senior hurling championship medals. His six senior championship medals are split equally between hurling and football. Tullamore were county football aristocrats in 1954, โ56 and โ63, and hurling kingpins in 1955, โ59 and โ64. He was the first Tullamore man to lift the Sean Robbins Cup, when he captained โThe Bluesโ to County Final success over St Rynaghโs in the 1964 County Senior Hurling Final.
He wore the green, white and gold of Offaly with pride as a minor in both codes during 1953 and โ54. He played junior football for the county, but hurling was his first love, and he hurled with the Offaly seniors from 1955 up until the spring of 1969. He wore the No. 1 jersey on 61 occasions, while he also lined out at corner forward on two occasions in the League, against Meath in 1959 and Clare in 1962. In 1967, he won a Railway Cup hurling medal with Leinster.
When his playing days were over, he immersed himself in administration and team management. His first sojourn into administration was with his club, where he filled the roles of Treasurer and Secretary. That experience stood to him as he moved to county level, where he firstly served as Assistant Secretary. In 1993, he took on the role of Treasurer, a position he held until 2009, and then served as Assistant Treasurer from 2009 until 2014. During this time, he was also Offalyโs delegate to Leinster Council, a position he held from the mid-1970s to 2009.
In 1979, as Leinster Council delegate, he successfully championed the case for the introduction of an open draw in the Leinster SHC, as opposed to the traditional โseeded drawโ. The fruits of his labour and lobbying were evident in 1980, when he managed Offaly, under the captaincy of Padraig Horan, to become Leinster Senior Hurling champions for the first time ever. A year later, he guided the same group of players to win the Liam McCarthy Cup for the first time.
He was Offaly Senior Hurling manager from 1977 to 1982 inclusive. Offaly contested every senior provincial final between 1980 and 1990, and Andy was a selector for further All-Ireland senior titles that were annexed in 1985, when Pat Fleury was captain and Dermot Healy was manager, and again in 1994, when Martin Hanamy was skipper and Eamon Cregan was manager.
He was also a selector for two of Offalyโs Leinster U-21 hurling final victories.
After his direct involvement with the GAA ceased, Andy was an ever-present at games around the county and, in particular, seldom missed a game in OโConnor Park, right up until recent months.
An inductee into the Offaly GAA Hall of Fame in 2009, there can be no doubt that Andy Gallagher was a proud son of The Faithful County, whose contribution is immeasurable and whose legacy will live long into the future.
To his immediate family and many friends, we extend our heartfelt sympathy. Andy will be sadly missed and fondly remembered by everyone at Offaly GAA.
Ar Dheis Dรฉ go raibh a h-Anam Dรญlis.
By Offaly Secretary Tue 15th Sep
