Sad passing of Galway gaels O’Neill and Egan

GALWAY GAA lost two of its sons over the Christmas period following the deaths of 1956 All-Ireland football winner Billy O’Neill and former Galway Football Board Chairman Pat Egan, who had served as the county’s Central Council delegate up until recently.

Both men in their own way had played key roles in shaping Galway GAA over many decades, with Egan, as Football Board Chairman, overseeing Galway’s All-Ireland triumphs in 1998 and 2001 and O’Neill, almost a half century earlier, inspiring the Tribesmen to a famous All-Ireland football final victory over his native Cork in 1956.

Ironically, O’Neill, who passed away last Saturday, was better known as a hurler, with the Carrigtwohill man enjoying the distinction of captaining the Cork junior hurling side to All-Ireland glory in 1950.

As an army lieutenant, the nature of his work took him to Renmore Barracks in Galway and in 1952 he made his debut for the Tribesmen against Tipperary in London. In addition to featuring for Galway, he also represented Connacht in the Railway Cup at both codes.

However, O’Neill’s greatest sporting moment came in 1956 when, playing at left-half forward, he used his great turn of speed and amazing staying power to good effect in aiding his adopted county to defeat his native county Cork by 2-13 to 3-7 in a riveting All-Ireland decider.

With Sean Purcell and Frankie Stockwell electrifying Croke Park on the same day, Galway were in the ascendancy early in the tie and, at one stage, led by eight points. A late Cork flurry though saw the margin reduced to one before Galway responded to score two points to win the thriller.

For O’Neill, it was a personal triumph as he also had trained the team. Today, the 1956 Galway team is regarded as one comprised of legends. Along with O’Neill, other names of note were Jack Mangan, Seán Keeley, Gerry Daly, Tom Dillon, Jack Kissane, Jack Mahon, Mick Greally, Frank Evers, Mattie McDonagh, Jackie Coyle, Joe Young, Gerry Kirwan and, of course, the ‘Terrible Twins’, Stockwell, and Purcell.

Full tribute in this week’s Connacht Tribune