Final tributes to Joe McGrath

Former GAA president Dr Mick Loftus was amongst the attendance yesterday at the funeral Mass of Down-born Joe McGrath who achieved notable successes as a hurling, football and camogie coach over the past 40 years while living in Cork.

He was buried in St James Cemetery, Chetwynd, following Requiem Mass in Ballinlough, at which the chief celebrant was Canon James O’Donovan PP.

The attendance included Cork All-Ireland hurlers Ray Cummins, Frank Cummins, Eamonn O’Donoghue, John Considine, Sean O’Gorman, Denis Burns, Sean Silke (Galway) and Limerick brothers Pat and Bernie Hartigan. They played in the ’71 league final and were on the last Limerick team to win the Liam MacCarthy Cup two years later.

Also present were commentator Michéal Ó Muircheartaigh, Munster Council vice-chairman Robert Frost, former Limerick chairman Rory Kiely, former Cork chairman Mick Dolan, Fianna Fáil leader and fellow parishioner Michéal Martin, former Assistant Garda Commissioner Joe Long and representatives of the Blackrock club.