Footballing legend mourned

STRIKING tributes were paid yesterday to solicitor and All-Ireland-winning Kerry footballer Garry MacMahon, who died last week after a brief illness.

He was aged 70.

A native of Listowel, Co Kerry, he was the eldest of five sons of the late Bryan MacMahon, the renowned writer and teacher, and his wife, Kitty, and a brother of Mr Justice Bryan MacMahon, of the High Court.

The late Mr MacMahon’s practice was in Newcastle West, Co Limerick, where he set up in the 1960s, but also extended into Kerry.

A fluent Irish speaker, he was also a ballad singer, poet and a conversationalist of note. He won two All-Ireland medals with Kerry, in 1959 and 1962, and was acclaimed for his goal-scoring ability. His goal for Kerry in the early minutes of the ’62 final against Roscommon is rated among the fastest-ever scored in an All Ireland final.

Tralee Circuit Court did not sit until 3pm on Friday last as a mark of respect and to allow the legal profession to attend his funeral in Newcastle West.

Leading the tributes at the court, Judge Carroll Moran described Mr MacMahon as a superb raconteur in the tradition of his family and “an elder statesman” who passed on his accumulated wisdom to younger solicitors.

Barrister John O’Sullivan said Mr MacMahon had been a fearless advocate for his clients.

Solicitor John Galvin described him as a person whose word was his bond.

Tributes were also paid to him by the Listowel Writers’ Week, the St John’s Arts Centre Listowel and the north Kerry Fine Gael TD Jimmy Deenihan. He is survived by his wife Joan and three children Gearóid, Treasa and Rossa.