Crokes mourn stalwart Courtney

THE death has taken place of the man often described as the original ‘maor uisce’ of the GAA.

Officials and rank-and-file members of newly-crowned Munster club SFC champions Dr Crokes have been paying tribute to club vice-president and former player, Patsy Courtney, 75, who died at the weekend following an illness.

He was a passionate club worker and a former winner of the club personality of the year award, and had devoted much of his life to Dr Crokes. He was a key part of the backroom team when the Killarney club won the All-Ireland Club Championship in 1992.

An ever-present on the sidelines for games at all levels, he was also a valuable fundraiser for the club and raised thousands of euro for various projects through the successful club lotto.

The bachelor had been goalkeeper on the Dr Crokes senior side in the 1950s and became a popular team mentor over the past 30 years. The late Mr Courtney was an uncle of current Dr Crokes team boss Harry O’Neill and a brother of former long-standing Killarney Town Council member, Michael Courtney, who died early last year.

The Dr Crokes club will stage a guard of honour for the removal of the remains from O’Shea’s Funeral Home today and again following requiem Mass in St Mary’s Cathedral at 10.30am tomorrow.