Derry mourn the passing of Colm McGurk

Derry GAA chairman John Keenan has led the tributes to All-Ireland winning star, Colm McGurk, who passed away on Saturday.

Derry GAA chairman John Keenan has led the tributes to All-Ireland winning star, Colm McGurk, who passed away on Saturday.

McGurk was a member of the Derry side which claimed the Sam Maguire in 1993 - two year after he won an All-Ireland club football title with his beloved Lavey. He won four Derry SFC titles and a remarkable 12 SHC titles along with a provincial senior medal in 2000. McGurk also managed the Oak Leaf hurlers to Nickey Rackard Cup and Ulster U21 successes in 2017.

Keenan said: “Colm was small in stature but a giant of Derry GAA. His ambition for his club and county matched his energy and drive to improve and develop our community and its people.

“Colm McGurk’s influence can be found on the blueprints of many areas of the GAA in Derry and Ulster.

“An All-Ireland winner with Derry in 1993 and an Ulster hurling winner in 2000, our former senior hurling manager, a competition sponsor and the chief architect on the Owenbeg complex opened in 2013, Colm had been working with Derry GAA in recent months on plans to further progress our facilities at Owenbeg for player development.

“Colm McGurk brought energy and passion to everything that he did. He was terrific company and will be very sadly missed.

“On behalf of Derry GAA, I want to offer our deepest sympathies to Sinead and the family of Colm McGurk, as well as to the wider community of Erin’s Own Lavey.”