Large crowd attends Clonoulty vigil for Dillon Quirke

The Tipperary star and Clonoulty-Rossmore captain died on Friday after collapsing in a match.

Dillon Quirke of Clonoulty / Rossmore celebrates with Joe Hayes following the 2018 Tipperary County Final win. Picture: Ray McManus/Sportsfile

A large crowd attended a vigil held at Tipperary GAA club Clonoulty-Rossmore last night for the club captain Dillon Quirke who died on Friday after he collapsed playing for the club in a Tipperary SHC match with Kilruane MacDonaghs.

The club tweeted: "Thank you for all the kind messages. Maybe in time these will provide some comfort. For now, we are beyond despair."

pic.twitter.com/TdNDYBoPXi

— Clonoulty Rossmore GAA (@ClonRossGAA) August 6, 2022

Club chairman Andrew Fryday has expressed his personal heartbreak and the devastation of his club at losing their young Tipperary star .

Speaking to RTÉ News, Fryday, who is Dillon's uncle, paid tribute to his nephew's achievements on the field for his club and described "a pure gentleman" that his community is so proud of. 

"He was a pure gentleman, a lovely, lovely young man who had the prime of anything you’d want in a hurler. A fine, big strong man. 

"Fit and able, a leader on the field. He was captain of our club team this year, he led from the front."

As Fryday said, Dillon Quirke's "curriculum vitae was absolutely immense". He won a Harty Cup title with Thurles CBS in 2015 and an All-Ireland minor title with Tipperary in 2016. 

At 20, he was central to the club's county championship win in 2018, just the fourth in their history. With Dillon as captain this year, Fryday pointed out the club had high hopes of driving on to repeat that achievement. 

In the final that year, Quirke's two pointed sidelines allied to his ball-winning ability showcased the skill and strength that made him versatile enough to play anywhere on the field. He also won All-Ireland U21 and county U21 titles that year. 

Dillon spoke of his thrill when he finally made his senior debut for Tipperary, after being called into Liam Sheedy's panel. Picture: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

A health scare in 2019 required him to step away from hurling and the following year Dillon spoke of his thrill when he finally made his senior debut for Tipperary, after being called into Liam Sheedy's panel.

“It was unreal,” he said. “I waited all my life for this, it’s a dream come true. Just to play with the lads, the likes of Noel McGrath and Seamus Callanan, it’s a dream."

Speaking on RTÉ Saturday Sport, Sheedy paid his tribute to a young man who quickly became part of his leadership group and who always had a smile on his face.

"He had the charm. He was a great guy around the place. And he was always a very stylish player. 

"He loved life and he loved hurling. Lockdown was tough for everyone. Dillon had set up his own gym in the house and was meticulous about his hurling and his preparation. 

He was on my leadership group. A pleasure to be around, a joy to be around. Even behind the scenes, you'd see the smile on his face. 

"For us to process what happened in the last 24 hours is going to be very very difficult."

Quirke established himself as a Tipperary regular this season, starting all four games in the Munster Championship, particularly excelling in a marking job on Kyle Hayes against Limerick. Former Tipp star Shane McGrath described the numb feeling around the county. 

"Any time you met him you got that feeling of leadership. Always a glass half full person. What a player he was going to be for his club and his county. 

"Tipp is a big huge county but the whole community is just numb and really can't believe what is happening. It is just heartbreaking. None of us can believe it. 

What a loss this guy is going to be to his family, his club and Tipperary."

Quirke was set to be the driving force of his club for many years to come, Fryday said. 

"His uncle-in-law Declan Ryan, our former Tipperary manager, was manager and coach of the team. Dillon absolutely loved him, he’d do anything for him.

"We were very hopeful this year that we would drive on and do the repeat of 2018 and put another county final on the table. We were so looking forward to him leading the way for the next number of years for us." 

Fryday praised the Tipperary county board, the match referee at last night's game, and opponents Kilruane McDonaghs for everybody's response to the tragic event. 

"He was a pure gentleman, a lovely, lovely young man who had the prime of anything you’d want in a hurler. A fine, big strong man." Picture: INPHO/Bryan Keane

"I'd like to compliment the referee and Tipp county board when this tragic event happened. In the horrific events, Kilruane... I'd like to compliment Craig Morgan, one of their players, one of his friends from the county, went down beside him, helped him in his time of need. 

"It's tough, we find it very hard. Dillon was our man, our leader, and we are devastated. 

"All the condolences are really appreciated. We're just going to take our time and do what we have to do to say farewell to one of our best men."

GAA president Larry McCarthy offered his sympathies to Dillon’s family and friends. 

“There is a ​huge sense of ​shock across the GAA community at the tragic loss of Dillon who had already achieved so much in his young life.

“He was a young man in his prime with so much potential and promise and on behalf of the GAA family I would like to extend my sympathies to Dillon’s ​parents, Dan and Hazel, and his sisters, Shannon and Kellie, at what is an unimaginably difficult time.”