Death of legendary
Tinryland & Carlow
Footballer
Paddy Sullivan.
ONE of the last remaining links with the
golden era of Tinryland and Carlow football was severed with the passing
of Paddy Sullivan on Monday of last week.
Paddy's greatest hour came in 1944 when he
was a member of the famous Carlow fifteen that lifted the Leinster
senior football title in Athy against Dublin.
Paddy was outstanding in that championship
campaign scoring three goals and two points in the semi-final win over
Wexford.
Together with his Tinryland club-mates on
that team John Doyle, Peenie Whelan and Willie Hosey and panel members
Andy Murphy, John Brady and Mick Hughes, Paddy helped Tinryland win five
Carlow SFC titles between 1943 and 1950 and he was captain of the team
in 1949.
He figured on the famous Tinryland team of
1945 that travelled to the Cork Athletic Grounds on 8 August to defeat
subsequent All-Ireland winners Cork with the help of two guest players
Jimma Rea (O'Hanrahans) and Jim Morris (Ballon).
He continued to play up to 1960 and figured
on the winning league side of 1951 and the losing final side of 1954
which was regarded as one of Tinryland's best teams that did not win a
Co Championship.
Paddy was also named in Carlow's team of the
century alongside Tinryland club members Peenie Whelan, Andy Murphy and
Brendan Hayden.
Tinryland GFC together with Carlow Co Board
provided a guard of honour at the removal of Paddy's remains to Askea
parish church on Tuesday and at his internment in St Mary's cemetery the
following day. A minute's silence in his memory was observed at the
Tinryland and Kilbride senior football match in Rathcrogue on Friday
last.
Source: The Nationalist 17 July 2009
