Micheál Linnane RIP – a tribute by Ambrose Gordon.

Micheál Linnane RIP

St Gabriel’s London and Gort Co. Galway

“ A true Gort and Galway legend, May his kind and gentle soul rest in peace “

The following tribute was put forward by Ambrose Gordon

Micheál Linnane was a man of many paradoxes, a big imposing man who only ever wanted to tell the story. It could be in Bradley’s in Labane or Josie Harte’s in Gort – his favourite subject – Hurling.

I first met Micheál here in London in 1963. He joined St. Gabriel’s the same year. He became a fixture on the St. Gabriels team along with his great friends Kerril Burke, Matty Burke, Johnny Organ and myself. In our first-year senior in 1965 when we won our first co-final – Micheál was wing forward that day.

We could drink pints on Monday – the Orange Tree, the Masons Arms and again on Tuesday. Micheál was a great craic and a fantastic club man – never missed a meeting, a function, a training session. We were fortunate in the next few years as we were joined by his brothers, Johnny, Brendan (RIP) and London’s greatest hurler Martin Linnane.

Brendan’s sudden death in 1980 while training on a cold Sunday in January was a devastating blow to the Linnane family. When I took over as chairman of St Gabriel’s in 1972, Micheál would phone nightly, always helping you recruit new players, and how to deal with my co. board superiors etc.  He was director of L and B Construction along with his brother Johnny. Young St Gabriels hurlers Frank Canning, Lenny Burke, Mick Spellman, Mick Keane, and Ollie Gordon were on the payroll.

Speaking with Pierce Piggott this morning, he stated that Micheál Linnane was “the greatest Gort hurling man in his lifetime”. Micheál was chairman of the Gort club for 15 years and took the Gort club to London after winning the Galway Co final in 1981. Micheál, along with selectors Sean Silke and Phelim Murphy managed the 1996 Galway junior team that won the all-Ireland Junior Hurling championship final, beating Kilkenny in Tullamore. Players on that team included Michael Connolly, Noel Larkin, Alan Kerins and Fergal Healy. Micheál was a brilliant manager who looked after all the players and his generous spirit was legendary. Sincere sympathy to all the Linnane family including our current St Gabriels player Tadgh – not forgetting his late wife Mona – his favourite word was “fantastic”. You were Micheál. RIP lad.

“When the final whistle for me has blown
And I stand at last at God’s Judgement Throne
May the great Referee when he calls my name
Say you hurled like a man, you played the game”

Micheál was laid to rest on Sunday, 29th of September in Kilmacduagh Cemetery following Requiem Mass in St. Colman’s Church Gort Co.Galway