Sadness at passing of Roscommon great Gerry O’Malley
Roscommon football legend Gerry O’Malley has passed away.
Seamus Sweeney, Chairman of Roscommon GAA, said it is with great regret and sadness that it announces the passing of Gerry O’Malley of the St Brigid’s club, a true Roscommon legend.
“Gerry was a good friend to Roscommon GAA, an inspiration to any team, and a football colossus. On my own behalf and on behalf of Roscommon people everywhere, I extend my deepest sympathy to his wife Mary, sons Niall and Conor his daughter in law and grandchildren on his passing. We were privileged to have known him, to have seen him and I can honestly say Ní bheidh a leithéid arís ann,” said Seamus.
Gerry wore the Roscommon jersey with distinction from November 1947 all the way through to 1964. In 1961, Gerry was chosen as the footballer of the year by the Association of Gaelic Sports journalists in a countrywide ballot.
His performances in the Connacht finals of 1952 and 1962 are rated as his best. In '62, he played at midfield and led Roscommon to a one-point win over Galway, and he was team captain when Roscommon played in the All-Ireland final, in which the Rossies were defeated by Kerry.
According to a match report on the All-Ireland final, “Roscommon's chances of victory were hampered when their lion-hearted captain, Gerry O'Malley, after sustaining an injury in the first half, was finally forced to retire to the bench early in the second half which virtually eliminated the prospect of Roscommon making any sort of a comeback.”
Despite being known nationally as a great footballer, Gerry's first love was actually hurling, and he joined the Four Roads club in 1945. Indeed, Gerry was the holder of an All-Ireland hurling medal, won with Roscommon junior hurlers when they defeated Warwickshire in the 1965 final.
As well as representing Connacht in inter-provincial football, the former Marist College student also lined out with the Connacht team in the Railway Cup hurling competition.
A much loved Roscommon icon, Gerry was inducted into the Roscommon GAA supporters club Hall of Fame in 2009. Gerry also served as President of the Roscommon GAA county board.
After his playing career ended Gerry went on to train the Roscommon county team lads in Dublin in 1970/71. He was living full time in Dublin at this stage. In 1972, Gerry trained a Dublin club team, St Maurs, and they won junior and intermediate football titles. He finally ended his active involvement in training in the early 1980s.
Gerry was an inspiring figure for Roscommon and St Brigid’s teams down the years, and he was in Croke Park when the Kiltoom & Cam club won the All-Ireland title in 2013.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.