Death of Tyrone man who ran for GAA presidency

A FORMER Tyrone footballer who holds the distinction of being the only person from the county to run for the GAA Presidency in modern times has died aged in his late eighties.

In 1976, Geordie McGuigan became the first candidate from the Red Hand county to go for the top position.

He was following in the footsteps of Omagh man, Hugh Alexander Auchinleck, who, in the 1880s, became one of the first vice-presidents of the Association. Born in Strabane and with connections at Crevenagh in Omagh, Auchinleck was an acquaintance of the founder of the GAA, Michael Cusack.

Mr McGuigan, who died last week in England, was a native of Moy, and represented the Tyrone Minors when they reached the Ulster Final in 1953. He was one of Moy’s finest-ever footballers, before emigrating to Birmingham in his early 20s.

After his departure, he played for Warwickshire in the 1957 All-Ireland Junior Final, where they lost to Mayo, and also lined out for the O’Neill’s and St Brendan’s clubs near Birmingham.

He later went on to become a prominent administrator, and was named president of the GAA in Britain between 1976 and 1979.

In later years, too, he was a well-known and accomplished referee, taking charge of the 1982 Leinster Minor Final.

Mr McGuigan also played a key role in the formative years in the development of Pairc na hEireann in Birmingham, and made a number of visits back to his native Moy over the years.