Death of Tyrone GAA historian

A LEADING historian of the GAA in Tyrone has passed away.

Joseph Martin died peacefully at his home in Omagh on Sunday morning surrounded by family.

Mr Martin had a lifelong association with the GAA in Tyrone as a player, administrator and historian.

As a player, Mr Martin was part of the talented Carrickmore Minor team which won the Tyrone title in 1956.

He subsequently went on to play for Tyrone Minors and enjoyed a distinguished career with his club, winning three Tyrone senior titles as a tenacious corner back in 1961, 1966 and 1969.

He also served as chairman of Carrickmore GAA Club and was among those instrumental in the development of Pairc Naomh Colmcille which opened in 1971.

But Mr Martin really made his mark on GAA in the county as a historian.

He first published an official history of Tyrone GAA back in 1984, described at the time as a ‘masterpiece’ by Jack Mahon, Galway footballer and journalist.

In the 1984 book, Mr Martin wrote a passionate and moving conclusion titled, ‘The Cherished Dream’.

In it, he paid tribute to the people who had sustained and given so much to the association in Tyrone since its beginnings.

He added, “It is almost as if it is assumed that Tyrone will achieve a measure of success, will reach a plateau and will then stop short at that level of attainment.”

He proposed that a vision was needed to enkindle a fire: “By means of it, Tyrone GAA, proud of its past and inspired by an awareness of its present potential and a total belief in itself, can aspire to and attain the ultimate success – the winning if the Sam Maguire Cup.”

Nineteen years later, the ultimate success came to pass in 2003.

Mr Martin continued to update the book over the years, most recently in December 2021.

He also dedicated his career to education and worked for the former Western Education Library Board (WELB) for 30 years, serving as its chief executive for nearly ten years, before retiring in 2004.

Mr Martin’s Funeral Mass will take place at 10am on Tuesday morning in St Mary’s Church, Killyclogher with burial afterwards in adjoining cemetery.