By 
By Niall Gartland
TRIBUTES have been paid following the death of Eglish man Brian Daly, a renowned martial artist and history-maker with his local GAA club.
Brian captained Eglish St Patrick’s to their one and only Tyrone Senior Championship title in 1970, a landmark achievement that remains a proud cornerstone of the club’s history.
He was one of three Daly siblings on the trail-blazing team, lining out alongside Terence and Vincent. Together they reached the summit of club football in the county with a 2-7 to 1-8 victory over Augher in 1970.
In the Ulster Herald’s match report of the final, Brian was described as having produced “power-house” performance in his familiar wing-half back role. By that stage he was the team’s most experienced player, having played right through the 1960s.
In a tribute, Eglish St Patrick’s stated: “We wish to extend our sincere condolences to the Daly family on the passing of Brian.
“Brian was the captain of the Eglish 1970 Senior Championship-winning side. He was an Eglish man through and through.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Vivenne, his children Alicia, Eoin, Anne Marie, Shauna and Mark and the wider Daly family.”
Daly, who lived in Dungannon, was also highly accomplished practitioner of martial arts.
He was a long-standing member of the local Ren Bu Kan Judo Club, and his coach Harry McGuigan issued a glowing tribute to “one of the strongest judoka” he has ever coached.
“I would like to offer my condolences to the family of Brian Daly who recently passed away after a long illness.
“Brian was my third Black Belt back in the mid-seventies after myself and Avril Malley. Brian was one of the strongest judoka I have ever coached but he was a gentleman behind it all.
“He was part of the Ren Bu Kan team that dominated judo competitions in the seventies and I will forever be grateful that he walked into the club one day along with his cousin Patrick Jordan and decided to join Ren Bu Kan Judo Club.”
