GAA community is united in grief

On Monday former Armagh player Kieran McGurk died suddenly at his home in Derrymacash and, in Armagh City, Joe Houlahan, who was a former Armagh goalkeeper and father of ex-Armagh player Gerard Houlahan, passed away.

Well known GAA man Harry Gormley has fond memories of a very young Kieran McGurk when he began his football career.

The former Armagh footballer was managed by the Sarsfields man when he first pulled on the Hoops jersey.

Harry said: “Kieran played right half back for our under 14 team and, even at that early stage, we knew that he would become a very special player.”

Harry Gormley, who is well known throughout Ulster as a keen Scór participant, had a direct bearing on shaping the future of Kieran who he brought to the Sarsfields club at a young age.

Harry takes up the story: “Kieran had been living in Francis Street at the time and I believe that Clan na Gael had their eyes on him.

“Kieran was a good friend of Noel Skelton, the brother of current Sarsfields manager Gerard Skelton and the lads knocked about together at the time. I remember telling Kieran that there was always a place for him at the Sarsfields.”

There was a slight problem, however, for Harry Gormley considering that the young talented footballer then moved to the central Craigavon area and appeared to give his allegiances to Éire Óg

But Harry persisted: “I remember Jimmy Bogle, who was a great man for the football and did a lot of work with Éire Óg, saying to me just leave him where he is. I think Jimmy also saw the talent that Kieran had.”

But the link to Kieran McGurk’s future, and between the Sarsfields club and Éire Óg was not to end there.