Those who treasured Galway legend Noel Tierney glad they got chance to pay tribute
THREE-IN-A-ROW: Noel Tierney, right, and Martin Newell, Galway, in action during 1966 All-Ireland SFC final against Meath. Picture credit: Connolly Collection / SPORTSFILE
Thousands of people will turn out on Wednesday and again the following morning in Milltown to pay tribute to the late Galway full-back Noel Tierney — just a week and a half after a huge crowd turned out in the village to honour the three-in-a-row star.
They will come from across the nearby border, from all the other Connacht counties and from throughout the country to honour the 82-year-old regarded as one of the finest full-backs to play the game.
Former RTÉ broadcaster and writer Jim Carney, himself a Milltown native who was one of the primary organisers of the event last Sunday week which honoured Tierney’s career, said it was a comfort to all who treasured him that they got the opportunity to pay tribute to him.
The event had to be moved a few times because of various health issues but Tierney, Footballer of the Year when they won the first of the three-in-a-row titles in 1964, was in great form at the event and was overwhelmed by the huge turnout.
“It was a great success,” said Carney. “We didn’t expect such a huge turnout. It just shows the esteem in which he is held. But we didn’t expect to be back again so soon paying tribute to him. He is a huge loss.”
Galway, with Tierney rock solid at full-back and producing endless displays of high fielding, didn’t concede a goal in the finals against Kerry in 1964 and ’65, and again a year later when they defeated Meath.
Tierney, an All-Ireland minor winner in 1960 who won five Connacht Championships and a national league title in 1965, also won two Railway Cups with Connacht, including as captain in 1969.
He retired to concentrate on winning a county title with Milltown. They were beaten by 1-6 to 0-6 in their first county final appearance in 1967 but his perseverance paid off as he guided Milltown to their first county title in 1971 when they defeated St Grellan’s of Ballinalsoe by 0-5 to 0-4.
There was a poignant moment at the event in Milltown last Sunday week when recently crowned Footballer of the Year Paul Conroy joined Tierney on the stage 60 years after he won the award.
Noel Tierney was predeceased by his son Fergal in a farming accident and is survived by his wife Peggy, son Martin and daughters Aoife and Mairead.
He will repose at St Joseph’s Church, Milltown on Wednesday evening from 5-7pm. Funeral mass will be on Thursday at noon, with burial afterwards in Kilgevrin Cemetery.
