The late Paddy Morgan

Wednesday 14th August 2024

Coiste Chontae an Dúin and the family that is Down GAA  are saddened to learn of the death of Paddy Morgan, President of Kilcoo GAC and a former member of the County Committee and the East Down Committee. We offer our deepest sympathy to his brothers James, Gerry, Peter, John, Roger and Dan, his sisters in law, Ann, Patricia, Mary, Lily, Mary and Marian, his nephews and nieces and the entire Morgan Family circle. To the Gaels of Kilcoo we offer our sympathies too on the passing of a man who was an iconic figure in the history of the Club.

Paddy Morgan gave outstanding service to his Club and to the GAA for over six decades, he was Club Secretary for 36 years, from 1968 through to 2004 and then became the County Board Rep up to 2010, when he deservedly took up the role as Club President. Paddy was also a former vice chair of the East Down Committee and served the Committee for a total of 14 years, 13 of which were unbroken service.

Paddy Morgan was a man who made things happen in Kilcoo, a man who made a difference, if he saw something that needed to be done, then he did it, it was all for the good of Gaelic Games in Kilcoo and if that meant taking on a number of tasks in any given role then Paddy just got on with it. He knew the hard days and the hard work that was needed to keep Kilcoo going forward and he was a man prepared to fully put his shoulder to the wheel. He and others like him had made their own sacrifices that a new generation would reap the benefits, it was never about personal gain for Paddy, it was about the pride he took in seeing Kilcoo winning, no occasion more so than in 2009 and a first Down title in 72 Years. Provincial and All Ireland success would follow in recent times and Paddy was delighted to see the Andy Merrigan Cup rest in Kilcoo, it was the stuff he only could have dreamed off for he had seen the wheel turn the full circle and his beloved Kilcoo rise to take their place amongst the top Clubs in the land. 

Those days of pitch marking, of gathering a team, driving a bus, umpiring and refereeing,  of raising funds in hard times had all been worth it, for Paddy Morgan, Kilcoo and its football was a labour of love. 

We in the GAA have been privileged to have had men like Paddy Morgan in our ranks, they are the men who by their actions helped make us the people and the Association that we are today 140 years later. All we can say as we remember Paddy is thank you, for the work that you did, the service that you gave and the difference that you made all in the name of Cumann Lúthchleas Gael. 

Ar Dheis Dé go raibh a anam