The death occurred yesterday evening of former GAA President and All Ireland winning Galway hurler Joe McDonagh at the age of 62 following a battle with illness. Joe served as GAA President from 1997 to 2000 and had the honour of presenting the Sam Maguire to the captain of his native county Ray Silke when Galway won the All Ireland football title in 1998, but is perhaps best remembered for his rendition of ‘The Wests Awake’ on the steps of the Hogan Stand in the aftermath of the Galway hurlers famous triumph in 1980. An All-Star wing back in 1976, the Ballinderreen clubman won an All Ireland U21 medal four years previously in 1972 as a prodigiously talented 19 year old and would go on to make his senior debut in 1974. Joe was a former Head of Sport with Galway Bay fm in early years of the station when it was known as Radio West and was known as an extremely gifted orator who gave of his time generously to clubs and counties all over the country and will be sorely missed by his loving wife Peig, son Eoin, daughters Muireann and Eilis and a huge army of friends and admirers. Ar lamh dheis De go raibh a anam uasal.
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