Joe McDonagh

Joseph "Joe" McDonagh (1953 – 20 May 2016) was an Irish Gaelic games administrator, who served as the President of the Gaelic Athletic Association from 1997 until 2000, and formerly a hurler with the Galway senior hurling team.^[1]

Career

Born in Tuam, County Galway, McDonagh was introduced to hurling by his father, a long-serving Gaelic games administrator and schoolteacher. He developed his hurling skills at Coláiste Éinde, while also excelling at Gaelic football as a result of the coaching of teacher Enda Colleran.^[2] McDonagh enjoyed a lengthy club hurling career with Ballinderreen, while he also played Gaelic football with Cortoon Shamrocks and Barna.

With University College Galway, McDonagh was a Fitzgibbon Cup medal-winner in 1977, while he was also a regular on the Sigerson Cup team.

McDonagh made his début on the inter-county scene at the age of sixteen when he first linked up with the Galway minor team. An All-Ireland runner-up in this grade, he later won an All-Ireland medal with the under-21 team. McDonagh made his senior début during the 1972-73 league. He went on to play a key role for Galway during a breakthrough era, and won one All-Ireland medal as a non-playing substitute in 1980 and one National Hurling League medal. He was an All-Ireland runner-up on two occasions. One of the most iconic moments he is associated with is his rendition of ‘The West’s Awake’ from the Hogan Stand in Croke Park after winning that All-Ireland with Galway in 1980.^[3]

As a member of the Connacht inter-provincial team at various times throughout his career, McDonagh won two Railway Cup medals.

Throughout his career McDonagh made 15 championship appearances for Galway. His retirement came following the conclusion of the 1983 championship.

In retirement from playing McDonagh became involved in the administrative affairs of the Gaelic Athletic Association. He was elected to the Galway County Board as Irish Officer in 1979 and went on to represent Galway on the Central Council in 1988, being appointed to the chair of the hurling work group on his first day. Runner-up to Jack Boothman in the 1993 election for the position, he subsequently became the 32nd President of the Gaelic Athletic Association between 1997 and 2000.

McDonagh died on 20 May 2016, following a short illness.^[4][5]

Honours

Player

University College Galway

• Fitzgibbon Cup (1): 1977

Galway

• All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship (1): 1980 (sub)
• National Hurling League (1): 1974-75
• All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship (1): 1972

Connacht

• Railway Cup (2): 1982, 1983

Individual

Awards

• All-Star (1): 1976

References