Michéal Hayes – Austin Stacks GAA Juvenile President – A Club Tribute.
Even though he had been ill for some time the news of the death of Micheál Hayes on this Wednesday evening (13th July) was received with great sadness. He was regarded by many as the man who was responsible for laying the foundation of the Club’s Second Golden Era from 1973 to 1994. The Club’s first Golden Era began in1928 and ended nine seasons later when we won our 5th SF Co. Championship victory in 1936. The period between then and 1973 was regarded as the Club’s ‘barren period’. Many blame the financial and political conditions of that time as a contributing factor for this barren period, with emigration and recessions taking place from 1939 onwards following the start of World War 2.
When Mícheál arrived back in Tralee in 1961as a Teacher at the Tralee CBS Primary School he got involved immediately with our youth teams. Along with people such as James Hobbert, Jack Parker, Joe Mulchinock, Paddy Drummond, Dan Ryan, Jackie Power and Michael Chuchy O’Connell, to name but a few, he launched a Youth Policy which he referred to as ‘The Ten Year Plan’.
Young players from seven years upwards were tutored by him and they immediately began to win trophies at Juvenile level, culminating in the Club’s first MF Co. Championship title in 1969.
Four years later that ‘Ten Year Plan’ resulted in the start of our Second Golden Era during which we won a further five Co. SF Championships between 1973 and 1986 with an 11th title coming eight years later in 1994. That Second Golden Era was the result of what Mícheál Hayes and his colleagues started away back in 1961.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis
Funeral Details: Reposing in Gleasures Funeral Home, Tralee this Friday (July 15th) from 4pm to 5.30pm. Requiem mass on Saturday at 11am at Our Lady & St. Brendan’s Church, Tralee, followed by interment in Rath Cemetery, Tralee.
Click on lick below to hear Michéal’s interview on the occasion of Austin Stacks Centenary Year: