Killeagh and Cork hurler, Barry Walsh, was named at left wing-forward on the Electrick Ireland GAA Minor Hurling Team of the Year.
By John Harrington
The selection of Cork hurler Barry Walsh on the Electric Ireland GAA Minor Star Hurling Team of the Year was greeted with great pride by everyone in his club of Killeagh.
It’s an achievement that’s made all the more impressive by the fact that Walsh has had to overcome huge adversity this year off the pitch.
Back in April, the Walsh family home was destroyed in a fire, and because the house insurance policy had lapsed they were effectively left homeless.
Just over a week later, Barry’s father Brendan died tragically, leaving behind a wife and five children, and so an already dreadful situation became a totally heart-breaking one.
And along the way everyone has been inspired by youngest of the Walsh siblings, Barry, who despite dealing with such trauma off the pitch was hugely inspirational for the Cork minors on it as they reached the All-Ireland semi-final.
“We're thrilled for him,” says Killeagh GAA Chairperson, Gerard Scully. “He's a fantastic young fella. He's always down the field. That group that he's involved with and hangs around with, they're all very close, they're always hurling together and always spending time together and I think they support each other very well.
“It was fantastic that time to watch him in the Munster Final, the way he played against Clare. He had a fantastic game that night and it was so shortly after everything that went on.
“Just for him to be able to do that and go out and play just shows how strong-minded he is. We'd be looking up to him even though he's only 16 years of age. He's a great young fella and a credit to his family and he's a great credit to himself.
“When you see Barry doing what he did out on the field and how he's dealing with it and how he's able to keep going, it gives everyone a lift. He's a great young fella and he comes from a great family.
“The Cork minors did a fabulous job looking after him as well, both the management and the players. They were all around to support him and that didn't go unnoticed. How they handled the whole thing and supported him around the funeral was excellent and much appreciated.
“We knock the GAA from time to time, but how Cork dealt with it was very good as well.”
Barry Walsh of Cork in action against Aaron Niland of Galway during the Electric Ireland GAA Hurling All-Ireland Minor Championship Semi-Final match between Galway and Cork at FBD Semple Stadium in Thurles, Tipperary. Photo by Stephen Marken/Sportsfile
The Walsh family are hugely popular members of their community and the tragedy that has befallen them has led to a huge outpouring of love and support from their neighbours in Killeagh and much further afield.
“We're still reeling, to be honest,” says Scully. “It's still very raw. It's still very much to the forefront of everyone's minds, to be honest. But everyone has rowed in around it, it's not just the GAA and the Ladies Football and the Camogie, it's the whole community.
“The support has come from everywhere, not just Killeagh. It's been from East Cork, Cork, Munster, it's all over Ireland. The family have got huge support and we'd like to thank everyone for being there and helping the family. That doesn't go unnoticed, how much support the family have gotten from everyone.
“I'd like to acknowledge that because the support is coming in all the time. An awful lot of people have done an awful lot of fund-raising, our own vice-chairperson, Denis O’Sullivan, has done a lot of work co-ordinating a lot of it.
“The family are very appreciative of everything that has been done by everyone. It just goes to show how much good-will is out there when it's harnessed. The sporting community that we're all part of is very close, and if you ask they're there to help.”
