TYRONE Gaels are in mourning following the passing of local GAA stalwart John Mulgrew.
John’s contribution to business, church, community, family, the GAA and his parish over the years were simply immense, though usually discreet and low-key, and were always delivered with style, belief, commitment, good grace, integrity, wisdom and total effectiveness.
John, whose son Séamus was a member of the Red Hands’ 2003 All-Ireland breakthrough side, was central to the well-being of Tyrone GAA for many decades, but always in a behind-the-scenes capacity. For many years, he drove players to matches, videoed games when that technology was in its infancy and personally paid many Tyrone team and other bills.
He was a founder member and, right until his passing, a core committee member of Tyrone GAA’s very successful Millennium/Club Tyrone initiatives, with the amount raised since 1995 now approaching £6million.
From 2008, John was a member of the initial planning committee and, subsequently, the management group for Tyrone’s £7.5million Garvaghey Centre, which was completed to plan, on time and on budget and which has been held to budget consistently in the six years since it opened. He was a founder trustee of the Cormac Trust and a major influence in many other charitable fundraising initiatives.
Aside from the GAA, John was also a key figure in the £5million refurbishment of St Patrick’s Chapel, Dungannon and many other parish and diocesan initiatives. A life-long Pioneer and annual pilgrim to Lourdes, he was also active in a number of Dungannon and wider east Tyrone community development and regeneration initiatives.
John was the founder and developer of a series of very successful businesses across a number of sectors in Tyrone and Armagh and was a quiet but priceless advisor and mentor to many business groups, communities and individuals.
The deepest sympathy of Gaelic Tyrone goes to his family, his many, many friends and the wider Dungannon and Donaghmore communities in particular.
'Luímse le Dia agus luífidh Dia liom, Éireoidh mé le Dia agus éireoidh Dia liom: I lie with God and God will lie with me, I will rise with God and God will rise with me.'
