By John ‘Curly’ McIlwaine

Pics by Seamus Loughran

They came from hurling strongholds throughout Ulster on Friday to bid farewell to the legend Sean McGuinness. Men who he had hurled with and against during a lifetime in the game came to pay their respects to a man who was steeped in the game of hurling.

They loved him in his home club Sarsfields, his home county Antrim and in County Down where he did so much for the game during the early nineties, leading them to Ulster titles in 1992 and 1995. The men from the Ards were there in great numbers to see him on his final journey.

Sean McGuinness started the hurling revival in Antrim in the mid1980s and he gave the first indication of what was possible when his team run the mighty Cork  to five points in the 1986 All Ireland semi-final, a Cork team who a few weeks later beat Galway in the final.  

Two years earlier the Rebels had beaten Antrim in the quarter final in Croke Park by 3-26 to 2-5 so most pundits were expecting something similar this time around, and suggested it was a waste of time playing the game. However Sean McGuinness had instilled a bit of self-belief in the Antrim side and on August 10th the Saffrons showed that they were on the up when the scored 1-24 against the Munster men, but unfortunately things weren’t so good at the other end where they conceded 7-11. When the Dublin journalists who had rubbished the idea of Antrim being competitive in the lead up to the game, came to the Croke Park dressing room after the game, they were given a short shift by Sean.  

Sean moved on after that and the reins were passed to another West Belfast legend Jim Nelson who famously carried on the great work, and led Antrim to the All Ireland final in 1989.

Sean took charge of Down and created a hurling revolution on the Ards winning Ulster titles in 1992 and ’95 during a magical spell in Ulster hurling.

During that period he managed Ulster as well and led them to Railway Cup finals in 1992, ’93 and ’95.

Sean later guided Derry side Lavey to an Ulster final in 1997 before finishing his management career with Down side Bredagh.

Most of all Sean was a Sarsfields man and was part of the backroom team when the Paddies famously made the breakthrough in 1974, beating the famous Loughgiel Shamrocks in the final at Corrigan Park. He led them back to the final the following year as manager when they lost out to Ballycastle in the final in Glenariffe.

Sean was worshipped within his own club and the Paddies turned out in force to say their farewell yesterday.

At his Requiem mass in St Michael the Archangel Church Parish Priest Fr Ciaran Feeney said that Sean was a “father figure” within his own club and also “for the many, many people gathered outside”.

“Sean has touched their lives in so many ways in his love for hurling through the whole of Ireland,” he said.

“Sean’s contribution to the family of the GAA throughout the whole of Ireland was immense.

“His larger than life personality, combined with his hurling knowledge, established Sean as nothing less than a true hurling legend.

“Sean was one of the great fathers of GAA in recent generations.

“He had a gift, that special ability, to build relationships, and his legendary status was cemented by players, mentors and supporters alike”.

The parish priest said Mr McGuinness had also been a “person of great faith” adding that “nothing took priority” over his children and grandchildren.

To his wife Eileen, his children Eileen, Colm, Orla, Sean Og, Clare Rose, Niall, Aisling and Emer and the wider McGuinness family we offer our sincere condolences.

The bright light of heaven to you Seanie boy!