John Gildea RIP
I was deeply upset to hear of the death of John Gildea of St Finbarrs Hurling and Football Club last week.
I first met John in 1995 when I was coach to the Cork City under-16 football team. John was one of several players on the panel from the St Finbarrs Club. We ended up sitting together while travelling on a bus one day. I remember asking him where he went to school. He replied that he went to CBC. I asked him if he played rugby. He said that he did not but would love to represent his school at his favourite sport of Gaelic Football.
John’s chance to do this came when the Lord Mayor’s Cup was inaugurated the following year. He got to play Gaelic Football for Christians and he won a Lord Mayor’s Cup medal.
To the best of my knowledge the Cork under-16 team of 1995 was the only time that John got to represent Cork on the playing field. In every other walk of life he represented himself, his family, his club St Finbarrs and GAA like the thorough gentleman that he was.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dilís.
Stumbled across this when I searched for John’s name – I played midfield with him on the Lord Mayor’s cup team. A great GAA man, a hard player and a fine person – was hard to believe the news of his passing. Can resonate on the above article on him – may he rest in peace.