Veteran Offaly referee honoured for fifty years service

A VETERAN Offaly GAA referee was honoured for fifty years of service at half time of Sunday's Senior Hurling Championship final between Kilcormac-Killoughey and Shinrone.

Birr club man, Martin Walsh was given a special presentation by Offaly GAA chairman Tom Parlo in recognition of his contribution to refereeing in Offaly for almost 50 years.

A native of Kilcormac and a former PRO of Birr GAA Club, Walsh has been best known as a hurling referee but also has a great passion for football. He worked hard at keeping football going in a hurling driven Birr club for years, getting some of their superstar hurlers to play in the 1990s, and was the goalkeeper and captain when they won the Junior Football Championship in 1992 as well as managing their footballers for years.

Forty years ears ago on October 13th 1985 Martin refereed his first senior hurling final, when Kinnitty defeated Seir Kieran. Eleven years later, also on October 13th, Martin refereed his second senior decider, this time Seir Kieran accounted for St Rynagh’s to win back to back titles.

No doubt the prominence of Birr during the late 1990s and 2000s prevented Martin from adding to his list of Senior finals. In all Martin was the man in the middle for 7 Intermediate, 5 Junior A, 5 U21 and 4 Minor A Hurling finals, as well as numerous finals in all other grades of hurling.  

His officiating isn’t just confined to hurling, on the football front Martin refereed the Intermediate Football final in 2008, Junior B final in 2006 and eight Junior C Finals. While he was in charge of the whistle for a number of underage football finals. Martin has also give valuable service to our schools both at Cumann na mBunscoil and 2nd level during his refereeing career.  

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In his youth Martin was a playing member of Na Piarsaigh GAA club (now Kilcormac/Killoughey) and represented Offaly in both hurling and football at Minor level. At adult level he played both hurling and football for Birr. He captained the club to win a Junior football title, and won Junior titles at A, B & C level.