Tribute paid following death of Mayo sports legend

CASTLEBAR'S Tommy Ainsworth, who has died, gave a lifetime of service to sport.

He was a former player and president of Castlebar Mitchels GAA Club and was well-known and much loved and respected in GAA circles across the county and beyond.

Tommy also had a grá for golf, a sport he was equally proficient at, and he enjoyed many happy hours on the course at Castlebar Golf Cub.

Castlebar Mitchels has paid the following tribute following his death, in his 93rd year: 'Tommy had a lifelong love of the Mitchels and was a former player and club president.

'As a teenager, he spent many hours in MacHale Park, a place he loved, honing and developing his football skills.The practice paid off and he was part of the great five in a row team who won the Senior Championship in 1950 to 1954. He also won Senior Championship medals in 1956 and 1959.

'Tommy also won an All-Ireland Junior medal with Mayo in 1957, playing alongside the legendary Josie Munnelly. In addition, he won All-Ireland Post Office Championships with Castlebar Post Office Engineering Branch.

'When he retired from senior football, he turned his attention to those players on the fringes of the senior team. He established a junior team, which became known as the Ainsworth Babes, and they won the West Mayo Junior Championship in 1961. This was the first time the Mitchels won the Cusack Cup and was regarded as a major footballing achievement at the time.

'They were known as the Ainsworth Babes because a significant number of the players on that team were young footballers who hadn't yet made the senior team.

'Tommy followed the Mitchels through thick and thin throughout his life and he was immensely proud of the club and its achievements.

'Tommy was also a proficient golfer who won the Captain's Prize in Castlebar Golf Club. He was instrumental, along with the late Joe Langan, in setting up the Phyxers Golf Society, which caters for high handicap golfers. The society flourishes to this day.

'Tommy is predeceased by his wife Una. The club extends sincere condolences to Tommy's sons, Rory and Tomas, and his daughters Marie and Deirdre.'

Tommy, of Spencer Park, Castlebar, died peacefully in his 93rd year, in the care of the staff in Moate Nursing Home, Co. Westmeath.

He was predeceased by his wife Una and parents Henry and Bea.

He will be sadly missed by his daughters Marie (Flynn) and Deirdre (O’Driscoll, Athlone), sons Tómas (Dubin) and Rory (Rhode-Island), his adored grandchildren Cillian, Niamh, Heather, Meadhbh, Eimear, Conor, Tommie, Aubrey, Fiona and great-grandson Jack, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, nephew, nieces, relatives, neighbours and friends, to whom sympathy is extended.

Tommy will repose in Coady’s Funeral Home, Castlebar, on Sunday from 5.30 to 7 p.m. Removal from Coady’s Funeral Home on Monday morning at 10.30 a.m (via Main Street and Spencer Park) for Requiem Mass at 11.30 a.m in the Church of the Holy Rosary, Castlebar. He will be laid to rest afterwards in Castlebar New Cemetery.

May his gentle soul rest in peace.