Paddy Byrne, chairman of the Cork Youths League and treasurer of the Cork AUL, who passed away overnight, after bravely battling illness for the past few years, will be a huge loss to local football.
Aside from his obvious administrative skills, Dubliner Paddy was well known for his courtesy to one and all. In some ways he was a politician, of the best kind, seeing what was possible and bringing together people, who didn't always see eye to eye, to get the job done.
Paddy began playing football with Richmond Boys where one of his opponents was Johnny Giles, then catching the eye with Stella Maris.
Paddy went on to play senior league football with St Patrick's, Bluebell United, and Johnson Mooney and O'Brien. Indeed, he played centrehalf with the LSL representative side in a game versus the MSL.
Paddy moved to Cork in 1975. He only recently retired having worked with BSS for well over 30 years and was a keen golfer, being a member at the Killarney and Lee Valley clubs. He also enjoyed the odd swim.
He joined Ballincollig as soon as he moved to Cork, beginning 23 years as a member, and played a few years with them. He soon joined the committee as assistant treasurer before going on to become treasurer and eventually chairman (a position he held for 14 years, up to his joining the AUL in 2000).
Paddy went on to be treasurer of the AUL and has been a member of the Cork Youths League management committee, first as treasurer and most recently as chairman, since its foundation in 2005/06.
He will be missed, not least by wife Dymphna and his family, to whom we in football offer our sincere condolences.
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