It is with great sadness that the club have to announce the passing of ex Manortown chairman Tommy Kiernan.

Tommy was a founding member of the club in 1969 and took over the chairman’s role in the late 70’s right through to the early 90’s. Tommy attended the Manortown 50th anniversary in the Red Cow two years ago and was presented with an award for his dedication and commitment to the club over many years. Tommy cut his holiday in Scotland short to be there on the night.

He left Manortown to join the Leinster Senior League where he served as treasurer for over 20 years. During Tommy’s time in the LSL the main sponsors of the league were the EBS. The EBS was where Tommy spent most of his working life. Thanks to Tommy, the EBS were also the sponsors of the very popular Manortown senior 7-a-side competition which was a huge event every summer for almost 20 years and raised much needed funds for the club.

So many Manortown players have been in touch to let us know that they were able to buy their first house thanks to Tommy, who arranged mortgages for them all. Some of them are still living in the same house for the last forty years.

Most people get involved helping out with football clubs because of their children playing on a team. That was not the case with Tommy. Tommy had three daughters and there were no girl’s teams in the club at the time. Tommy just had a raw passion for the game and loved helping out with different teams and different age groups. He was involved with Paddy Brennan for years as they brought a team right through their schoolboy years into Senior football. He then got involved with Brian Smith’s senior team who won so many trophies in the eighties and nineties.

Tommy was loved by players and committees alike because of his gentle nature. He was the first one to put his arm around you after a bad defeat. If you had a problem in the club the first person you would go to was Tommy because you knew he would sort it out for you. A very fair, honest, softly spoken gentleman.

There is a photo on page two of our 50th anniversary program titled “the founding fathers”. (Tommy is 5 from the right, standing). There are 25 men in the photo. The original committee. Tommy was the last survivor of that committee. So, it is indeed the end of an era but the new Manortown lives on bigger and better than ever thanks to the years of endeavor put in by Tommy and his peers to whom we are eternally grateful.

Tommy had only one flaw. He was a loyal supporter of Manchester United. He was a regular visitor to Old Trafford. None of us are perfect. He was also a big fan of the Irish football team. During the days of Jack Charlton, tickets for the matches were like gold dust. Because of his position in the LSL Tommy had access to tickets and had a regular order of about 50 tickets for each Ireland game which he gave to the Manortown players, who were genuine supporters.

Thanks again Tommy for all the great memories you have left behind. Your spirit in the club will live on forever.

We send our deepest condolences to Tommy’s three Daughters, Aveen, Eimear and Orna, his eight grandchildren and his extended family. May he Rest in Peace.

Funeral mass is on Friday July 30th, in the Holy Spirit church in Greenhills at 11-30. You can view the service via webcam. You will find the link on rip.ie. The family have requested a small private funeral in line with covid restrictions. His family have also asked that over the coming days everyone who knew Tommy would take some time to remember the good times we shared and raise a glass in his memory.