Tom, legend of GAA officialdom, enters Hall of Fame

Mention the name Tom Boylan to any member of the GAA fraternity in Cavan and indeed in any of the 32 counties and his virtues will be extolled far and wide. Tom was the Treasurer of Cavan County Board for 28 years from 1980 to 2008 and was one of the longest serving in the country in that distinguished role for his county.

From the townland of Coratubber, Castletara, the affable Tom - who was a familiar figure behind the counter of his shop at the corner of Bridge St and College St in Cavan Town - has many fond memories of his times as an officer of Cavan County Board.
When Tom began in the role, it was a different era, with less mass media. There was, of course, no Facebook or Twitter so Tom’s shop was the place to be on Monday mornings after big games featuring Cavan – journalists, former players and ardent supporters all would gather to get the morning papers to read about the game. Prior to reading the papers in their cars or at home, they would beat the truth out of how Cavan won or lost.
“The analysis regularly got quite animated and customers coming in to get a few items had to tread wearily – there were so many balls being kicked, there was danger they could have been hit with one them,” quipped Tom with a smile.
There were regulars like the Sports Editor of The Anglo-Celt, Eamonn Gaffney (who also, like Tom, stepped down from his position in 2008), Peter Brady, Micheál Greenan and Brendan Keaney.
He also recalls the Saturday evening before the Ulster Final in 1997, when Cavan were about to face Derry in Clones in the first of the all-ticket games.
When Tom came into his shop that evening there were scores of people both inside and outside looking for tickets (remember, Tom Boylan’s shop was effectively the ticket dispatch centre in those years. The Treasurer was the person tasked with distributing the tickets and they all knew where to locate Tom Boylan, night or day.)
While most people were facilitated with tickets, some people were disappointed that evening and some could not understand why tickets were required anyway for the first time.
Even before he was involved in the county board, Tom always had a great love of the GAA and was also Chairman of the Ballyhaise Club.
“When I stepped down from the role, the late Packie Newman and Tommy Gilroy approached me and said, I have a job for you – that is Treasurer of Cavan County Board and you have to go for it. I did and the rest is history,” said Tom.
There was plenty of work involved in the role of Treasurer; he quickly found himself in charge of gates at grounds all over the county.
“It was responsible work but I enjoyed it and met lot of interesting people along the way. I also got great help from all the other Officers – it was all about teamwork,” he said modestly.
During his time in the role, the stand was extended in Breffni Park and the new Prunty pitch was laid and the terraces were upgraded and additional ground was purchased at the rear, where the 3G pitch and training ground is now located.
Some of the players that used to pop into Tom Boylan’s shop over the years included Ray Carolan, Charlie Gallagher, Enda McGowan, Steve Duggan, Gabriel Kelly, Tom Lynch, Paddy Lyons and Hughie Newman, Ulster medallists all and household names to boot.
Tom says it is nice to be recognised for all his hard work over those years.
He would advise young people to get actively involved in their Club and take up otherroles and he is delighted to see a lot more women involved and even taking over the role of Chairperson in a number of clubs in this region. That’s just one example of the way in which the GAA, the largest amateur sporting body in the world, continues to make progress.
Tom notes that the facilities at the grounds are very good with fine dressing rooms. He fondly recalls going down to Breffni Park and during the times when the green galvanise nissan huts were being used as dressing rooms.
There was a small wooden green press box and many a time storied GAA correspondents for the national press and broadcaster Paddy Downey, Padraig Purcell and Michael O’Hehir climbed up into that box over the years.
“A great friend of mine during all those years was the late Phil Brady from Arva – he was Chairman of the County Board and we became great friends – we travelled to games all over the country and to Annual Congress,” said Tom, who also attended Congress in London on one occasion. The late Phil sadly passed away late in 2016. 
He always enjoyed going to games in St Tiernach’s Park in Clones and maintains it was always a good venue for an Ulster final. That said, he loves the atmosphere in Breffni Park, too.
Tom used to always order in the essential GAA person’s diary from Croke Park each Christmas containing all the fixtures and contacts for the year.
And, of course, there are the friendships made. Tom says if he was going on holidays to any county in the morning, there are GAA people he could contact to let them know he would be in their neck of the woods and still meet up for a chat and recount fond memories.
This is also the end of an era for Tom Boylan as he is about to step down from business after 35 years behind the counter. He purchased the shop on the corner from Peter McDonnell in November of 1981 and will soon step away.
“I have had happy years in this shop and I wish the new owners the best of luck,” he smiled.
Tom says he will now relax and look forward to doing a bit of travel together with his wife Phyllis. Their daughter Melissa is currently in Abu Dhabi teaching and is returning home soon.
But Tom will still be going to all the Cavan games – he wouldn’t have it any other way. 
“I very seldom miss a game. Where I live now, when I get up in the mornings, I am looking down on Breffni Park,” he said.
The ultimate dream come through for Tom would be to see Cavan winning another Ulster title and progressing to an All Ireland victory. On that score, we live in hope but with men like Tom Boylan still displaying the passion he always did for the game, we always have a chance...

HALL OF FAME AWARD FOR TOM

There are many great men and women throughout Ireland who have given dedicated service to the GAA over the years and when it came to picking a person to be honoured with the Hall of Fame accolade at this year’s Anglo-Celt Sports Awards (in association with the Cavan Crystal Hotel), the name of one man sailed to the surface immediately.
Tom was a most popular and efficient treasurer of Cavan county board for almost three decades and is a very worthy recipient of the honour.
In 2015, legendary soccer coach Gene Cullivan became our first inductee to the Hall of Fame. Last year, former Cavan great Jim McDonnell - one of the greatest to wear the famous blue jersey - was the recipient so Tom Boylan is in illustrious company!
Tom continues to be a great friend of Cavan football and the personable, soon-to-be retired shopkeeper retains a great enthusiasm for the game.
The third annual Anglo-Celt Sports Awards take place in the Cavan Crystal Hotel on Friday, February 3. Tickets are available from the hotel. Category winners to be revealed on the night include the Overall Sports Star of the Year, Young Sports Star, Team of the Year and PRO of the Year.

For more information, see
www.anglocelt.ie.