Colm McGurk

Colm McGurk (Irish: Colm Mac Oirc; 1967 – 12 July 2022) was a dual player of Gaelic games, i.e. hurling and Gaelic football, who played both sports for the Lavey club, as well as for both Derry senior teams. McGurk also served as a coach and manager at various levels.

Colm McGurk

Personal information
Irish name	Colm Mac Oirc
Sport	Dual player
Football Position:	Right wing-back
Hurling Position:	Right wing-back
Born	1966 (1966) Lavey, Northern Ireland
Died	(2022-07-12)12 July 2022 (aged 55) Magherafelt, Northern Ireland
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Nickname	Collie
Occupation	Architect
Club(s)
Years	Club
	Lavey
Club titles
	Football	Hurling
Derry titles	4	13
Ulster titles	2	0
All-Ireland titles	1	0
Colleges(s)
Years	College
1985–1991	Queen's University Belfast
College titles
Sigerson titles	1
Fitzgibbon titles	0
Inter-county(ies)
Years	County
1987–2000 1990–1996	Derry (SH) Derry (SF)
Inter-county titles
	Football	Hurling
Ulster Titles	1	1
All-Ireland Titles	1	1 (B)
League titles	3	0

Playing career

One of 13 children, McGurk first played Gaelic football and hurling at juvenile and underage levels with Lavey.^[1] He won consecutive MacRory Cup titles lining out as a schoolboy with St Patrick's College, Maghera before winning a Sigerson Cup title as a student at Queen's University Belfast. McGurk progressed onto the Lavey senior teams in both codes and was corner-forward on the team that won the All-Ireland SCFC title in 1991.^[2] His lengthy club career also yielded 16 titles at county level across both codes. At inter-county level, McGurk followed his brothers, Hugh Martin, Anthony and Johnny, onto the Derry team and won Ulster U21 titles in both codes in 1986 before spending much of his senior career as a dual player. He was a member of the extended panel when Derry beat Cork in the 1993 All-Ireland SFC final.^[3] His other inter-county honours include three National Football League titles and Ulster Championship titles in both codes.

Management career

In retirement from playing, McGurk filled a number of coaching and management roles at club and inter-county levels.^[4] He was manager of the Derry senior hurling team for two years and guided them to the 2017 Nicky Rackard Cup title.^[5]

Death

McGurk died on 12 July 2022, aged 55.^[6]

Honours

Player

St Patrick's College

• MacRory Cup: 1984, 1985

Queen's University Belfast

• Sigerson Cup: 1990

Lavey

• All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship: 1991
• Ulster Senior Club Football Championship: 1990, 1992
• Derry Senior Football Championship: 1988, 1990, 1992, 1993
• Derry Senior Hurling Championship: 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002

Derry

• All-Ireland Senior Football Championship: 1993
• Ulster Senior Football Championship: 1993
• Ulster Senior Hurling Championship: 2000
• National Hurling League Division 2: 2000
• National Football League Division 1: 1991–92, 1994–95, 1995–96
• Ulster Under-21 Football Championship: 1986
• Ulster Under-21 Hurling Championship: 1986

Manager

Derry

• Nicky Rackard Cup: 2017
• Ulster Under-21 Hurling Championship: 2017

References

1. "Johnny McGurk still chastened by a decade lost to gambling addiction". Irish Times. 16 February 2022. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
2. "McGurk steps down from Derry Senior hurling role". Derry Journal. 1 October 2018. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
3. "Colm 'Collie' McGurk: Séamus Downey remembers a friend and team-mate". Irish News. 13 July 2022. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
4. "Collie McGurk set to be appointed as Derry's new hurling manager". Irish News. 15 November 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
5. "Collie McGurk: 'I'm delighted with how we performed'". GAA website. 10 June 2017. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
6. "Colm McGurk: All-Ireland winner remembered for 'unbreakable spirit and legacy' following Derry man's death". Belfast Telegraph. 12 July 2022. Retrieved 13 July 2022.