Pierce Higgins

Pierce Higgins (1977 – 20 January 2023) was an Irish hurler. At club level he played with Ballyhaunis and was also a member of the Mayo senior hurling team.

Pierce Higgins

Personal information
Irish name	Piaras Ó hUiginn
Sport	Hurling
Position	Full-forward
Born	1977 Ballyhaunis, County Mayo, Ireland
Died	20 January 2023 (aged 45) Ballyhaunis, County Mayo, Ireland
Occupation	Cabinet maker
Club(s)
Years	Club
1994–1996 1997–2016	Tooreen Ballyhaunis
Club titles
Mayo titles	14
Inter-county(ies)
Years	County
1997–2010	Mayo
Inter-county titles
All-Irelands	0
NHL	3
All Stars	0

Career

Higgins first played hurling with the Tooreen club and won consecutive Mayo SHC titles in 1994 and 1995. He was later a founder-member of the Ballyhaunis club in 1997 and spent 20 seasons with the club's senior team.^[1] Higgins won a further 12 Mayo SHC titles between 2002 and 2016. He was joint-manager of the Ballyhaunis team that won the Mayo SHC title in 2020.^[2]

At inter-county level, Higgins first appeared for Mayo as a member of the minor team that won All-Ireland MCHC titles in 1994 and 1995. He later had a 14-year association with the senior team and was part of the panel that won the All-Ireland JHC title in 2003.^[3] Higgins also won several National League medals in Division 3 and Division 4.^[4]

Personal life and death

His brother, Keith Higgins, is a six-time All-Ireland SFC runner-up with the Mayo senior football team.^[5] Higgins was diagnosed with motor neuron disease in 2017.^[6]

Higgins died on 20 January 2023, at the age of 45.^[7]

Honours

Player

Tooreen

• Mayo Senior Hurling Championship: 1994, 1995

Ballyhaunis

• Mayo Senior Hurling Championship: 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2020

Mayo

• All-Ireland Junior Hurling Championship: 2003
• Connacht Junior Hurling Championship: 2003, 2004
• National Hurling League Division 3: 1998, 2003
• National Hurling League Division 4: 2002
• All-Ireland Minor C Hurling Championship: 1994, 1995

Manager

Ballyhaunis

• Mayo Senior Hurling Championship: 2020

References

1. "Mayo in mourning for former GAA star". The Western People. 20 January 2023. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
2. "Keith Higgins stars as Ballyhaunis bounce back to claim Mayo hurling title". RTÉ Sport. 12 September 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
3. "Keith Higgins: 'He's the person I always went to. I nearly feel guilty now that I can't do anything to help'". Irish Examiner. 25 February 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
4. "Mayo GAA in mourning at passing of former county hurler Pierce Higgins". Irish Independent. 20 January 2023. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
5. "A defensive star for 16 seasons, was Higgins the best Mayo produced in modern era?". The 42. 24 January 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
6. "Hurling For Hope". RTÉ Radio 1 website. 20 March 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
7. "The late Pierce Higgins was 'an inspiration to all'". Hogan Stand. 20 January 2023. Retrieved 21 January 2023.