On a day of heavy showers the rain stayed away, another big save from the legendary Tyrone goalkeeper as crowds gathered at O’Neill’s Healy Park for the dedication of the stand to the memory of the goalkeeping legend, Thady Turbett, who played with Tyrone from 1948 until 1964.
A legend among the gaels of Tyrone, Ulster and Ireland. The goalkeeper with the cap who won six Tyrone senior championship medals, two Ulster senior crowns including Tyrone’s first and went on to coach hundreds of young footballers to success while being a genuine dedicated family man.
On Saturday with his wife Teresa and the Turbett family, many of whom had travelled from all over Ireland and the UK, friends, former players and gaels from all over Ireland gathered for the historic occasion.
St Eugene’s Brass and Reed band, which Thady and the Turbett family have had a lifelong association added to the occasion with Fr Peter McCawille and Fr Brian O’Kane leading the religious aspect of the day.
The day started with an entertaining game between Omagh and Enniskillen Gaels Under 16s , the gaels featuring grandsons of Mick Brewster, Sean Young and Thady.
Club President Hugh Crawford was joined on the rostrum by Tyrone GAA President Cuthert Donnelly, the Ulster Council’s Garett Coyle, Thady’s son Thadeus Turbett and Omagh St Enda’s, chairman Declan McGirr.
All paid tribute to Thady, while his son Thaddeus spoke fondly, with humour and pathos at times about his late father, his footballing exploits, his family and strong religious beliefs, his many interests including painting and the families delight in the naming of the stand in his memory.
The event was organised by Conor Sally, Paddy McMahon senior, Hugh Crawford, Nicola Canavan, Paddy Hunter and the Turbett family. They worked with Niall Laird, Signal Signs, Patsy Kerlin and John Quinn to bring this plan together and the family paid tribute to them and the St Enda’s club for what Thaddeus described as an “unbelievable honour.”
The club produced a memorial booklet for the event and they will certainly become a treasured memory of the day.
