GAA world mourns sad death of a true gentle giant and former Longford hurling manager

Devastating news emerged from Tullamore on Sunday evening with the premature death of Alo Lawlor.

In his early 60s, Alo was a lifelong Tullamore GAA stalwart. A large than life character, he possessed a tremendous force of personality and was one of his town's most recognisable and loved individuals.

His loss will of course be most painfully felt by his beloved family and close circle of friends and it will be mourned with great sadness by the many people who were his friend and knew him more casually.

He was particularly well known in GAA circles. A former vice chairman of Tullamore GAA Club, he was a committee member and club worker for years. He immersed himself in club life, coached teams, sold tickets and got his hands dirty with the more mundane tasks that are crucial to any organisation functioning.

He enjoyed football and played the game but hurling was his sporting love, his truest passion. He was a very important player in the 1980s and 1990s. He was a key figure during a very important era for Tullamore hurling as they returned to senior ranks after a long absence.

Alo was a superbly effective full forward as Tullamore won the Intermediate and Senior “B” Hurling Championship in 1989 and 1990. He was a physically imposing player during his playing career – tall, well built and ferociously strong, he used those attributes in a very positive rather than a negative sense. He had the size and strength to hurt players on the field but he played the game as it should be and was in no way a dirty player. He didn't suffer fools gladly on the field, he had a huge will to win and when the ball was in his vicinity, he did not spare the timber but he was well able to hurl.

With a recent All-Ireland senior hurling medal winner, Pat Cleary – the Shinrone man had transferred into the club after becoming a garda in Tullamore - from 1985 beside him on that 1989-1990 team, Lawlor's ability to win all sorts of ball, make space and get by opponents created a lot of chances for the scoring forwards. He also knew how to hurl and got his share of important scores, points and goals.

Alo played senior for a few years before going back a grade and then retiring. He also played junior or intermediate football for Tullamore and brought similar ball winning and distribution traits to the big ball game.

Retirement was the start of the next chapter of his GAA life. He became a very good and much sought after manager, coach and trainer of teams. Tullamore GAA Club was where his heart lay and he gave decades of service here. He was very much what is termed in Tullamore as a “True Blue” but he was also a terrific county man and knew that Tullamore were just part of a much bigger picture.

He was a selector alongside Kevin Martin when Tullamore got a sensational win in the Senior Hurling Championship in 2009, and went to the final the following year where Coolderry beat them – they also lost to Ballyhale Shamrocks in the 2009 Leinster club final. He trained several underage teams in the club, was regularly a selector on the senior or other teams and for a couple of decades, almost every young hurler in Tullamore benefitted from his wisdom and guidance.

He was a great point of contact for any new manager coming in. He fully understood the politics of Tullamore GAA Club; and also where the balance lay between their main game of football, the importance of hurling to so many in this and how to manage all this – there were occasional stand-offs between managers over players during his time involved.

He had a great influence on management teams. He was a straight, no nonsense talker who could lay it on the line and did not shy away from the big hard calls but also possessed the ability to do it in an inoffensive and humane way.

He managed and trained several teams outside of Tullamore boundaries. He managed Longford hurlers and he guided several club teams in Offaly and the midlands. He led Shamrocks to an Intermediate Hurling Championship in 2014 and built up a lasting rapport and affection with that club. He brought Clonaslee to a Laois final where they lost and he loved training teams.

He was the classic gentle giant, exuding decency. He had a word for everyone, was friendly and easy to talk to. He was sociable and fun but was also very serious when it came to hurling and winning.

He worked in Burlington for years and was a builder then. One of Tullamore's favourite sons, news that he had encountered serious health problems some months ago and of his passing on Sunday was greeted with great sadness by all who knew him and admired him, especially his family and close friends. 

Alo lived at Ballydaly just outside, Tullamore. Pre deceased by his mother Phyllis, sister Rosemary and grandson Ronnie, Alo will be sadly missed by his loving wife Antoinette and family Philip, Alan, Jennifer, Damien and Stephen, daughters in law, son in law, his 14 grandchildren, father Charlie, brothers, sisters, brothers in law, sisters in law, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and many friends.

Reposing at his home (R35 YT99) on Tuesday from 2pm until Rosary at 7pm. Removal on Wednesday morning at 9.30am to the Church of the Assumption, Tullamore, arriving for Funeral Mass at 10am. Burial after Mass in Clonminch Cemetery, Tullamore.