Longford GAA club pays tribute to former captain

Former Fr Manning Gaels captain Bernard (Berney) Gill passed away in London.

Longford GAA club, Fr Manning Gaels, has paid tribute to their former captain, Berney Gill, following his passing in London.

The late Berney Gill (team captain) following the 1974 junior championship win. He is pictured here with Johnny Cooney and Pat Crowe. | Fr Manning Gaels captain

In a post shared on their social media, the club said it was "greatly saddened" to learn of Berney’s death and remembered him as an "an exceptionally talented footballer."

Berney captained the breakthrough Fr Manning Gaels team of 1974, which famously completed "the treble" by winning the Junior League, Intermediate League and Junior Championship.

The late Berney Gill playing for Fr Manning Gaels | Fr Manning Gaels

The previous year, he captained the amalgamated Fr Manning Gaels and Mullinalaghta side to Intermediate Championship success.

Paying tribute to the sportsman, the club wrote, “He was an exceptionally talented footballer, whose superb judgement regularly saw him outfield men much taller than himself.”

Fr Manning Gaels extended its deepest sympathies to Berney’s family and friends, concluding its tribute with the words, "Solas na bhFlaitheas air” ("The Light of Heaven on him")

READ: Longford's Fr Manning Gaels pays tribute to late club great, Peter Duignan