Gerry Blackburn RIP

Words from Tommy Keogh. Sad to report the passing of Gerry Blackburn , (1938-2021) formerly of Station Road , Clondalkin , Dublin , a former player of the local Round Towers GAA  Club. Clondalkin , Dublin.

Gerry passed away in Essex , England  early August.

Gerry attended Mount St. Joseph school on Monastery Road and while growing up in Clondalkin as a teenager , Gerry was  very popular among his many friends and he  was known  locally as “Footloose” to them. He played juvenile football in the regional South  County Dublin Football League during the fifties winning league  medals at Under 14, Under 16 and minor U18 grades. Sadly Gerry’s decision to emigrate to England while in his early twenties cut short his adult  football career and also deprived the Club of the services of an outstanding Senior player with such huge potential .

It would be remiss of me if I did not acknowledge the huge involvement of the Blackburn family in its contribution to the  progress of the Round Tower Club for over 70 years , From the very  early days of the Club, which was  founded in 1884 and is among one of  the oldest club in the history of the GAA  founded in 1884 also,  Gerry’s father Patrick served  on the Club  committee  for several years ,while on the playing fields Patrick won selection to the Dublin Junior team of  1912 while club honours came his way in winning the Evening Post Cup in 1914 and the Junior Championship in 1917.Gerry’s eldest brother John continued on the work of his father in both serving  on the Club committee and playing for the club during the fifties while in1950 Gerry’s other brother Patsy featured on the Dublin Minor team  of 1950 and was part of the club’s double success in winning  both Intermediate League and Championship in 1951 and 1952 and thus achieving promotion to Senior Status for the Club. Sadly also Gerry;s only sister Dorrie O’Callaghan (Blackburn)  5 St Johns Park  passed away recently also.  Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam

By mcglynnmichael Mon 23rd Aug