Vince was the heart and soul of Stack Park
VINCENT Linnane, who passed away suddenly on Tuesday of last week, was the very popular groundsman in Austin Stack Park since 1989 and, of course, was even better known as the Kit-man for the Kerry senior football team.
Vince started off as kit-man for the Kerry minor hurlers in the early 1990s, then moved to the minor footballers in 1993, and his brief very soon expanded to include the Under 21 and Senior footballers – and he has been guardian of the green and gold jerseys ever since.
Senior manager Eamonn Fitmaurice, paying him tribute, probably summed up his contribution to Kerry GAA when he said: “He was a huge part of our setup. He has been an incredible servant to Kerry both in his role as caretaker of Austin Stack Park and as our kitman. He took ferocious pride in his work and always wanted to make sure the players were happy and wanted for nothing. His attention to detail was incredible. He was the heart and soul of Austin Stack Park and loved working there”.
As late as last Sunday week Vince was seen overjoyed in Croke Park after Kerry had defeated Dublin – in a way it was a very fitting send-off indeed.
The esteem in which he was held was manifested in the huge number of players and administrators and GAA people from all over Kerry who turned up in Ballyduff on Friday evening for his removal and again on Saturday morning for his funeral service after which the cortège was fittingly led out through the village of Ballyduff by the Kerry GAA gear van.
On behalf of all the Gaels of Kerry and beyond I send our deepest sympathy to Vince’s wife Noreen, and his large extended family.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.