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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Vincent Whelan

GPA lead tributes to Red Og Murphy after Sligo GAA star's tragic passing

The GPA has led tributes to Red Og Murphy after the Sligo GAA star's tragic death at the age of just 21.

His local community of Curry in south Sligo has been plunged into mourning at his sudden loss and this sense of devastation is shared across the GAA family nationwide.

Countless tributes have already been paid to the star forward, with a Gaelic Players Association statement among them.

It reads: "We remember Red Óg Murphy, a young man gone far too early.

"To his family, loved ones, friends and teammates; our hearts are broken for you. Players across Ireland have lost one of their own. May he rest in peace."

Murphy was studying primary school teaching at DCU in Dublin and starred for their football team having been named in the Sigerson Team of the Year just last month.

In addition to this, he had also previously represented his county at senior level.

Sligo county councillor Martin Connolly, who was also his neighbour, told the Irish Mirror that the local community is "devastated" and "speechless" at the news of Red Og's tragic death and is rallying around to support his family.

"The community is devastated here," he said. "The parish of Curry in Sligo, the parish that he played for, the community is absolutely devastated.

"Speechless is the word I'd put on it. People are walking around in a daze, they don't know what has happened.

"Our sympathies is all we can do, to give our sympathies to his dad and mum, Geraldine and Redmond, and his two brothers.

"The community is rallying around here big time. There are ten or 15 people in the community centre, cleaning it and getting it ready for the events that'll happen in the next couple of days."

Mr Connolly added: "He was a highly respected young fellow in this parish. The world was thought of him.

"Young boys and girls in the area here in Moylough National School, where he went to school, they really looked up to that lad.

"Everybody is so shocked and saddened for the family and for the community. This is a great community here, the family will be looked after."

Red Og also played Australian Rules for North Melbourne over an eight-month stint in 2019 before he returned home later that year.

He is a former pupil of St Attracta’s Community School in Tubbercurry where he completed the Leaving Cert.

Funeral arrangements have not yet been released.

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