Lavey GAA club have led the tributes after the death of double All-Ireland winning hero Colm McGurk.
One of 13 children in a famous Derry sporting family, McGurk was an All-Ireland winner with club and county as part of a glorious era for Derry football in the early 1990s.
Oak Leaf club Lavey landed the biggest prize in club football in 1991 with McGurk at corner forward as the Derry men overcame Salthill in the All-Ireland final.
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Under manager Eamonn Coleman, he was part of Derry’s All-Ireland senior winning squad of 1993.
Holder of four senior football and 12 senior hurling medals, he was a Sigerson Cup winner with Queen's University.
He managed Derry hurlers to the Nickey Rackard Cup and Ulster under-21 titles in 2017. He was the current Lavey minor hurling manager.
He was also a highly respected architect and was chief designer of the Owenbeg Derry GAA complex opened in 2013. His work for the Lavey club was immeasurable.
"Erin's Own Lavey are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Colm McGurk. The thoughts and prayers of our entire community are with his wife, Sinéad, daughters Orla, Aoife and Méabh, his son John, and the entire McGurk family," the club posted on social media.
"The words 'Collie has passed' has spread across our community today.
"Despite being an All-Ireland winner with club and county, Collie McGurk represents something greater than sport and Gaelic games. With his insatiable spirit, energy and lust for life, Collie McGurk was not made for defeat in any walk of life.
"No challenge, big or small, ever went unmet and his focus was always on the next challenge, the next task. On tomorrow.
"Having managed Derry senior hurlers, Collie was currently guiding a group of young Lavey minor hurlers on a path he had journeyed, playing a game he had so much passion for.
"Director of an award-winning firm of architects, Collie McGurk literally transformed the modern landscape of our club, our community and many similar communities throughout Ulster and Ireland.
"No words will ever do justice to the life and memory of Colm McGurk, but we must try. A brave, generous, determined, talented, kind, altruistic, inspirational and loving man with an irresistible life force has left us. His unbreakable spirit and legacy of service to his family, community and county will endure."
McGurk soldiered on playing with Lavey past his 40th birthday when a back injury left him in a cast from waist to armpits for three months.
In 1991 Lavey beat Salthill-Knocknacarra in the All-Ireland club final with his brothers Ciaran, Johnny, and Hugh Martin beside him on the field and Paddy, Seamus and Anthony on the bench.
A host of players who played under him and alongside him also paid their tributes.
“Very sad news sorry to hear bout Collie’s passing was a gentleman in every way! Condolences to Collies family an the McGurk family may he rest in peace," said Geoffrey McGonagle.
Another former Derry dual star Liam Og Hinphey wrote: “Brilliant words for a legend of a man. Condolences to his family & all in Lavey. RIP Collie.”
Lavey chairman Paddy Chivers said: “Pound for pound he was probably the bravest Lavey man of all time."
Derry chairman John Keenan stated: "Colm was small in stature but a giant of Derry GAA. His ambition for his club and county matched his energy and drive to improve and develop our community and its people.
"Colm McGurk's influence can be found on the blueprints of many areas of the GAA in Derry and Ulster.
"An All-Ireland winner with Derry in 1993 and an Ulster hurling winner in 2000, our former senior hurling manager, a competition sponsor and the chief architect on the Owenbeg complex opened in 2013, Colm had been working with Derry GAA in recent months on plans to further progress our facilities at Owenbeg for player development.
"Colm McGurk brought energy and passion to everything that he did. He was terrific company and will be very sadly missed.
"On behalf of Derry GAA, I want to offer our deepest sympathies to Sinead and the family of Colm McGurk, as well as to the wider community of Erin's Own Lavey."
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