Proud Limerick and Bruff man who 'lived, breathed and bled hurling'

ONE couldn’t talk about Tom “Tommy” Raleigh without mentioning hurling in the same breath.

Tom lived, breathed, and bled hurling, and left it all on the pitch and sideline in both his playing and coaching days with the Bruff “Stars”.

On the pitch, Tom was a force; scoring and stopping goals and points for Brú na nDéise, as the team’s last man standing in the goalmouth, and in outfield forward positions.

Off the pitch too, the Crawford Street native had sparkling qualities; he was one of life’s gentlemen, decent, what one would want in a husband, a father, and a friend.

To his five children and eight grandchildren, Tom was someone they laughed with a lot, and looked up to with great pride, and to his wife, Joan, he was a soulmate, best friend and a rogue.

To Bruff GAA, Tom was a stalwart, playing for the club into his 50s; and to the many hurlers who played on his teams afterwards, he was, in their own words, a “mentor”, a “character”, and a “legend”.

Tom was born on December 5, 1944, to Jack Raleigh and Mary O’Donoghue, and he grew up a throw of a ball from the Bruff GAA pitch.

From the start, it seemed that hurling was written into Tom’s destiny. In fact, in April 1957, aged 13, Tom was an altar boy, helping to bless the local hurling pitch, during its official opening, in front of a crowd of 6,000 that watched Limerick battle Cork.

CANNOCKS

Tom and Joan’s love story, like many of Tom’s adventures on and off the field, started with a bit of mischief.

In 1967, Tom was working in Cannock’s department store, and in trying to avoid one of the managers, he lept over a cashier’s counter, and when he looked up he locked eyes with Joan, a customer from Clare who was working nearby.

And without missing a beat, Tom asked, “Are you going to the dance in Dromkeen Ballroom at the weekend?”

Only Tommy Raleigh could turn hiding from the boss into finding the love of his life.

His romance with Joan grew from behind the counter in Cannock’s and onto the dance floors of the ballrooms.

Tom followed Joan to London where they were engaged in 1969, returning to Limerick in 1970 for their wedding at Our Lady of the Rosary church, Ennis Road before hopping back across the pond for a few more years.

The first of their five children, Jennifer, was born in London; followed by Ger and Annemarie in Cork, and David and Katie, in Limerick.

FLIGHTS

In 1970, Tom was in such demand to play hurling for Bruff that the then local parish priest Fr John Ryan would organise him to be flown to Shannon Airport to have him tog out for his beloved “Stars”.

In 1977, Tom and Joan permanently returned to Bruff, after a spell in Ballincollig, Co Cork, and despite the harsh economic times, they both worked hard to provide for their family.

Tom was as versatile in his work life as he was on the hurling pitch. He managed shoe shops from London to Limerick City, as well as a clothes store in Kilmallock; he also drove delivery lorries across Munster and sold the first satellite television services in Limerick.

On the hurling field, Tom achieved many honours but his greatest honour was playing alongside his neighbours and friends in Bruff’s red, and white star, jerseys.

The friendships Tom forged through hurling endured, and alongside his family, and great neighbours, helped him through his final battle with illness.

Having hung up his hurling boots in his fifties, Tom proudly managed Bruff teams, including the Bruff Junior B team to a historic County League and County Championship double in 1998, a feat yet to be replicated.

Tom’s courage shun through up to the final whistle, on July 24; having held out for his and Joan’s 56th wedding anniversary, on July 20, and Limerick’s 13th All-Ireland hurling title the previous day, July 19.

All said and done, Tom was blessed to have shared his life with Joan, who always cared for him with extraordinary dignity, compassion and love.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.