Tributes pour in following passing of Derry player part of the 1958 Ulster winning squad

Tributes have poured in following the passing of former Derry Gaelic footballer Brendan Murray.

The Ballerin man was a member of the first Derry side to ever lift the Ulster Senior Football Championship in 1958, and the first Oak Leaf county side to reach the All-Ireland final in the same year.

Murray passed away peacefully on Christmas Eve, December 24 2024, at Prospect Private Nursing Home, surrounded by his loving family.

He will be remembered and much loved by his family including his wife Patricia and children  Gabrielle, Tricia, Alastair, Angela, Peter, Stephen and Michael.

The requiem mass for the late Brendan Murray took place in All Saints Church Ballymena on Saturday 28th December at 10am.  

Derry GAA took to Facebook and X to post a tribute of their former player, while also adding a video of him scoring a point for his county.

The post said: “Derry GAA is saddened to learn of the death of former player, Brendan Murray. 

“A proud Ballerin man, Brendan was a member of the first Derry team to win the Ulster SFC in 1958, playing at centre forward in the All Ireland Final that same year.

“Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam uasal.”

Meanwhile Photo’s of Portglenone said: “POP was saddened to only hear yesterday of the death (on the 24th Dec) of one the Derry Gaa greats from the 1958 team Brendan Murray from Ballymoney Road Ballymena.

“The 1958 Co Derry Gaelic football team was part of the foundations that would help Derry to their All-Ireland winning team of 1993 and Breandan Murray was one of the legends from that 1958 team.

“Derry won the Ulster Championship and made it to the All-Ireland Final against Dublin, beating Kerry in the semi-final that year (1958), Brendan was a member of the Ballerin Gac and in the final played along side fellow Ballerin teammates Sean O'Connell & Brian Mullan, Brendan scored Derry's first point in the All-Ireland final and in their won against Kerry in the semi, in this 1958 photo we see Brendan 3rd from the right back row. 

“Away from the Gaa game Brendan was one of the pharmacist in the Health Centre in Ballymena close to the old Waveney hospital, he was a regular visitor to Portglenone, calling to see Colm O'Brien, who he knew from his training as a pharmacist. I had the pleasure of meeting Brendan in Uncle Colm's many times, he loved to chat about Gaa and life as a whole. (I took the insert photo of Brendan in Uncle Colm's)."I would like to pass on my sincere sympathies to his wife Patricia, his children Gabrielle, Tricia, Alastair, Angela, Peter, Stephen & Michael, his brother Dominic, his sisters Fionnuala & Noleen, his grandchildren Ciara, Conor, Lara, Emma, Francesca, Ross, Niamh, Aoife, Jack, Emily, Anna, Ella, Lauren & Dylan and the entire Murray family at this sad time. I also remember his late siblings Terry, Fergus & baby Jude."FAMILY NOTICE"After prayers in his former home, 128A Ballymoney Road Ballymena on Saturday 28th December his remains will be removed at 9.30am to All Saints Church for funeral after 10am Requiem Mass interment afterwards St Patrick’s Burial ground Crebilly. Family flowers only please, donations in lieu if desired to Trócaire."