FORMER Tyrone ace Jody Gormley has passed away after a short illness. He was 53.
At 9.02pm, his brother Damian posted on social media.
“It is with profound sadness that I announce my brother Jody passed away peacefully this evening.”
Father-of-three Gormley, who starred for Tyrone during the 1990s, went on to enjoy several successful managerial stints at club and county level.
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It is with profound sadness that I announce my brother Jody passed away peacefully this evening.
— Damian Gormley (@GormleyDamian) December 9, 2024
This evening tributes were flooding in for the GAA star, including from First Minister Michelle O’Neill.
I’m deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Jody Gormley.
— Michelle O’Neill (@moneillsf) December 9, 2024
Throughout his illness, Jody showed incredible strength, courage, and resilience.
His empowering words will continue to inspire and help so many others as they navigate their own battles in life.
My thoughts are with… pic.twitter.com/IcpY5mKiIq
An All-Ireland runner-up with the Red Hands in ‘95, Gormley showed incredible courage after he was diagnosed with cancer only a couple of months ago.
In a moving interview with Andy Watters of The Irish News last month, the Trillick native and the Abbey CBS school teacher confirmed his terminal diagnosis.
“We always talk about challenges in sport and there are challenges in life as well,” he said.
“What do you do? You just have to look down the barrel of the gun and say: ‘Right, this is what I’ve got to deal with here, I’m just going to have to make the most of it’.
“They (the doctors) can’t give a finite time and say: ‘Right, on day dot your time is up’. But it’s not long, the sands of time are running out fairly rapidly is my understanding.
“So, it’s just about making the most of the time with the family and friends as best we can for as long as I’ve got left. That’s the plan.”
He added: “Mentally I’m strong, I’m upbeat about it. I had a good friend ‘Bucket’ O’Neill who died tragically earlier in the year – he took a heart attack – who didn’t get an opportunity to say goodbye to people. So, I feel lucky that I have an opportunity to meet people and say my goodbyes.”
He said he never feared dying and wanted to make the most of his last days with his family - wife Deirdre, son James (20) and daughters Aine (24) and Niamh (16).
Just last year, he managed his native Trillick to the Tyrone senior county title.
His last public appearance was attending Errigal Ciaran’s Ulster Club Championship match against Erin’s Own of Cargin at Corrigan Park on November 10.