Noel Walsh an Irish Gaelic footballer, administrator, selector, manager and member of the Defence Forces died at the age of 84 on April 29, 2020 after suffering from Covid-19.
As a selector and manager, he worked with the Clare county team. As a provincial administrator he was pivotal in establishing an open draw in the Munster Senior Football Championship.
As a national administrator he was pivotal in the overturning of the Gaelic Athletic Association’s Rule 42, the introduction of the All-Ireland Qualifiers and the spread of floodlights to club and county grounds.
At his death he was remembered locally and nationally as one of the sport’s most progressive administrators. He was often referred to as “Mr Clare Football”.
A native of Miltown Malbay in West Clare, Walsh served on three separate occasions as Clare Manager and was a selector for 20 years.
It was Walsh who brought John Maughan to Clare and was a selector with him when they won the Munster Championship in 1992, the first time since 1935 (and most recent) that it hadn’t been claimed by Cork or Kerry.
Walsh served as Muster Chairman from 1995 to 1998. He argued passionately and eventually succeeded in getting an open draw in the Munster Football Championship where traditionally Cork and Kerry were seeded.
Walsh stood twice for the GAA Presidency but was elected a Trustee of the Association.
As a player, he won two Clare Senior Football Championship medals with the St. Josephs Miltown-Malbay Club he later served as club secretary and chairman and represented Clare at Minor and Junior Football level.