Dr Mick Loftus had 'a great mind'

Mike Finnerty

FORMER GAA President Dr Mickey Loftus has been described as ‘a great mind and a great administrator’ in the wake of his passing last weekend.
The 93 year-old, who lived in Crossmolina for most of his life, was also a member of the last Mayo senior squad to win an All-Ireland title in 1951.
Dr Loftus also won an All-Ireland junior medal with Mayo and refereed a number of All-Ireland Finals.
He then became involved in GAA administration and served as chairman of Crossmolina GAA club, Mayo’s representative on the Connacht GAA Council, President of the provincial council, central council delegate, before rising to the rank of GAA President from 1985 for a three-year term.
Speaking to The Mayo News last night, Connacht GAA CEO, John Prenty, paid tribute to Dr Loftus, and admitted that he ‘was a big influence’ on his decision to become a GAA administrator.
“Dr Mickey became GAA President in 1985, the same year as I became Mayo GAA secretary. He was a huge help to me at that time and we had lots of dealings over the years.
He was a very honest man, somebody who had a great mind and was a great administrator.
“Dr Mickey and PJ McGrath both had big influences on me becoming an administrator.”
Dr Loftus was also the patron of the Connacht GAA council in recent years and attended the GAA’s Annual Congress in the Air Dome in Bekan last year.
John Prenty said that he remained ‘hugely admired and respected’ within the GAA community until his passing last Saturday, especially for his strong stance on the dangers of alcohol in society.
“He was hugely respected in the GAA community all over the world, not just in Ireland,” he said.
“He took a very important brave stance on the issue of alcohol sponsorship in the GAA because he had seen first-hand, through his work as a coroner for county Mayo, the damage that alcohol could do.
“So for somebody of Dr Mickey’s stature to take a stand and a stance, and to say that he wouldn’t attend All-Ireland Hurling Finals that had alcohol sponsorship attached to them. . “There was a huge amount of respect for his views.”