John Corcoran did his absolute best for the GAA

BY DENIS HURLEY

FROM the moment he first attended a Carbery divisional board meeting in 1978 until his last one just a day before his untimely passing, John Corcoran’s focus was on trying to do his absolute best for the GAA.

This was summed up in an interview he gave to Kieran McCarthy of The Southern Star as he took up the role of Carbery chairman just over three years ago.

‘I always felt that I had a contribution to make to the GAA,’ he said, ‘to promote it and to help in any way that I can to ensure that the GAA stays strong in West Cork. It’s my lifelong interest.’

Before becoming chairman, he was also the Carbery PRO and vice-chairman while he was chairman of St Mary’s at the time of his death, having first had a stint in that role in 1992, following periods as secretary and PRO.

Having been manager when Carbery won the county SFC in 2004, Corcoran was nominated by the division to be a Cork selector under Billy Morgan for 2005 and was retained in that role for the next two years after that.

A popular referee in West Cork for many years, he also chaired the Munster Third-Level Colleges body and sat on the Munster Council.

His final words in that 2012 Star interview sum up the way he approached all of these roles.

‘I have no great fear for the clubs in West Cork. It will be there when we are all gone. We are just the keepers of the flame. Hopefully it will be in a better place for the next generation.’

Also, tributes have poured in from around the GAA world after today's sad news of John Corcoran's passing.

Very sad to hear of the passing of a passionate Gaa man John Corcoran.Always had a witty comment to put a smile on the faces of people. Rip

— Eoin Cadogan (@cads3) January 19, 2016

Very sad news hearing of the passing of John Corcoran. Great character & great supporter of all things Cork. Condolences to family #rip

— Fintan Goold (@gooldf) January 19, 2016

Absolutely gutted to hear of the passing of John Corcoran. No better man to talk football with and enjoyed the Cork/Kerry banter too. #Rip

— Brian kelly (@bkelly_1) January 19, 2016

Cork GAA will be a much quieter place without the passion, witty but always well informed John Corcoran! God rest him!

— Lisa Lawlor (@Lisa_Lawlor) January 19, 2016

We send our condolences to the Corcoran family on the sudden passing of John. His passion for the game in West cork will be missed #RIPJOHN

— O Donovan Rossa GAA (@RossaGAA) January 19, 2016

Very sad to hear about big John Corcoran.A huge loss to @ucc_gaa and the wider GAA community.A gent who'd always go out of his way for you.

— Alan Cronin (@AlanCroninjnr) January 19, 2016

RIP John Corcoran. Condolences to his family. He will be huge loss to @SaintMarysGAA and the wider GAA family. pic.twitter.com/T7PolguMQc

— Castlehaven GAA (@CastlehavenGAA) January 19, 2016