Inside Track: Gerry Gover gave a lifetime in the promotion of local soccer
Inside Track with Joe Carroll
You didn’t have to be an avid soccer follower to be aware of the outstanding work Gerry Gover did for junior and underage football in town.
He was a legend in the game, his reputation reaching well beyond the confines of a sport to which he gave a lifetime.
In failing health in recent times, Gerry passed away on Friday last in Our Lady of Lourdes, Drogheda. He is survived by his wife Margaret, son Paul, daughters Mairéad and Rachel, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
If you heard Gerry being called ‘Mr Rangers’, it wasn’t without justification. A founder-member of the best-known of Dundalk soccer clubs, he gave years of service to the junior and schoolboy teams, as a coach, manager and legislator.
Such was the number of players on the Rangers’ books at one time, a second string was needed. This was when Wolves found their way onto the fixture list in both schoolboy and junior football. The extra load was no burden to the club’s guardians.
At legislative level, Gerry was chairman of the Schoolboys’ League for a long number of years, as well as being one of the driving forces behind the Summer League.
Gussie Hearty, a colleague over a long number of years, saw at firsthand the contribution Gerry made to both bodies.
“It was immeasurable. He didn’t just delegate, but did much of the work himself. And if that meant being at games most days and evenings in the week, he would do it. He was a wonderful promoter of the game.”
Gerry’s outstanding contribution was recognised when he was named a category winner at the People of the Year awards, organised by this paper for upwards on two decades.
He was also appointed a Peace Commissioner by the Minister for Justice, a role he filled with diligence.
I got to know Gerry in my days as a Democrat printer. He was employed at the time at the St Nicholas’ Cinema, adjacent to the De La Salle school in Philip Street.
One of his tasks was to collect the posters, which I had printed, listing the film programme for the week.
A friendship was formed then, which was the last over six decades. We would often chat about soccer and Gaelic, comparing how his teams and mine were progressing. Never did I hear him pass an unkind word about any of his charges, even though one of them might have missed a penalty on the previous Sunday, or just had a poor game.
On a more recent occasion, we were both on a panel which Mickey Heeney had assembled to address students at the DkIT.
Fielding questions and giving talks on the importance of sport in young people’s lives, we were joined by World handball champion, Drogheda’s Joey Maher. It was a most enjoyable experience for all of us.
Above all else, Gerry was a gentleman. He was company that was easily enjoyed.
His burial takes place this morning (Tuesday) in St Patrick’s Cemetery following Requiem Mass in St Nicholas’ Church.