We regret to report that the death has taken place of Mr Bob Stakelum, Holycross, Thurles, former well known All-Ireland referee and Liam MacCarthy Cup winner with County Tipperary.
Mr Stakelum was President of the Mid Tipperary Divisional GAA Board since 1993 and gave a lifetime of service to the GAA.
Mr Stakelum played inter-county football and hurling with Tipperary and was a member of the Tipperary panel which won the All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship in 1949. He won Tipperary county senior hurling championships with Holycross-Ballycahill in 1948, 1951 and 1954. He was also a noted referee and took charge of the 1955 All Ireland Senior Hurling final, the 1956 Munster Senior Hurling Final and the 1954 /55 Munster Senior Football finals.
He was the author of a book “Gaelic Games in Holycross Ballycahill 1884 to 1990“.
He was elected to the Mid Tipperary Board “Hall of Fame” in 1999.
He will repose in St. Mary’s Funeral Home, Thurles this evening Monday January 18th from 4pm to 8pm with removal later to Holycross Abbey, arriving at 8.30pm.
Funeral Mass will be in Holycross Abbey on Tuesday January 19th at 11.30pm.
The Tipperary County Board has extended their deepest sympathy to his wife Kit, sons Robert, Tim and Tony, brothers Frank and Mick, sisters Eileen (Sr. Imelda) and Maeve, daughters-in-law Anna, Deirdre and Ann, grandchildren, great-granddaughter, nieces, nephews, brothers-in-law, sister-in-law, the Holycross Ballycahill club and the Mid Tipperary GAA Board.
He will be sadly missed by all in the Premier County and beyond.
R.I.P To a Great Man