Aaron ‘Dookie’ Devlin who tragically died last week from a virulent form of meningitis
THE club which Aaron ‘Dookie’ Devlin played before he so tragically taken from them have expressed their deepest thanks to GAA players, clubs and the wider GAA community for their prayers and support over the past week.
Aaron Devlin died last Thursday evening in Antrim Area Hospital six days after he was admitted suffering from a virulent form of meningititis.
Despite the valiant efforts of doctors, the 23-year-old, who was a rising star in the Doire GAA county team, lost his battle for life surrounded by his parents and siblings.
In a statement today entitled ‘Mile Buiochas A O Dobhilin 1992-21015, club secretary Stephen McGeehan said:
“A Chairde, following the tragic loss of Aaron Devlin (RIP) last Thursday preceded by his last days in the intensive care unit at Antrim Area Hospital, the members, players, management and officers of Balliinderry Shamrocks GAC wish to place on record our eternal appreciation for the support of the entire GAA family during this awful time.
“The hundreds of messages of support, tens of thousands of social media posts, and the vast number of visitors to Ballinderry to visit the Devlin homes spokes volumes about Aaron and his character but also about the generous and caring people at so many levels who populate the GAA in our clubs, County Committees, Provincially and Nationally.
“The sight of visiting club teams from Derry, Ulster and from well beyond in our tiny parish in their full club regalia, travelling together as a team to pay their individual and collective respects to Aaron’s skill and character was a statement of respect and humility that no words from us could ever do justice to.
“During out heartbreak, these visitors, our rivals past and present, carried us on our shoulders and ensures that as a tribute to Aaron we recognise them all as friends.
“The images from our National Stadium at Croke Park at the All Ireland Football Quarter Finals on Saturday and Sunday honouring Aaron’s contribution to CLG and the impromptu applause that echoed around the stadium invoked a deep sense of pride in all of us despite our despair.
“The GAA as an organisation has been maligned at times over the years. On occasions even our most ardent of supporters might admit deservingly so.
“What the people of Ballinderry, Lough Neagh and Ireland witnessed this week was the GAA at its best.
“United in grief, we all demonstrated what is special about our organisation, our members and our communities.
“On Sunday we said goodbye to Aaron Devlin and we celebrated his with the most fitting tribute we could stage in the midst of our grief.
“Ballinderry Shamrocks has lost the brightest of shining in a footballer and as a young man.
“We know that all the kindness, prayers and support offered to the Devlin family have been of immense support and comfort to them in these dark days and they are extremely grateful to everyone for that.
“For Eugene, Carmel, Ronan, Colin, Anna, sister-in-law Pamela and nephews Jude and Matthew, Ballinderry Shamrocks will be there to support them in their grief.
“To conclude, as described courageously and eloquently by Ronan at the end of Sunday’s Funeral Mass ‘Aaron was more than just my wee brother, he’s my friend, he’s my hero’. So say all of us.
“May the soft green sod of our beloved Ballinderry rest gently on his soul.”
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