Joe Canning retires after 48 years dedication to Armagh GAA
December 23, 2008
One of Armagh GAA’s greatest ever servants, Joe Canning, has retired as country treasurer after almost fifty years with the County Board.
A member of the St Killian’s club, and native of Mountnorris, he first became involved in the association when elected secretary to his club in 1960 and the following year was appointed secretary to the South Armagh Board with Malachy Mc Geeney as Chairman.
Joe, a librarian by profession and historian by education was Treasurer of the Armagh County Board for twenty one years between 1969 and 1991 and returned as assistant Treasurer for eight years until his retirement last week.
He also performed a central role as liaison officer for the Armagh teams at all levels throughout the seventies and eighties and into the nineties, and in this position was an absolute key figure in the welfare of the county sides throughout that period.
Always popular with players, officials and delegates, he was a source of strength throughout the reorganizing of the county team in the mid seventies where his administrative abilities were put to good effect.
Joe recalled the memorable times of 1977 when, under the management of Gerry O Neill, Armagh regained the Celt cup after an absence of 24 years and reached the All-Ireland final of that year. Armagh also went on to win two more senior Ulster’s with the same panel marking the best era in county football until the All-Ireland achievement and Ulster wins of the modern side.
Former Armagh manager Peter Makem had this to say: “Joe Canning made life easy for everybody involved in the team. Leading up to any given game he had the training venues sorted out, individual transport for players to the central venue, the hotel if it was a distant away game, bus, meals, jerseys, everything. This was all done year after year without fuss. He was the essence of efficiency and integrity, always courteous and kind, treating every player with respect and was totally respected in return. Ever since his involvement with the county from the early seventies, Joe has been a bedrock of this county, one of the great all time servants of Armagh GAA”.
Like many of the other stalwarts who served their county over the recent decades, the winning of the All Ireland in 2002 was the golden moment. But Joe was also one of those who knew the lean times in county football, and worked to change them into times of plenty. We wish him well in his retirement from the game, and acknowledge that he continues to pursue his wide cultural interests in his ongoing work at the Cardinal O’Fiaich library in Armagh.
