Galwegians Rugby Club has honoured one of its own living legends, Mick Casserly, at a special function on Saturday.
Mick, whose family is steeped in the Glenina club, was one of the stand-out players of the seventies, and a committed club man whose numerous roles included club coach and director of rugby.
Mick’s love affair with the game of rugby started with Our Lady’s Boys’ Club before playing with Galwegians, Connacht, and Ireland A, and his son John said rugby for Mick was a “passion”.
“As a player, coach captain president, anything he did he gave it 110 per cent, and he enjoyed every second of it.
“We talk about service to a club, and sometimes it’s unfair to acknowledge one person, and it is true his contributions to Galwegians have been amazing, but we must also remember what he got back, and he enjoyed every second of it.
“He went to war on the pitch and came off it for good times, and lots of craic.” Dr Mick Molloy, who played alongside Mick for Connacht, said his contribution was incredible, “epitomising what it was like playing when the opposition was frequently better”.
“They were players who gave everything and they needed to give everything because that was the only way they could survive.
“Mick’s contribution to the club is incredible. It is hard to believe someone would have done so much for so long at every level and it epitomises the person you are.
“Hopefully there will be people in the future who will do that because rugby needs that. It eventually boils down to the people representing you on the pitch, and that is where players like Mick have given so much, and so many are fortunate to have been with you.”
IRFU junior vice president, Dr John O’Driscoll, who played alongside Mick in Connacht, said he was always an inspiration.“He was tough as teak, very skilful, a wonderful player to play with. I was an outsider, and he made me feel totally welcome which made a huge difference to me at that stage.”
The two flankers played alongside each other for many years in the back row - “a wonderful man, a wonderful player.”
