Tributes have been paid to former Irish Timessports journalist, Sean Kilfeather, who has died in Dublin.
Mr Kilfeather (70) was boxing correspondent and also wrote on other sports, particularly gaelic games. He wrote a popular weekly sports column, known as
Fifth Columnfor many years.
In 2003, he was awarded the GAA's McNamee Hall of Fame award.
A native of Co Sligo, he began his journalistic career with the
Sligo Champion. He later worked abroad for a number of years, before returning to Dublin to work with the
Evening Mailand
Sunday Review.
When those papers closed, he joined RTÉ, before moving to the sports department of the
Irish Timesin 1974.
His work at various levels for the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) was honoured when he was made a life member on his retirement in 2002.
GAA president Nickey Brennan said that Mr Kilfeather's "unique writing style and his knowledge of literature endeared him to readers throughout his career".
NUJ Irish secretary Seamus Dooley said the union had lost a "loyal and committed member".
He said Mr Kilfeather had remained loyal to NUJ principles and strove to promote the union wherever he went. "He loved sports, music, song, literature but above all else he revelled in good company," said Mr Dooley.
He is survived by his sisters, Mary, Lily and Noreen, brothers Jim and Eddie, nephews and nieces.
