ROWING NEWS:TOM TUOHY (56), one of the greatest Irish rowing coaches, died yesterday after a short illness.

Originally from Ballinrobe, Co Mayo, Tuohy blazed a trail for UCG and NUIG rowing. He was part of the 1975 junior A eight which made a breakthrough for the college, but it was as a coach that he lifted his alma mater to the pinnacle of Irish rowing.

Among a string of successes at national level, he oversaw National Championship wins for the men’s senior eight in 1988 (UCG); 2002 and 2006 (with composite crews); and 2009 and 2010, where NUIG alone achieved the honour. At Henley Royal Regatta, NUIG won the Thames Cup in 1987 and in 2003 and 2005 the Visitors’ Cup. In 2003, he coached an Ireland four to a bronze medal at the World Under-23 regatta in Belgrade and in 2004 he guided an NUIG crew to silver at the World University Rowing Championships in Brive, France. The college were Irish University (Wylie Cup) champions on a host of occasions, and a number of Irish internationals and Olympian Cormac Folan were coached at club level by the Mayo man.

He was conferred with an honorary MA in 2007 from NUIG in honour of his contribution to rowing in the college and received a special dedication this year at the Galway Sports Star of the Year awards. “The university club was his passion. Tom was never a paid coach, it was just a burning passion. The sheer love of the game was what he got out of it,” said his friend Ruadhan Cooke, coxswain of many of his successful crews.

Folan said it was hard to believe such a lively presence for so many rowers had left this life.

“He had a huge impact on our lives. He’ll be missed an awful lot by all of us.”

Tom Tuohy is survived by his wife, Breege, and children Deirdre, David and Éimear, his mother Bridie and his sister and brothers.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam. – LG