Former GAA president Dr Mick Loftus dies, aged 93

Former GAA president Dr Mick Loftus has died, aged 93. A native of Crossmolina, Co Mayo, Loftus was a member of the Mayo senior football panel which won the All-Ireland final in 1951. He was a sub on the team and did not play on the day.

His league and championship career spanned four years from 1949 to 1953. After his retirement from playing Loftus, who ran a medical practice in north Mayo, served as a referee at club and county level. He refereed the All-Ireland finals in 1965 and 1968.

Loftus was chairman of the Connacht GAA Council and the Centenary Committee which organised the Association’s 100th anniversary celebrations in 1984.

As well as being a medical doctor, he was coroner for north Mayo for many years. His daughter-in-law, Dr Eleanor Fitzgerald, is the present coroner in the district

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During his long, varied and successful career, Loftus was outspoken on the issue of alcohol abuse and questioned the level of in involvement of the drinks industry in major sporting events and festivals.