Liz Howard did it her way

Liz Howard was remembered as a trailblazer who was courageous and fearless following her death on Thursday last.

By Shane Brophy

A perfectionist in life, she managed for her funeral mass at the Church of the Holy Spirit, Youghalarra, Newtown on Monday, to take place on the best day of the year so far as people came from all over the country to pay their respect to a person who broke the mould for women with her prominent role in sport and beyond.

Those in attendance for the funeral of the former Camogie Association President included current incumbent Brian Molloy, as well as GAA President Jarlath Burns. Tipperary GAA CEO Murtagh Brennan was also present as well as a numerous Tipperary hurling greats or “my boys” as she liked to describe them down through the years from Michael ‘Babs’ Keating to Len Gaynor, Noel Sheehy, Tommy Dunne, Brendan Cummins, Eoin Kelly, as well as current players Noel & John McGrath, & Seamus Kennedy, and manager Liam Cahill.

In his eulogy, Father Lorcan Kenny said Liz knew “her own worth and always spoke truth to power.”

He continued: “We all know about her being a trailblazer with RTE and in the GAA, and for young women watching it, it was really powerful.

“It wasn’t just what she did but how she did it and why she did it. From a young age she knew her own self worth and that is a gem that its priceless. If we could give that to all young women and men nowadays, we wouldn’t have any issues.

“She is a prime example that courage is contagious, so is kindness and so is the ability to speak the truth because it can empower other people to stand on their own two feet and go, this is what I believe in and why I believe it.”

Speaking on behalf of the family, Liz’s nephew Garrett Howard described her as “brave and fearless” recalling a life well lived and having everything organised right up to the end, including her funeral which was low key for someone of her stature but it was as per her instructions which were “put me in the coffin in the hospital, bring me to the church and bury me,” he saud, and that was what was done.

He added: “She certainly lived a full life. Most of us know the significant achievements, the first female county board officer as PRO of Tipperary County Board; first female Sunday Game analyst, President of the Camogie Association, European Cabin Crew manager with Aer Lingus, a job she loved.

“She loved sport, attended soccer and rugby matches around the world. Tennis was her second love and attended all the four Grand Slams and was particularly fond of Rafael Nadal. The only thing he did wrong is he didn’t hurl for Tipperary.

“Her greatest passion in life was Tipperary GAA. Firstly, as a player, then as an administrator, and a lifelong supporter. She made great friends, had great days and created great memories that sustained her right up to the end. She loved all the teams and talk to any Tipp player they got text messages and cards. Tipperary meant so much to her.”

Despite being in ill-health for the past number of years, including lengthy stays in hospital, it didn’t prevent her from finding any way possible to support the Premier County, including on April 19th last when she convinced doctors she had a ill elderly aunt in Malahide she had to visit, but instead got the train to the Tipperary v Cork hurling championship match at Semple Stadium, the last game she was at.”

However, first and foremost, she was “a big family person” added Garrett “who was always interested in her nieces and nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. She was a trailblazer, a formidable friend and opponent. She lived the life she wanted; she gave generously and left little ambiguity as to her thoughts and feelings. She was brave and fearless in the face of death.”

Life and times

Liz Howard was born into a proud and distinguished GAA family; her lifelong love of Gaelic Games was deeply rooted from an early age. Her father, Garrett Howard, won five All Ireland senior hurling medals – three with Limerick and two with Dublin – while her maternal granduncle was Frank McGrath, former chairman of Munster Council, after whom the current North Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship trophy is named.

Raised initially in Deerpark, Carrick-on-Suir before the family later moved to Clare, Liz and her sisters Pat and Jo helped establish a camogie club in Feakle, reflecting a passion for the game that would define her life. Liz attended school in Tulla and such was her determination and commitment that she cycled thirteen miles to and from school each day.

In 1963, following her father’s retirement from An Garda Síochána, the family came to Carrigatoher for a short time before settling in Monroe on the Youghal Road in Newtown. During this period, Liz attended the national school in Youghalarra for a short while staying with her aunt Nonie Corbett.

Liz played camogie with Clare, Tipperary and Dublin, enjoying significant success at inter-county level. With Tipperary, she won a Munster Championship and was a member of the team that captured the inaugural National League title in 1977 defeating Wexford in the replayed final. She also won an All-Ireland Junior medal and two Leinster Junior Championships with Dublin.

She also enjoyed considerable success at club level, wearing the colours of Feakle, Roscrea, Knockshegowna, as well as Celtic and Phoenix in Dublin. She won county championships with Roscrea while during her time with Celtic – a club that produced seven presidents of the Camogie Association – she captured two club championships and two Leinster Junior championships.

A pioneering figure in Gaelic Games, Liz broke new ground when RTÉ launched The Sunday Game in 1979, becoming the programme’s first female analyst for both hurling and football. At a time when women were rarely represented in Gaelic Games coverage, she led the way with confidence, expertise and passion.

Liz again broke new ground again in 1982 when she became the first female PRO of Tipperary GAA, a role she held for 22 years. She became one of the most recognisable and respected voices in the association, admired for her professionalism, dedication and unwavering love for Tipperary GAA.

Liz’s contribution to camogie administration was immense. She served as PRO and National Fixtures Secretary of the Camogie Association before becoming the 27th President of the Association from 2006 to 2009. During her presidency, she focused on the development and promotion of camogie nationwide and played a central role in shaping the association’s Strategic Plan, helping pave the way for the continued growth of the game.

Her influence extended throughout the wider GAA community through service on numerous national committees including Policy and Planning, Increased Participation and Presentation and Awards, which she chaired. Her work helped lay important foundations for greater cooperation and integration across the Gaelic Games family.

Liz’s leadership and vision were recognised nationally on many occasions. She was named Tipperary Person of the Year in 2007 by the Tipperary Association Dublin and was selected as Sport Ireland Volunteer of the Year in 2009. In 2022, she received a Tipperary GAA Laochra Gael award, a fitting tribute to her lifelong service to Gaelic Games.

Away from sport, Liz enjoyed an outstanding professional career with Aer Lingus, where she became a manager responsible for training many of the finest air hostesses. One of the great highlights of her career came in 1979 when she served as an air hostess on the flight that brought Pope John Paul II to Ireland. In later years, she returned closer to home to work in Shannon Airport.

Acknowledgements

Tipperary GAA

“Liz will be remembered as a proud Tipperary woman, a trailblazer, a mentor and a loyal friend to so many throughout the GAA and camogie communities. Her passion for the Premier County never wavered and her famous motto, “Move on: Tipperary is bigger than any of us”, perfectly captured her selflessness and dedication to the association.”

Brian Molloy, Uachtarán an Chumainn Camógaíochta

“Liz Howard was one of the great servants of our Association, someone who dedicated decades of her life to the promotion and development of camogie at club, county and national level. Her contribution to our sport was immense.

“Liz brought passion, intelligence and enormous energy to every role she held. She was a proud advocate for camogie and for women in sport, and her leadership helped strengthen and modernise the Association during an important period in its history.

“She will also be remembered as a deeply respected figure within Gaelic games, whose love for Camogie and hurling shone through in everything she did.”

Tipperary Association Dublin

“Liz was a very active member of the Association for many years including the office of President for three years – 1979 to 1981. She made a substantial contribution to the affairs and activities of the Association during her tenure. Liz always held strong opinions on every topic, and she advocated for them with sincerity and determination. She delighted in meeting and chatting with attendees at the Association’s events, which she always did with charm and style.

“Liz was a passionate Tipperary woman and was enthusiastic in her support for many aspects of life in Tipperary, especially camogie and hurling. Her dedication to attending games at both club and county levels was truly remarkable.”