Feargal Logan, the Tyrone joint-manager, has described former Tyrone manager Art McRory as a 'giant of Tyrone football'. The late Tyrone legend passed away at the age of 82 this week.
Art McRory is best known for his efforts in guiding Tyrone to two All-Ireland Finals, in 1986 and 1995. They lost both finals to Kerry and Dublin.
Notably, this iconic head coach orchestrated an unprecedented achievement of securing five Ulster Senior Football Championship titles for his county, specifically in the years 1984, 1986, 1995, 1996, and 2001. He also had a hand in the county's All-Ireland minor win in 1973.
Logan admitted the whole county were in mourning after McRory's sudden passing.
Logan: "The whole Tyrone GAA family is in deep mourning over the loss of a colossus of Tyrone football throughout the years," said Logan, speaking to the BBC.
"As a player and a manager, Art was involved in every Tyrone team coming up.
"He pushed Tyrone forward when it wasn't just so fashionable. He was a giant of Tyrone football.
“Mura gcuirfidh tú san earrach ní bhainfidh tú san fhómhar | If you don't sow in spring you won't reap in autumn” is a firmly held belief in Gaelic Tyrone.
Probably no one in our County’s GAA history has brought greater life to that belief than Art McRory, whose sudden death… pic.twitter.com/kofc6dNwyc— Tyrone GAA (@TyroneGAALive) August 9, 2023
The Tyrone boss also highlighted the impact his predecessor made for managers of the current generations.
"Art was a mentor to many, many people. He had vast experience and vast insight and knew football inside out. He was someone who was in touch with me in the last couple of days about footballing matters in Tyrone.
"That shows the depth and the regard in which he held Tyrone football and in which he was held in Tyrone football. By all the guys in the 70s, the '86 team produced All-Stars when All-Stars weren't coming to Tyrone.
"It's a deeply, deeply sad day, and everyone in Ireland will mourn Art's loss."
"There were decades of Tyrone people flying the flag and pushing things on," said Logan. "And no one pushed it on more than Art.
"The unluckiness of how it worked out in terms of winning All-Irelands... But listen, Art won at underage, schools; it just didn't work out perhaps (in senior finals).
"Art pushed the thing up a hill, knocked the walls down for the rest of us, and that's why we're eternally indebted to him."
Hailing from Dungannon, McRory is survived by his children: Colm, Ciaran, and Eva. His wife Helen passed away earlier this year.
