Jas is one of the most colourful characters in the club having a very distinguished career as a player, official and mentor. He won juvenile and minor titles in both codes and went on to star on senior teams from 1959 until ’64. He played corner forward in the county hurling final of 1960 in which Portlaoise lost by one point to Borris-in-Ossory and scored the only goal in the famous win of the senior football team of 1964, the club’s first title in the grade for 57 years.
He was has twice been chair of the club. First in the 80s when the club won numerous titles and was the top club in Leinster and again in the late 2010s. He had been vice-chairman since 1997, during the tenures of Peadar Molloy, Niall Kavanagh, Vinnie Dowling and John Hanniffy.
He has been a fundraiser supreme for the club over the decades and has been in charge of the successful annual golf classic fund-raiser with Phil O’Keeffe for many years.
Cahir Healy is one of the finest dual players the club and county has ever produced. Known for his skill, dedication and strength Cahir was a phenomenal servant to the Town even commuting back from London weekly to line out for the club.
Here he answers a few questions in the 2016 book “C’mon The Town Portlaoise G.A.A. 1887 -2016”
Dr. Thomas F. O’Higgins, who chaired the first meeting of Portlaoise GAA, in 1887. He was a popular G.P. in Stradbally for many years.
Har Walsh and his brother Tom both won under age titles in hurling and football with the town.
