Everybody involved in Mayo GAA is devastated to learn of the passing of our Chairperson, Seamus Tuohy.
Seamus devoted a huge part of his life to Mayo GAA and to his beloved Breaffy GAA.
His contribution to our association was immense, and his passing leaves a profound sense of loss across the county. For most of us, Seamus was not simply a chairperson or an administrator, he was a friend, a colleague, a mentor and someone who genuinely cared about people and about the future of Gaelic games in Mayo.
His service to Mayo GAA spanned many years and many roles. He served as Chairperson of Bord na nOg, Vice Chairperson of Mayo GAA and since his election in 2021, as Chairperson of the Mayo GAA County Board.
In every role he held, Seamus brought a huge level of commitment, energy, and passion. He cared deeply about the development of our games at every level and above all, about the clubs and volunteers who are as he would say are the foundation of Mayo GAA.
He understood that the strength of Mayo GAA came from the people who gave their time so quietly, and he always valued and respected that contribution.
Seamus also served on the GAA Games for All and was the first chairperson of the Mayo Health and Wellbeing Committee, as well as serving on the National Health and Wellbeing Committee, areas in which he showed a genuine interest and commitment. He understood that the GAA was much more than competition and winning. It was about participation, inclusion, community, belonging, and the positive impact that GAA can have on people’s lives. These values mattered deeply to Seamus.
His contribution to Breaffy GAA was equally significant. Seamus was a lifelong Breaffy man and gave outstanding service to his club over many decades. From his playing days to his involvement in the administration and development of the club, he was a constant presence and a hugely important figure in Breaffy GAA and in the wider community.
Seamus was immensely proud of Breaffy, but his passion for Mayo was something that extended far beyond the boundaries of his own club. He wanted to see every part of the county develop and prosper, and he believed in creating opportunities for young people regardless of where they lived or which club they represented.
This was particularly evident in his vision for the development of the Mayo Centre of Excellence in Bohola project. Seamus saw this as much more than the development of pitches and facilities. He held the vision of a ‘One Mayo’ a Mayo where girls and boys from every club would have access to high quality playing and training facilities and the same opportunities to develop and enjoy our games.
That inclusive vision was very important to Seamus, and it will form an important part of his legacy.
Seamus’s legacy to Mayo GAA also includes the recent development of the new 4G Astro pitch in Hasting Insurance MacHale Park, improved playing and training facilities for all our teams, and the recent appointment of our CEO.
He spearheaded the further development of our academies, which are now producing outstanding young players for clubs and county.
In July 2026, after a lifetime of service, Seamus finally got to experience the moment he had dreamed of for so long.
Mayo finally achieved the dream that Seamus had devoted so much of his life to, becoming All Ireland Senior Football champions and bringing the Sam Maguire Cup back to Mayo. For Seamus that victory meant more than most could ever know.
It was the culmination of decades of work, dedication and belief by countless people across Mayo GAA, and Seamus had played his part in building the foundations that helped make this dream a reality. As Chairperson, he had the honour of leading Mayo GAA on that famous day.
The success of 2026 will forever be associated with the players, management, clubs, and supporters who made it possible. But it was also built on the work of people like Seamus who dedicated years of their lives to develop Mayo GAA, supporting its clubs and creating an environment in which that success could happen.
Seamus’s legacy cannot be measured in pitches, facilities and structures. It can be found in the people he supported, the young players he encouraged, the volunteers he valued, the clubs he supported, and the countless friendships old and young he made throughout his years of service. Most importantly, his legacy will live on in the people he inspired to give their own time to the GAA.
Seamus gave his time, his energy, and his heart to Mayo. He gave everything he could to the Association he loved, and he did so with an extraordinary sense of pride, purpose, and commitment.
But for all the time and energy Seamus gave to Mayo GAA, his greatest pride and love was for his family whom he cherished. Seamus was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and brother, and his family was centre of his life. Behind the public figure was a deeply loving family man, whose greatest joy came from being with those he loved the most.
On behalf of Mayo GAA, we extend our deepest and most heartfelt sympathies to Seamus’s wife, Marie, his adored children, Shona and Evan, son in law Peter, daughter in law Amy, his cherished grandchildren Ave, Aedamar & Isla, his brother Tom, his sisters, Mary, Claire, Helen & Brid his wider family, neighbours & friends. Seamus was predeceased by his father Tom, mother Claire, & sister Christina.
We also extend our deepest sympathy to the many people across Mayo GAA who had the privilege of working alongside Seamus over the years and who will feel his loss deeply.
We will remember Seamus with enormous affection and gratitude. We will remember his passion, his determination, his generosity, his friendship, and, above all, his unwavering belief in Mayo and in the people of Mayo.
May the work he did, the people he inspired and the vision he had for Mayo GAA continue to live on for generations to come.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis
Seamus Tuohy, RIP
