On Monday evening last, the hurling world learned with deep regret of the death of Austin Flynn who was full back on the Waterford All Ireland winning senior hurling team in 1959. A native of Abbeyside, Austin was born in 1933 and during his lifetime he was a much respected person and an ideal role model both on and off the field of play. Regarded as one of Waterford’s greatest players of all-time, Aistin O Floinn made his first appearance for the County senior hurlers during the 1952 championship and he was a regular member of the starting fifteen until his retirement after the 1967 championship. During that time he won one All-Ireland winners’ medal, three Munster winners’ medals and one National League winners’ medal. He ended up as an All-Ireland runner-up on two occasions. Arguably Abbeyside’s greatest hurler of all time, Austin has a number of personal achievements including three Cú Chulainn (pre All Star) awards and he was recognised as his county’s greatest full-back when he was picked in that position on the Waterford Hurling Team of the Millennium. Austin won Railway Cup medals with Munster in 1960 and in 1966. Austin was selected as Waterford hurler of the year in 1967, an award in its first year, and he played full back for the Village in four senor hurling finals spanning fourteen years, 1955, 57, 64 and 69. Outside the white lines, Austin was known for his courteous manner in his employment with the Health Board at Dungarvan Hospital and he and his late wife Sybil ran a very successful accommodation business named ’The Fountain’ on the Youghal Rd in Dungarvan. Predeceased by his wife Sybil and daughter Mary, the Observer/ DUNGARVAN GAA extends its sincere sympathy to Austin’s daughters Janice and Anita and other family members including his grandchildren Cormac and Cathal Curran, who play with the Brickey Rangers club and Gus Flynn who plays with Ballygunner. The concluding lines of the poem ‘The Hurler’s Prayer’were written with men like Austin Flynn in mind. When the final whistle for me has blown And I stand at last before God’s judgement throne May the great referee when he calls my name Say, you hurled like a man; you played the game
