Thomas Burke (Irish revolutionary and sportsman)

Thomas Burke (17 February 1894[1] - 26 August 1967[2]) was an Irish revolutionary, sportsman and referee. He spent time in 10 British prisons for his revolutionary activities as the founder of the Drogheda Volunteers and a courier for Michael Collins during the Irish revolutionary period. Burke played intercounty Gaelic football for Louth and refereed the 1928 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final. He was also an athlete.

Thomas Burke
Personal details
Born17 February 1894
Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland
Died26 August 1967 (aged 73)
Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland
Cause of deathCerebral haemorrhage
Resting placeCalvary Cemetery, Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland
NationalityIrish
Spouse(s)Eileen Reilly (m. 1931)
Children3
ResidenceDrogheda, County Louth, Ireland
Military service
AllegianceIrish Volunteers, Irish Republican Army
Years of service1913-1922

Early life

Thomas Burke was born on 17 February 1894 on Coola Street, Drogheda, County Louth, to Christopher Patrick Burke, secretary of the gas works, and Mary McQuillan. He lived the first 12 years of his life on Coola Street, and was raised in a well-off family. However, things took a turn for the worse with the death of Christopher Burke Sr. from Bright's disease on 12 October 1906 at the age of just 44.[1] With the family's source of income gone, his mother moved with him and his five siblings to live with her siblings on Duleek Street.[3]

Revolutionary activities

Thomas Burke was the founder of the Drogheda branch of the Irish Volunteers and was a courier for the revolutionary leader Michael Collins. He served much time in British prisons during the Irish revolutionary period, most notably Frongoch internment camp in 1916, where he captained a Louth side in a game of Gaelic football in the prison. When the truce to end the Irish War of Independence was signed in 1921, Burke was interned in the Curragh.[4]

Referee work

Starting in 1924, Thomas Burke refereed four Leinster Football Finals in a row. 1928 his greatest year for refereeing. In that year, he refereed the Railway Cup final in March, the 1928 final of the Tailteann Games between Ireland and the United States in August, and the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship semi-final between Sligo and Cavan. That same August, Burke refereed the most important match of his career - the 1928 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final between Kildare and Cavan. This match was the first final where the Sam Maguire Cup was awarded to the victors, in this case Kildare.[5]

Death

Thomas Burke died on 26 August 1967 at the age of 73 in Drogheda.[6]

References
  1. "Irish Genealogy". civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie. Retrieved 2018-12-05.
  2. "PressReader.com - Connecting People Through News". www.pressreader.com. Retrieved 2018-12-05.
  3. Gerrard, Richard (2015). Personalities, characters, sporting greats and politicians of all kinds from old and not so old Drogheda.
  4. "The first 'battle for Sam'". Independent.ie. Retrieved 2018-12-05.
  5. "The first 'battle for Sam'". Independent.ie. Retrieved 2018-12-05.
  6. "PressReader.com - Connecting People Through News". www.pressreader.com. Retrieved 2018-12-05.


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