Clare GAA To "Wrap Its Arms Around" Friends And Family Of Jack Boddy

Jack was a lovely land in fairness.

All those dealt with Jack.

I had good things to say about him.

I first met him, I think it was January last year.

Shane O'Rourke was our SNC coach,

we were senior footballers.

Jack was a student in Trillee under Shane.

And Shane brought him along, I suppose,

for a work experience to Sean O'Rourke,

to still have involved in being a SNC coach

for a senior into county set up.

And I met Jack of an interim,

we were going to reach their start of the league last year.

First time I had a good chapter in,

let's say, about his background.

And so on, so he knew more.

I knew he was living down around Brough,

but he knew more people in West-Hair, obviously,

his 20s, his form of years,

back there in a country school in Kuki,

and he knew more lads from my own club,

never owned, and he did, you know, people down around the Brough area.

So it seemed to be in that.

So he was a young man, obviously,

forging potential future career for himself while he was studying.

And then this year,

General O'Rourke recommended him to Dermak Hockland,

as an instance, he coached for around the 24-bothers

and Dermas and Dermani, non-court,

and Brian Kahnstein had a good things to say about him.

You know, he got on very well with the players,

and had a great rapport with the players,

obviously, his peers, he was just 20 himself,

so he was at their level, I suppose.

And, yeah, that had a good preseason,

and just got underway in last Saturday

with the first round of the under-2D football championship,

had a good win, and we're all celebrating that,

obviously, on Saturday evening,

why not, fortunately,

tragic events unfolded afterwards.

So it was very sad last and very sudden,

and unexpected, obviously,

and very tragic, obviously, for his family,

in particular, with his friends,

and the cohort, you know, that he knew him there.

You mentioned the role that he played

as strength and conditioning coach

of the under-20 footballers,

and the statement released by Claire Gia,

saying that he helped guide them

to an opening round win on Saturday afternoon last,

would it be fair to say,

here in that even at a young age,

Jack made a significant contribution to Gia and Claire?

He did indeed, sure, yeah.

I mean, he was, as I said,

with our seniors last year,

just learning ropes as a boss,

and then he'd take another role as a SNC coach

for those young men this year.

So, you know, the strategic issue,

obviously, he's a big part of the games now.

So he was, obviously, you know,

sharing his knowledge and what he had learned

to, you know, to the lands who were affected,

his peers in age, and you know,

it certainly seemed to be getting on very well with him,

and they were all enjoying their time working with him,

and that's so, yeah, he had, obviously,

knowledge that he was willing to share with him,

and, you know, doing his best to help him to develop

as athletes.

So it's very sad, you know,

for that group in particular, you know,

that he's gone so suddenly,

so unexpectedly and so tragically.

Whenever people talk about the benefits of the GAA

and getting involved, one of the words that invariably comes up

is community.

Will that sense of community be of comfort to Jack's friends

and colleagues at this time?

I hope so, I hope so, Sean, yeah.

I mean, look at it.

It's very difficult, and it's difficult for us

as grown mature people, I suppose,

to understand, to comprehend, you know,

to take home with them,

so something so that's not dramatic and unexpected,

like this, obviously, for lads of 19 and 20 years of age,

it's even more difficult, you know,

for raised friends, for the boys and girls

that knew him well, I saw many of them there yesterday

up from Kilkie in the West,

and that, you know, very sad,

with what unfolded at the end of the search yesterday,

and obviously over the couple days beforehand, you know,

and obviously, community got out to try to find Jack

when we had hoped that he might be found somewhere

around Lake Jerry and so on, you know,

hundreds of people out searching

and hoping, you know, that there might be a better outcome

in the circumstances that turned out,

but yes, I mean, obviously, wraparams around those,

that are most affected, you know, his family, obviously,

are the most affected by his had passing,

and, you know, we give them whatever support we can

and the same for our players and for his friends,

and, you know, those that have a new Jack,

you know, he'll be missed, sadly missed,

and we have the safe to try and do our best

to support him, to comfort him in this desperate time.