Want the latest from the world of GAA, horse racing, football, rugby and more straight to your inbox? Sign up to our FREE newsletter Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Yes please! Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Limerick mega-fan John Hunt has passed away aged 98. Tributes have poured in for the fan, who famously travelled to Croke Park last year to see Limerick win the All-Ireland championship final against Galway - having witnessed their last win in 1936. Hunt had spent most of his life in the US and even helped form a GAA club in Chicago during his 70 years across the Atlantic. An honorary president of Chicago GAA, the club posted on social media to "extend our sincerest and deepest sympathies to his entire family, friends and club on their great loss. May he Rest In Peace". Limerick Hurling Club Chicago, a club he helped establish, announced his passing on Facebook. "The Limerick Hurling Club Chicago would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the Hunt family on the passing of the Great John Hunt. "John a native of Athea Co. Limerick was one of the founding members and the first Chiarman of the Club in 1959 which it is celebrating 60 years this year. "John always kept in touch with what was happening in the club through the years. He was a frequent visitor to the dressing room in Gaelic Park over the years and was good for a speech to get the team going on Sundays. "One of his dreams came true last August when he traveled back to Ireland to watch his native Limerick win the Liam McCarty Cup after a 45 year wait. John will never be forgotten in The Chicago Limerick Hurling Club. You are in our thoughts and prayers. "Ar dheis de go raibh a anam dilís." Appearing on the Late Late Show, Hunt fulfilled a lifelong dream by getting his hands on the Liam McCarthy Cup after a Limerick win. "If St Peter gets me at the gate I couldn't be happier now they've won that cup," he said on the show. Don’t miss this weekend’s GAA action – sign up to Sky Sports and get 6 months half price here , or try a NOW TV Sports Month Pass here , now just €20 a month – usually €50 If you haven't already, be sure to like our Irish Mirror Sport and Irish Mirror GAA pages on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.<doc-sep>Tributes have poured in for well-known Limerick supporter John Hunt, who has passed away aged 98. Hunt was at Croke Park in 1936 when the Treaty beat Kilkenny in the All-Ireland SHC final by 5-06 to 1-05 and travelled back from Chicago, where he lived for over 70 years, to see them lift the big one last summer when John Kiely's men defeated Galway. He made a memorable appearance on The Late Late Show when he fulfilled a lifelong ambition by lifting the Liam MacCarthy Cup. "If St Peter gets me at the gate I couldn't be happier now they've won that cup," he said. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a h'anam.<doc-sep>The entire county of Limerick are saddened by the news that super fan John Hunt has passed way at the age of 98. Hunt gained notoriety from his Late Late show appearance last year when his county won the All Ireland. He claimed while on the show: ‘If St Peter gets me at the gate I couldn’t be happier now they’ve won that cup.’ Limerick’s All Ireland win meant a lot to Hunt as his first experience watching that sight was in 1936. The last time Limerick won the All Ireland before 2018 was in 1973, which is a long time to wait for the Athea man. Hunt spent 70 years living in the US where he helped set up a GAA club in Chicago. The club he helped establish wrote on social media reacting to the sad news: ‘The Limerick Hurling Club Chicago would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the Hunt family on the passing of the Great John Hunt.’ ‘John always kept in touch with what was happening in the club through the years. He was a frequent visitor to the dressing room in Gaelic Park over the years and was good for a speech to get the team going on Sundays.’ You can take the man out of Limerick, but you can’t take Limerick out of the man.<doc-sep>
Tributes have poured in for "a true Limerick legend", GAA supporter John Hunt, who has died in the US aged 98. Mr Hunt captured the hearts of GAA fans last summer after he travelled 9,600kms from his adopted home in Chicago to Croke Park to see his beloved Limerick win the Liam MacCarthy Cup for the first time in 45 years. And 82 years previously, Mr Hunt, a native of Athea, had witnessed Limerick defeat Kilkenny in the 1936 final. After emigrating to the US, where he lived for the past 70 years, he became a founding member of the Limerick Hurling Club Chicago, and was its first chairperson. Mr Hunt joined thousands of fans in Limerick last year for the hurlers' homecoming and appeared on 'The Late Late Show' where he fulfilled his dream of lifting the Liam MacCarthy Cup. He remarked to host Ryan Tubridy: "If St Peter gets me at the gate [of heaven] I couldn't be happier now they've won that cup." Chicago GAA expressed its condolences to the Hunt family saying: "With deep sadness we regret to inform you of the passing of a true GAA legend, John Hunt." Limerick Hurling Club Chicago said: "John always kept in touch with what was happening in the club through the years. He was a frequent visitor to the dressing room in Gaelic Park over the years and was good for a speech to get the team going on Sundays." Limerick GAA County Board chairman John Cregan tweeted a selfie with Mr Hunt and wrote: "Rest in peace John. Thanks for your support." Irish Independent