George Lavery

{{Short description|Northern Irish Gaelic footballer (1931–2024}}

{{Infobox Gaelic games player

| code = Football

| sport = Gaelic football

| image =

| name = George Lavery

| irish = Seoirse Ó Labhraí

| feet = 5

| inches = 10

| occupation =

| nickname =

| county = Down

| province = Ulster

| club = Kilwarlin

| clubs =

| clyears =

| clapps(points) =

| clcounty = 0

| clprovince =

| clallireland =

| colleges =

| colyears =

| sig =

| counties = Antrim
Down

| icposition = Left corner-back

| icyears = 1952
1953–1965

| icapps(points) =

| icprovince = 5

| icallireland = 2

| nfl = 2

| allstars =

| clupdate =

| icupdate =

| birth_date = April 1931{{cite news|url=https://archive.irishnewsarchive.com/olive/APA/INA/Default.aspx#panel=document|title=Stars of the County Down|publisher=Irish Press|date=20 September 1960|access-date=12 May 2024}}

| birth_place = Moira, Northern Ireland

| death_date = {{death date and given age|df=y|2024|05|08|93}}

| death_place = Belfast, Northern Ireland

}}

James George Lavery (April 1931 – 8 May 2024) was a Northern Irish Gaelic footballer and selector. He played at club level with Kilwarlin and at inter-county level with the Down senior football team.{{cite news|url=http://www.thedownrecorder.co.uk/pages/?title=Paddy_Mo%E2%80%99s_greatest_Down_side_of_all_time|title=Paddy Mo's greatest Down side of all time|publisher=Down Recorder|date=22 April 2020|access-date=12 May 2024}}

Playing career

Lavery first played Gaelic football at inter-county level with the Antrim senior football team. He made his debut in the Dr Lagan Cup in 1952, but declared for Down the following year.{{cite news|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/gaa/heroes-who-went-down-in-history/28529792.html|title=Heroes who went Down in history|publisher=Belfast Telegraph|date=16 April 2010|access-date=12 May 2024}} After missing the 1958 Ulster final due to confusion in his travel arrangements, Lavery won his first provincial medal in 1959. It was the first of three successive Ulster SFC titles, while he also claimed consecutive All-Ireland SFC medals in 1960 and 1961.{{cite news|url=https://www.irishnews.com/sport/gaafootball/2018/09/21/news/the-boys-of-summer-in-golden-jubilee-year-down-s-1968-heroes-recall-glorious-all-ireland-triumph-1438144/|title=The boys of summer: Down's 1968 heroes recall glorious All-Ireland triumph 50 years on|publisher=The Irish News|date=21 September 2008|access-date=4 March 2024}}{{cite news|url=http://www.thedownrecorder.co.uk/pages/?title=We_had_good_times|title=We had good times|publisher=Down Recorder|date=29 July 2020|access-date=12 May 2024}} Lavery won five Ulster SFC titles in all, as well as two National League titles. He was also a substitute on the Ulster team that claimed Railway Cup honours in 1956.

Management career

After bringing his inter-county career to an end in 1965, Lavery moved to management and immediately became a selector with the Down senior team. During his tenure with the team, Down won two Ulster SFC titles, a National League title and a third All-Ireland SFC title after beating Kerry in the 1968 All-Ireland final.{{cite news|url=https://www.irishnews.com/gaa/gaelic-football/george-was-one-of-that-generation-of-icons-who-have-helped-to-make-us-the-proud-county-that-we-are-A5RRYTQH3VG45HSVBHQGYYSUPQ/|title='George was one of that generation of icons who have helped to make us the proud county that we are'|publisher=The Irish News|date=10 May 2024|access-date=12 May 2024}}

Death

Lavery died at a Belfast nursing home on 8 May 2024, at the age of 93.{{cite news|url=http://www.downgaa.net/news/the-late-george-lavery|title=The Late George Lavery|publisher=Down GAA website|date=11 May 2024|access-date=12 May 2024}}