Pierce Higgins (1977 – 20 January 2023) was an Irish hurler. At club level he played with Ballyhaunis and was also a member of the Mayo senior hurling team.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Irish name | Piaras Ó hUiginn | ||
| Sport | Hurling | ||
| Position | Full-forward | ||
| Born |
1977 Ballyhaunis, County Mayo, Ireland | ||
| Died |
20 January 2023 (aged 45) Ballyhaunis, County Mayo, Ireland | ||
| Occupation | Cabinet maker | ||
| Club(s) | |||
| Years | Club | ||
1994–1996 1997–2016 |
Tooreen Ballyhaunis | ||
| Club titles | |||
| Mayo titles | 14 | ||
| Inter-county(ies) | |||
| Years | County | ||
1997–2010 | Mayo | ||
| Inter-county titles | |||
| All-Irelands | 0 | ||
| NHL | 3 | ||
| All Stars | 0 | ||
Career
editHiggins first played hurling with the Tooreen club and won consecutive Mayo SHC titles in 1994 and 1995. He was later a founder-member of the Ballyhaunis club in 1997 and spent 20 seasons with the club's senior team.[1] Higgins won a further 12 Mayo SHC titles between 2002 and 2016. He was joint-manager of the Ballyhaunis team that won the Mayo SHC title in 2020.[2]
At inter-county level, Higgins first appeared for Mayo as a member of the minor team that won All-Ireland MCHC titles in 1994 and 1995. He later had a 14-year association with the senior team and was part of the panel that won the All-Ireland JHC title in 2003.[3] Higgins also won several National League medals in Division 3 and Division 4.[4]
Personal life and death
editHis brother, Keith Higgins, is a six-time All-Ireland SFC runner-up with the Mayo senior football team.[5] Higgins was diagnosed with motor neuron disease in 2017.[6]
Higgins died on 20 January 2023, at the age of 45.[7]
Honours
editPlayer
edit- Tooreen
- Mayo Senior Hurling Championship: 1994, 1995
- Ballyhaunis
- Mayo Senior Hurling Championship: 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2020
- Mayo
- All-Ireland Junior Hurling Championship: 2003
- Connacht Junior Hurling Championship: 2003, 2004
- National Hurling League Division 3: 1998, 2003
- National Hurling League Division 4: 2002
- All-Ireland Minor C Hurling Championship: 1994, 1995
Manager
edit- Ballyhaunis
References
edit- ^ "Mayo in mourning for former GAA star". The Western People. 20 January 2023. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
- ^ "Keith Higgins stars as Ballyhaunis bounce back to claim Mayo hurling title". RTÉ Sport. 12 September 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
- ^ "Keith Higgins: 'He's the person I always went to. I nearly feel guilty now that I can't do anything to help'". Irish Examiner. 25 February 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
- ^ "Mayo GAA in mourning at passing of former county hurler Pierce Higgins". Irish Independent. 20 January 2023. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
- ^ "A defensive star for 16 seasons, was Higgins the best Mayo produced in modern era?". The 42. 24 January 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
- ^ "Hurling For Hope". RTÉ Radio 1 website. 20 March 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
- ^ "The late Pierce Higgins was 'an inspiration to all'". Hogan Stand. 20 January 2023. Retrieved 21 January 2023.