Waterford hurling great Austin Flynn has died.
The Abbeyside man starred at full-back as the Déise lifted the Liam McCarthy in 1959 following a famous replay win over Kilkenny in Croke Park.
In a career that spanned 1952 to 1967 Austin won the first Waterford Hurler of the Year Award in 1967 and was selected at full back on the Waterford Team of the Millennium.
He also won three Munster titles, two Railway Cups and a National League.
However, although he played in four senior county finals with his club, Abbeyside, they were defeated on each occasion by Mount Sion.
Renowned as one of the best full-backs of that era, Flynn marked many of the game's greats, such as Nickey Rackard, Liam Devaney, and Christy Ring.
Described by many as a 'true gentleman', he got great enjoyment from watching his grandchildren play the game he loved in recent years.
WLR's Gavin Whelan put together this package looking back at Austin's brilliant career, he certainly will go down as a true legend:
https://www.spreaker.com/user/wlrfm/austin-flynn-rip-vcr?utm_medium=widget&utm_source=user%3A11231943&utm_term=episode_title
Austin is pictured here with his grandson Cormac Curran in February 2013 after Dungarvan Colleges claimed Harty Cup glory following victory over Templemore.
This evening we were saddened to learn of the passing of our Club President Austin Flynn. Austin was of course full back on the great Waterford hurling team of the 1950s and 60s winning an All Ireland in 1959 along with 3 Munster titles, a National League and Oireachtas title. pic.twitter.com/8dIw243ZCI
— Abbeyside Ballinacourty GAA (@AbbeycourtyGAA1) April 26, 2021
Listen here to an excerpt from WLR's documentary on the 1959 All-Ireland from 2009 where Austin Flynn describes how a speech by chairman Pat Fanning inspired the team to All Ireland glory:
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a Anam.
