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Pierce Higgins

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Pierce Higgins
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
Height [convert: needs a number]
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

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.

Career[edit]

Higgins 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[edit]

His 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[edit]

Player[edit]

Tooreen
Ballyhaunis
Mayo

Manager[edit]

Ballyhaunis

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Mayo in mourning for former GAA star". The Western People. 20 January 2023. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  2. ^ "Keith Higgins stars as Ballyhaunis bounce back to claim Mayo hurling title". RTÉ Sport. 12 September 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  3. ^ "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.
  4. ^ "Mayo GAA in mourning at passing of former county hurler Pierce Higgins". Irish Independent. 20 January 2023. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  5. ^ "A defensive star for 16 seasons, was Higgins the best Mayo produced in modern era?". The 42. 24 January 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  6. ^ "Hurling For Hope". RTÉ Radio 1 website. 20 March 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  7. ^ "The late Pierce Higgins was 'an inspiration to all'". Hogan Stand. 20 January 2023. Retrieved 21 January 2023.