Search
06 Sept 2025
Search
06 Sept 2025
Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.
Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.
If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .
Support our mission and join our community now.
To continue reading this article, you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles!
Alternatively, you can pay €0.50 per article, capped at €1 per day.
Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism!
Alex rose to fame playing on the Kilkenny Minor team in 1959.
Tributes have began to flood in following the death of Alexander (Alex) McGrath, from Templeorum, Kilkenny.
Alex passed away aged 82 on Thursday, October 31 of this year in Chicago, Illinois, where we was residing.
He will be dearly missed, and was beloved by his wife, Sheila, children, Anne, Noleen, and Alastar, grandchildren, Caitlin, Alex, Keira, Aidan, Ronan and Maeve, and many others he touched throughout his life.
Alex rose to fame playing on the Kilkenny Minor team in 1959 where he was a centre-back, playing alongside his own brother Tom, when winning the All American Championships.
He was an institution in the Irish Chicago community, having worked in an Irish shop on the Southside, before moving to the Northside, where he opened Donegal Imports on Devon Avenue.
The former Donegal Imports owner was also a great friend to the legendary Mick Crotty, an Irish hurler selector and player, who he also played alongside.
Many have taken to RIP.ie to share their condolences with Alex's family.
One user said, "Sincere sympathy to all in the McGrath family on the death of Alex. It was a privilege to meet and chat with Alex on many of his trips home from Chicago. He loved to reminisce about his time lining out in the Black and Amber and he continued his support for all Kilkenny teams throughout his life. May his gentle soul rest in peace."
With another saying, "We were so saddened to hear of the unexpected death of our dear and lovely friend Alex. We so enjoyed his weekly phone calls and yearly visits and our trips to Bandon to see Sr Breda. He was such good company. Our deepest sympathy to Sheila and family on your great loss. May he rest in peace."
Visitation took place yesterday, November 7, at the Smith-Corcoran funeral home, with Mass taking place today, November 8, at St Mary of the Woods church in Chicago followed by graveside service at All Saints Catholic Cemetery and Mausoleum.
At St Michael’s Theatre, in New Ross, for the Kennedy Summer School were Jim Acosta, former CNN White House correspondent, Dr Stacey L Connaughton of Purdue University and Dr Charles Larkin of the org
Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie
Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.
Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.
This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie.
